Meet Christina Liedtke

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christina Liedtke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Christina, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

To be effective and successful when you’re the only one in the room who looks like you, involves a great deal of awareness, confidence, and influential expression that brings people along on your thought process and journey.

In truth, we are all unique, we are all different, we all have our own DNA that make us who we are. The difference between somebody who stands back and somebody who steps forward is ownership, agency, and accountability for who they, the value they add, and how to express themselves in a way that delivers positive intention and contribution.

This is a learned behavior. It has taken me a lifetime to come into my own and thrive on my strengths, perspectives, creativity, and influence. This has not come without failure, humbleness, and many learning lessons and pivots,

However, I have found that when I respect and trust my voice, my vision, and my delivery while also giving that same trust and respect to harnessing the relationships of those around me, I provide a strong foundation of both resilience and reliance to bring a uniqueness to the world.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the Founder, CEO and Creative Director of ASTOURI, an artistically curated, multifunctional, travel-friendly women’s ready-to-wear brand. With an extraordinary eye for curating beautiful details and style with exquisite fit and drape, I have spent almost 20 years in fashion design and also in corporate strategy in the beauty and fashion industries. As a previous owner of my luxury women’s clothing business, I understand the importance of making women feel beautiful and complimented in their apparel and accessories by providing the right fit, fabrics, and fabulousness.

As a global traveler and having lived in multiple cities, I could never find a brand or specific items that spoke to me as a female and also the city I was living in, visiting, or aspiring to go to. I kept seeing t-shirts and hoodies. I wanted something more stylish, feminine, valuable and gave me a sense of connection to that city.

When I started ASTOURI, I wanted to fill a void for women with beautiful prints that were artistically inspired by cities providing women apparel and accessories that were not only beautiful and highly complimented, but also easy-to-wear and easy-to-pack. As a designer, I am always looking for what women are wearing that brings their best selves to life.

Additionally, I have spent that the last 25 years practicing yoga and diving deep into the critical components of self-work that enables both creativity and expression. This work is a competency that helps me as an entrepreneur and a women’s brand owner to create both clothing and space for women to feel confident.

As summer is in full swing, we recently launched our spring/summer 2024 collection filled with beautiful prints, exquisite fabrics, and travel-friendly styles. Additionally, we will be popping up at several juried art shows locally before transitioning into holiday mode.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three areas of knowledge and qualities that have help drive my success are the following:

1. Being Comfortable Taking Risks: From embracing uncertainty to learning from failure to adapting to new situations and pivoting, having a mindset that centered and open to new opportunities will help you and your company grow.

2. Having a Clear Line of Sight to Success: Establishing clear, strategic, and achievable goals that align with your vision provides direction and purpose. Break down long-term objectives into smaller, manageable steps to track your progress and stay motivated. The biggest question I ask myself daily, is ‘What does success look like?’, the answer needs to be both qualitative and quantitive.

3. Strong Work Ethic: Consistency and Discipline – to show up every day with dedication and commitment to your tasks, even when motivation wanes. Additionally, holding yourself accountable for your work and outcomes. Take responsibility for your actions and strive to meet high standards in everything you do. Lastly, perseverance and persistence in the face of adversity is a hallmark of a strong work ethic. Keep pushing forward, even when the going gets tough, and don’t give up easily.

Combining these three qualities can create a powerful foundation for success:

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

One of the biggest challenges that I am currently facing as the Creative Director of ASTOURI is two-fold:

The first is leveling up the brand with effective and dynamic content and storytelling for strong brand identity and positioning. This involves what sets ASTOURI apart and unique selling points to delivering a deeper connection that resonates emotionally with my audience through creative and engaging content. To transition from merchandise selling to lifestyle curation is an opportunity that fosters a better connection with community and our social channels.

The second is delivering sales goals through better positioning by understand customer behavior and preferences. This helps deliver both strategic marketing, leveling up our content, and purchase intent as well as thoughtful designs for fall/winter 2024 and spring/summer 2025 while managing the brand metrics and financials.

Balancing effective and dynamic content and storytelling with achieving sales goals is indeed challenging are two significant component that can significantly enhance each other when done correctly. This is a consistent opportunity to foster a more cohesive brand experience for our customers.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

George Page
Matthew Richmond
Giuliano Corriea

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