BRAND SPOTLIGHT- ÉTOILE

KNOW ENOUGH TO BEGIN. TRUST YOURSELF ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT THE REST

Building Étoile with Madison Krupa

Some brands begin with a business plan. Others begin with a world that has quietly been taking shape for years.

For Madison Krupa, founder of Étoile, that world was built from years spent in dance studios, performing on stage, collecting old photographs of showgirls, and an enduring love for fashion and storytelling. Eventually, those seemingly separate pieces found their way together.

Étoile is a ballerina-inspired womenswear brand, designed and made in Canada in sizes XS–4XL. Feminine, romantic, playful and nostalgic, the brand takes inspiration from the world of dance and performance and reimagines it for everyday life.

We first began working with Madison on her designs in August 2024, and since then, we’ve had the privilege of watching Étoile move from an idea into a growing world of its own. In this Brand Spotlight, Madison takes us behind that journey—from finding the confidence to begin and navigating product development to the lessons she’s learned along the way and what she’s dreaming up next.

FS#5: Take us back to the moment this brand started.

MK: Étoile feels like so many of my life experiences coming together, wrapped in a perfect bow.

I grew up in a dance studio, and my first job out of high school was as a professional dancer with Disney Cruise Line. Being onstage was a huge part of my identity growing up, and that world—the costumes, the glamour, the feeling of stepping into a spotlight—has always stayed with me.

Looking back, I think I was slowly building the world of Étoile long before I realized it. I was saving old black-and-white photographs of showgirls on Pinterest, taking screenshots of dance scenes in movies, collecting references and obsessing over the worlds that great fashion and beauty brands created—not just the products, but the storytelling, imagery, experiences and communities around them.

Eventually, all of those seemingly separate interests started to click into place. Dance, fashion, storytelling, nostalgia, performance—it felt like I had finally landed on a concept that was distinctly mine, and a world I really wanted to build.

After university, where I studied communications, I spent several years working for a women’s footwear and accessories company. I worked across different departments and roles before eventually landing on the marketing team, and that experience taught me so much about what actually goes into building a brand.

There will always be more to learn, but at a certain point, I realized I knew enough to take the first step. I understood enough about product, marketing, e-commerce and brand building to stop telling myself I needed to know everything before I could begin.

I also had this growing realization that I was pouring so much of my energy and creativity into building someone else’s brand. I started asking myself what might happen if I directed that same energy toward building something of my own.

By then, Étoile had become the idea I couldn’t stop thinking about. I finally felt like I had a concept worth pursuing, a world worth building, and enough experience to confidently take a step forward.

And, to be honest, I just felt really compelled to start directing my energy toward making my own dreams come true.

FS#5: What does your brand stand for beyond the product?

MK: Beyond the product, Étoile is about finding your light.

“Find your light” is a theatrical phrase meaning to step into your spotlight, ensuring you’re seen and shining.

I love the idea of carrying that sentiment into everyday life. The confidence that comes from feeling beautiful in what you’re wearing. Feeling like the most captivating version of yourself. Feeling like a star, or an étoile, if you will

FS#5: Was there a specific frustration, gap, or feeling you were trying to respond to?

MK: Simply put, I wanted two perfect bodysuits, The ones that were on the market just weren’t good enough. The result: The Aurélie Bodysuit and The Adele Bodysuit.

They are the opposites of one another. The Aurélie has a higher neckline with an open back, The Adele is a low-cut scooped neckline with a closed back. Two silhouettes, endless styling opportunities. Every wardrobe deserves both.

I wanted them to be timeless but not boring. I didn’t want them to feel like basics. I wanted them to feel like special, stand-out items. Wear them with a pair of jeans and your outfit is complete.

The bodysuits that were on the market felt either really flimsy and unsupportive. On the flipside, there was constricting, uncomfortable shapewear. Neither option was right.

I wanted the smoothing effect of shapewear with the comfort of athleisure. So, Étoile’s bodysuits are double lined for support, and made with moderately compressive yet comfortable fabric that gently smoothes and defines your figure.

I wanted the wearer to comfortably be able to go bra-free, especially with The Aurélie Bodysuit’s open back design. I’ve had multiple customers be wary about not having to wear a bra and they are always excited to learn that they don’t need one once they put it on.

FS#5: You’ve mentioned that product excellence and a meaningful brand experience guide your work. How do those values show up in your design process, production, or the way you run your business?

MK: A lot of it comes down to taking my time and being really intentional. I don’t want to rush the product development process or cut corners just to get something to market faster.

I’m very particular about fit, fabric, and the little details that make a piece feel special. I’m willing to go through multiple rounds of sampling, spend longer sourcing the right fabric, or hold offon a decision until I feel confident it’s the right one. I would rather release fewer pieces that I’m incredibly proud of than constantly be putting something new into the world.

Product excellence also means thinking carefully about Étoile’s size range. I launched with sizes XS–4XL, which I was actually advised against doing as a small brand. It would have been “easier” to start with a smaller size range (S, M, L) and expand later, but that never felt right to me. If I was going to create something that made women feel beautiful and confident, I wanted more women to be able to experience that from the very beginning.

That same level of care extends beyond the clothing. I want every interaction someone has with Étoile—from the imagery and storytelling to the packaging, events, and community we’re building—to feel thoughtful and considered. The product has to be excellent, but the experience surrounding it matters to me just as much.

FS#5: Before starting production, what were you most unsure or concerned about?

MK: Turning an idea into a technical design. I had to get really good at communicating my design ideas to the people making them.

Fabric selection–I knew what I wanted the fabric to feel and look like and how I wanted it to function, but I didn’t know what it was called or how to find it.

FS#5: What part of the development or production process surprised you the most?

MK: When I first started communicating with supply chain partners, I was surprised by how often the first question was, “What’s your budget?”

Your budget dictates so much—what fabrics are available to you, which factories you can work with, your minimum quantities, and ultimately what you’re able to produce.

To me, that initially felt backwards. I wanted to start by asking: What is the best version of this product? What fabric does it need? Who is the right person to make it? And what does that actually cost? Then I could work backwards and determine the budget I needed to make it happen.

Of course, I understand why budget has to be part of the conversation, and there are always financial realities when building a product. But I still try to approach development from the perspective of what the product needs to be first, rather than starting with what I’m willing to spend and compromising from there.

I’d rather make fewer, better products, then compromise on quality to make more.

FS#5: How did your idea evolve from the initial concept to the final piece?

MK: I’ve never had a shortage of product ideas—the challenge was figuring out where to start.

I knew I wanted Étoile’s first pieces to feel like hero items: incredibly wearable, but still special and distinctive. Once I narrowed in on a bodysuit (so obviously connected to the ballerina-inspired world of Étoile), everything started to come together quite naturally.

I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like. From there, it became about refining the details—finding the right fabric, perfecting the fit, and creating something that felt distinctly Étoile.

FS#5:

What has been one of your biggest challenges so far?

MK: This is more a personal challenge than a business challenge. Maintaining momentum has probably been one of my biggest challenges.

I started Étoile after several years in a demanding 9–5, and I think I underestimated how much I needed to recover from that burnout while simultaneously trying to build something new.

There’s also the reality of balancing Étoile with the rest of my life. I still work, I have relationships I care about, hobbies I want to pursue, and a life I want to actually enjoy. When you’re building your own business, there’s always something else you could be doing, so I’ve had to learn that maintaining momentum doesn’t have to mean moving at full speed all the time.

I’m still figuring out how to build Étoile ambitiously while also building it in a way that feels sustainable for me. I think learning when to push and when to give myself some space has been a big part of that.

FS#5: What is one (or more) advice you would give to someone who is just starting?

This is advice I still have to give myself: find the balance between being strategic and being scrappy.

Know your brand ethos. Be really clear on what you stand for, what matters to you, and the world you’re trying to build. It becomes a filter for your decisions and makes it much easier to know what deserves your time, energy, and attention.

Get the important things right, but don’t let perfectionism stop you from starting. Not everything needs to be perfectly figured out before you launch. Sometimes you have to put something into the world, learn from it, and make it better as you go.

“And don’t be afraid to self-promote. Tell people what you’re building. Invite them to the event. Share the milestone. Ask for the support. I was genuinely stunned by how many people showed up for Étoile when I started putting it out into the world.”

I think we can convince ourselves that self-promotion is annoying or that people don’t care, when in reality, a lot of people genuinely want to see you succeed. Give them the opportunity to show up for you.

FS#5: What's something you wish you knew before starting?

MK: Honestly, nothing. I think there’s a bit of magic in naivety.

I was lucky to have spent several years working for a footwear and accessories brand before starting Étoile. I worked across different areas of the business, so I had a pretty good understanding of what it would take to get something off the ground.

I knew enough to make informed decisions, but maybe more importantly, I knew what I didn’t know. I knew which questions to ask and when I needed to find someone with more expertise than me.

At the same time, not knowing everything gave me the freedom to approach things differently. I wasn’t always tied to the way things had traditionally been done. I could ask why something was done a certain way, question whether it had to be, and try something different when it made sense for Étoile.

Of course, there have been plenty of things I’ve had to figure out along the way, but I’m glad I didn’t know everything that was ahead of me. Sometimes knowing too much can talk you out of starting.

There’s something valuable about knowing enough to take the first step—and trusting yourself to figure out the rest as you go.

Final Thoughts

There will always be another reason to wait. More experience to gain, more research to do, another detail to perfect before you feel completely ready.

But maybe being completely ready isn’t the point.

Madison’s journey with Étoile is a reminder that sometimes you just need to know enough to begin. Have a clear sense of what you believe in, surround yourself with people who know what you don’t, ask questions, and trust yourself to figure things out as you go.

Building something of your own doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s timeline either. There will be seasons of momentum and seasons where things move a little slower. What matters is continuing to build in a way that feels true to you.

As Madison puts it, “there’s a bit of magic in naivety.” Sometimes not knowing everything is exactly what gives you the courage to start.

KNOW ENOUGH TO BEGIN. TRUST YOURSELF ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT THE REST.

And if you have an idea you can’t stop thinking about, maybe that’s enough of a reason to take the first step. When you’re ready to turn it into something real, we’re here to help you figure out what comes next.