Josie Natori
Josefina Almeda Cruz was born in the Philippines in 1947 and is a fashion designer and the CEO and founder of The Natori Company.
Natori served as a commissioner on the White House Conference on Small Business. In March 2007 she was awarded the Order of Lakandula, one of the highest civilian awards in the Philippines. [1] In April, 2007, Natori received the “Peopling of America” Award from the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation.
[photo source]
Natori moved to the United States in 1964 to attend Manhattanville College. After graduating, she worked at Merrill Lynch, where she rose the ranks to become the first female Vice President in Investment Banking. [2] On Wall Street, she also met her husband Ken Natori, who served as a Managing Director of Shearson Lehman. The couple married in 1972.
Natori made the move from Wall Street to fashion full-time in 1977, after considering a number of other entrepreuneurial ventures from opening a McDonald’s franchise, to reproducing antique furniture. [4] She settled on fashion after a buyer at Bloomingdale’s suggested she lengthen some peasant blouses sent to her from her native Philippines. The reworked garments were sold as nightshirts.
The Natori Company now sells lingerie, sleepwear, loungewear, underwear and other high-end women’s fashion to upscale department stores in the US, and to at least 15 countries internationally. [5]. In addition to women’s clothing, the company is also in the home furnishings industry, and in May, 2008 signed a licensing deal to sell Natori perfume. [6] The perfume is set to debut in the US in September, 2009, with international distribution to follow.
![famousfilipinos:
Josie Natori
Josefina Almeda Cruz was born in the Philippines in 1947 and is a fashion designer and the CEO and founder of The Natori Company. Natori served as a commissioner on the White House Conference on Small Business. In March 2007 she was awarded the Order of Lakandula, one of the highest civilian awards in the Philippines. [1] In April, 2007, Natori received the “Peopling of America” Award from the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation.
[photo source]Natori moved to the United States in 1964 to attend Manhattanville College. After graduating, she worked at Merrill Lynch, where she rose the ranks to become the first female Vice President in Investment Banking. [2] On Wall Street, she also met her husband Ken Natori, who served as a Managing Director of Shearson Lehman. The couple married in 1972.
Natori made the move from Wall Street to fashion full-time in 1977, after considering a number of other entrepreuneurial ventures from opening a McDonald’s franchise, to reproducing antique furniture. [4] She settled on fashion after a buyer at Bloomingdale’s suggested she lengthen some peasant blouses sent to her from her native Philippines. The reworked garments were sold as nightshirts.
The Natori Company now sells lingerie, sleepwear, loungewear, underwear and other high-end women’s fashion to upscale department stores in the US, and to at least 15 countries internationally. [5]. In addition to women’s clothing, the company is also in the home furnishings industry, and in May, 2008 signed a licensing deal to sell Natori perfume. [6] The perfume is set to debut in the US in September, 2009, with international distribution to follow.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/NJmdcGbXSnzo77w7M3RIMBqco1_400.jpg)
