When you think about fashion industry success stories, Jose Stemkens stands out as someone who truly built her empire from the ground up. Born in South Africa and raised in the Netherlands, this remarkable woman transformed herself from a young model into one of fashion’s most respected consultants and entrepreneurs.
Her journey shows us that with determination and smart business moves, you can create your own path in any industry. From working at chain stores to founding her own luxury fashion brand, Jose’s story proves that dreams really can become reality when you’re willing to work for them.
Early Life and Moving Across Continents
Jose Stemkens was born on December 29, 1987, in Tembisa, South Africa, but her family moved to the Netherlands when she was still young. Growing up in Holland shaped her early understanding of European fashion trends and business culture. This international background would later become one of her biggest strengths in the fashion world.
From a young age, she had a keen interest in fashion, which led her to start her career in the industry while still in school. While other teenagers were focused on typical after-school activities, Jose was already learning the fashion business from the ground up. She wasn’t afraid to start small and work her way up.
Her first job was at a multi-chain store called Mata Hari in Holland. This wasn’t glamorous work, but it taught her the retail side of fashion. She learned how customers think, what they want, and how the business operates at every level. These early lessons would prove invaluable later in her career.
The move from South Africa to the Netherlands at such a young age taught Jose how to adapt to new environments. This skill would serve her well as she later moved across the globe for career opportunities. She learned that success often means being flexible and open to change.
Building Her Fashion Career Foundation
In 1995, Stemkens started working for Esprit, an international fashion brand, and worked there for 10 years. This decade at Esprit became her real fashion education. The company was known for its global reach and innovative marketing, giving Jose exposure to international fashion business strategies.
During her time at Esprit, she moved from Hong Kong to Dusseldorf to Los Angeles and New York. Each city taught her something different about the fashion market. Hong Kong showed her Asian manufacturing and sourcing. Dusseldorf gave her European market insights. Los Angeles and New York exposed her to American consumer preferences.
Working with Heinz Krogner and Michael Ying at Esprit connected her with fashion industry leaders. These relationships opened doors and taught her how successful people think and operate. She absorbed knowledge about brand building, international expansion, and customer psychology.
After leaving Esprit, she worked for The Great China Wall, a high-end clothing line, as its international account manager. This role focused her expertise on luxury fashion and international business development. She learned how to position premium products in different markets and work with high-end retail partners.
Her extensive travel and work experience across multiple continents gave her a unique perspective on global fashion trends. She could see patterns and opportunities that others might miss because they only knew one market well.
Launching Her Own Fashion Empire
In 2014, Jose founded Sunrise Fashion Consulting, providing guidance to fashion brands aiming to penetrate or expand within the U.S. market. This wasn’t just another consulting firm. Jose brought years of international experience and real relationships with major retailers and brands.
Her business provides advisory services to foreign firms seeking to enter the US fashion market by introducing them to reputable department stores and boutiques across the country. She became the bridge between international fashion brands and American success. Her clients knew she understood both sides of the equation.
Any business that chooses to work with Jose and her organization will also receive assistance with PR and marketing, funding opportunities and support, legal counsel and structure, and much more. She created a full-service approach that addressed every challenge international brands face when entering the U.S. market.
In 2017, alongside Jane Munro-Altinok, she co-founded Eywasouls Malibu, a luxury fashion brand known for its chic maxi dresses. This venture showed her creative side. After years of helping other brands succeed, she was ready to build her own fashion line from scratch.
The Malibu-inspired brand reflects Jose’s California lifestyle and her understanding of what modern women want to wear. The brand was inspired by the Malibu lifestyle, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit. She created clothes that work for both casual beach days and elegant evening events.
Personal Life and Hollywood Connection
Jose’s personal life gained public attention when she married actor Titus Welliver, known for his starring role in the Amazon Prime series “Bosch.” Their relationship brought together two different entertainment worlds – fashion and television. This marriage connected Jose to Hollywood’s social circles and opened new networking opportunities.
The couple’s relationship showed how two successful professionals can support each other’s careers. While Titus focused on his acting projects, Jose continued building her fashion businesses. They understood the demands of creative industries and gave each other space to pursue their passions.
Their marriage also highlighted Jose’s ability to maintain her own identity and career success. She never became just “the actor’s wife” but continued to be recognized for her own professional achievements. This balance takes skill and confidence that not everyone can manage.
Living in California exposed Jose to a different fashion market than she’d known in Europe or Asia. The West Coast style is more relaxed and lifestyle-focused, which influenced her design choices for Eywasouls Malibu. She learned to blend comfort with elegance.
Business Philosophy and Success Strategies
Jose’s approach to business centers on understanding cultural differences and market needs. Her international background taught her that what works in one country might not work in another. She helps brands adapt their strategies rather than just copying what worked elsewhere.
Her firm quickly became a go-to resource for international brands, thanks to her innovative strategies and deep understanding of market dynamics. Jose doesn’t just offer generic advice. She provides specific, actionable strategies based on real market knowledge and established relationships.
Her success comes from being genuinely helpful to her clients. Rather than promising quick fixes, she focuses on building sustainable businesses that can grow over time. This long-term thinking has earned her respect throughout the fashion industry.
Jose believes in the power of personal relationships in business. Her extensive network of contacts across multiple continents gives her clients access to opportunities they couldn’t find on their own. She opens doors that would otherwise remain closed.
She also understands the importance of staying current with fashion trends while maintaining timeless business principles. This balance helps her clients navigate changing markets without losing their core brand identity.
Impact on the Fashion Industry
Jose’s consulting work has helped numerous international brands successfully enter the American market. Each success story adds to her reputation and brings new opportunities. She’s become known as someone who can make the impossible seem possible for foreign fashion companies.
Through her consultancy, Stemkens has worked with numerous high-end brands, bringing her expertise and global perspective to the forefront of the fashion industry. Her influence extends beyond individual client relationships to broader industry trends and practices.
Her own fashion brand, Eywasouls Malibu, has contributed to the luxury casual wear market. The brand’s success proves that Jose understands not just business strategy but also consumer desires and fashion design. She practices what she teaches her consulting clients.
Jose has also influenced how other fashion professionals think about international expansion. Her success story shows that with the right knowledge and connections, geographic boundaries don’t have to limit business growth. She’s inspired others to think globally about their fashion careers.
Her dual success as both consultant and brand owner gives her unique credibility in the industry. When she advises clients about building brands, they know she’s doing it herself. This hands-on experience makes her advice more valuable and trustworthy.
Looking Forward: Continuing Fashion Innovation
Jose continues to evolve her business strategies as the fashion industry changes. Online shopping, social media marketing, and direct-to-consumer sales have transformed how fashion brands operate. She stays ahead of these trends to better serve her clients and grow her own brands.
Her experience across multiple decades in fashion gives her perspective on what changes are temporary trends versus lasting shifts. This wisdom helps her make smart decisions about where to invest time and resources. She can separate the noise from real opportunities.
The global nature of modern fashion business makes Jose’s international experience more valuable than ever. As brands look to expand into new markets quickly, they need advisors who truly understand cultural differences and local business practices.
Jose’s story shows that success in fashion requires more than just good taste or design skills. Business knowledge, relationship building, and cultural awareness are equally important. She demonstrates that fashion careers can be built on multiple skills working together.
Her continued success proves that age and experience are advantages in the fashion industry, not limitations. While the industry often focuses on youth, Jose shows that wisdom and established relationships create lasting value for brands and clients alike.
