New Boutique Opening with Tac-Tile Founder Scarlett Patterson
We love that your creativity spans into so many cool projects. Tell us more about who you are and what you do!
I’m originally from London but I have been living in LA for ten years. I’ve always liked to do lots of different creative things. I’ve been acting for many years, mostly tv in the UK, and I do voice over work as well. I had my own lingerie brand called FIGS Underwear that I’d like to bring back again in the future under a different name (as 'softly, softly’). Recently I was doing the curation for the stores Wine + Eggs and Dreams, but I left to start a business with my partner called tac-tile mountain. It's in Pasadena and we opened a month ago!
We saw that you opened up a new shop. Tell us more!
My partner had talked about starting our own business, but it always just seemed like a bit of a pipe dream. The next thing we knew, we had found a space we liked and everything started falling into place, which felt very kismet and developed really organically! It's most easily described as a gift shop. We have apothecary, incense and candles, stationary, lots of books, kitchen and homewares, imported and locally made pantry items, magazines and greeting cards! We hope to host workshops and pop ups in the future. We’re so excited to see how our little shop grows and finds its place in the community!
What is inspiring you creatively these days?
I feel like I’m going through quite a transitional phase at the moment, so I have been focusing on filling my cup in different ways. I've recently started exploring screenplay writing. I have always wanted to make my own film and create a world of my own. I have a few that I’m working on that I’m really excited about developing, and I hope to make one into a short soon. It's been really nice to rediscover and fall back in love with storytelling and writing.
Do your different creative ventures influence your personal style?
I tend to dress how I feel, so it changes each day. Different outfits can change how you experience the world and how it responds to you. It's fun playing dress up now and again. Clothes can be so evocative and I love to have fun and be playful with my clothes but that doesn’t happen every day. I've always been fond of the classic shapes and styles reminiscent of the English and French It Girls of the 60’s. I'm drawn to beautiful well made pieces, a great pair of jeans with a ballet flat or a cute shift dress with a frilly collar. Recently I have been dressing pretty casually, perhaps because I've been so busy at the shop, also probably because of the hot weather we’ve been experiencing in LA. I do miss dressing up more and I'm honestly excited to start wearing my sweaters and boots again, I love cooler weather!
How do you balance your different creative pursuits?
I'm still figuring this one out, but if I’m excited about something I find a way to work it in!
What is the best business advice you've ever received?
To be honest I can’t think of any specific advice I’ve received, but I’ve learned a lot from my own experience and from watching other business owners. I think it’s important not to compare yourself or your business to others! Instagram can be a distracting place when it comes to watching trends, and it’s important to limit your exposure to it and remember to follow your own vision, especially if you're launching a product or a brand. I tend to take breaks from social media, it preserves creativity!