Michelle Gass Goes Offline with Lauren Conrad

Lauren Conrad spoke to Kohl’s associates about her career, her partnership with Kohl’s, her philanthropic efforts and how she balances it all.

As a young girl, Lauren Conrad aspired to be a fashion designer. Today, her Kohl’s-exclusive brand, LC Lauren Conrad, is a customer-favorite, experiencing growth in sales, product assortment, brand recognition and customer loyalty. As part of Kohl’s Offline speaker series, Lauren sat down with Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass to give an inside look at her nearly decade-long partnership with Kohl’s, her passion for philanthropy, and how she’s built her business.

Lauren and Michelle kicked off their conversation by talking about Lauren’s partnership with Kohl’s. Since the launch of LC Lauren Conrad in 2009, the brand has grown and evolved tremendously and Lauren has been a part of the product development process the entire way, infusing pieces of her own style, which she describes as simple and feminine. She shared that she loves the design aspect and working with Kohl’s to create a brand that has evolved along with her life. Now that she’s a mother, Lauren is focused on having pieces in her collection that can easily transition from day-to-night, are comfortable and easy to care for -- perfect for the busy mom.

When asked about her impressive social media presence with over 10 million followers, Lauren shared it’s important to remain authentic. She encouraged Kohl’s associates to be inspired by others, but to always remember to be themselves.

One of Lauren’s biggest passions is The Little Market, which she co-founded in 2013, and serves as an online fair trade shop where customers can purchase products handmade by female artisans around the world. Lauren shared how rewarding it was to be able to visit many of the artisan groups and see first-hand how it has positively impacted their lives.

As a purpose-driven company, Kohl's shares Lauren’s values of giving back and strengthening communities. At the event, Kohl’s surprised Lauren with a $50,000 donation to The Little Market, helping the organization continue to make a positive impact around the world.

With so many projects, Michelle asked Lauren how she balances it all. According to Lauren, becoming a mom has helped her take control of her work-life balance, grow her delegation skills, and learn to say “no” more often. She encouraged the moms watching to do what’s right for them and follow their gut as there are a lot of outside opinions.

When asked for a piece of career advice for the thousands of Kohl’s associates watching, Lauren said to not be afraid of mistakes as she’s grown and learned from every mistake she’s made. She also said to do what makes you happy and to seek out a job that you’re excited to go to every day.

Check out the LC Lauren Conrad collection at Kohl’s stores and on Kohls.com.