What they have in common, Chrissy says, is high expectations and dreams for the family business.
"I would work hard somewhere else, but having personal financial investment in this company definitely motivates me to put everything I have into it," says Nicole.
Nicole's greatest challenge is communicating with the factory in China, which often involves waking up at 3 A.M. to accommodate the time difference. Chrissy spends her time immersed in inspirational movies and magazines, imagining themes for forthcoming seasons.
The Azzaro partnership is padded with familial support. "In the beginning, we were having difficulties establishing boundaries," says Nicole. "My sister was used to doing everything, and it was hard for her to relinquish control and sit back and create."
So Chrissy brought in her husband, organizational psychologist Adam Kling, to help them define their roles and chart out goals. "I pointed out that they have a classic CEO/COO relationship, where Chrissy generates ideas and Nicky figures out how to make them happen." Kling advised them to disengage from disagreements and "sleep on it" when they find themselves getting too emotional.
"The downside of being siblings," Kling says, "is that business arguments can bleed into the personal, and personal arguments can bleed into the business. But overall, Hope & Glorie is helped by the fact that they have an established relationship. They really trust one another."
Their mother, an artist who hails from Ecuador, drops by the studio to share ideas for outfits. Sometimes, all three women gather around to watch films from the '30s and '40s for stylistic inspiration. "When we were little, Mom would always sit us in front of Shirley Temple movies,"Chrissy remembers. Now, her 2-year-old son often toddles underfoot while everyone is at work.
"We do bicker, especially as the stress of pulling together a collection piles on," admits Nicole. "Sometimes, I'll ask her a question about work, and then I'll realize that I didn't ask how her day was."
"We've put everything we've earned back into the business," says Chrissy. "But it's not a bad deal. We love what we do."
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