OUR STORY

meet the founder

Natalie has always had a love for fashion — and a deeply creative mind to match. Left-handed and naturally imaginative, she grew up expressing herself through style, design, and visual storytelling long before Poise Society ever existed.

In high school, Natalie worked on her yearbook team, where she first fell in love with branding, layout, and storytelling. Throughout college, she built real-world experience in marketing and business, first serving as a CMO for an author and keynote speaker, then working in marketing for a startup brand. Alongside that, she worked as a photographer, taking graduation photos for fellow students — and used the money she earned from those shoots to fund the launch of Poise Society.

Her motivation to start the brand was deeply personal. Natalie constantly felt frustrated by the lack of pieces in her own closet and how clothes fit her body — even after undergoing a breast reduction. Shopping rarely felt empowering; pieces either didn’t flatter her proportions, weren’t comfortable enough for real life, or didn’t feel timeless enough to justify the investment. That disconnect became the catalyst for creating something better.

During her senior year at the University of Georgia, Natalie turned that frustration into action. With no formal fashion training and no outside investors, she launched Poise Society to design the kinds of elevated, flattering, and versatile pieces she genuinely wanted to wear. Pieces that weren’t dictated by trends, but rooted in longevity, confidence, and real-world wearability.

Natalie’s creative perspective and lived experience continue to shape every part of the brand. She takes a hands-on role in design, fit development, and creative direction — testing, refining, and reworking each piece until it meets her standards for comfort, quality, and timeless appeal.

For Natalie, Poise Society isn’t just a brand — it’s a reflection of her journey, her creativity, and her belief that women deserve clothing that supports their bodies, their lives, and their confidence.

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Poise Society was born from a simple belief: confidence isn’t something you put on — it’s something you build into everything you wear.

Founded by Natalie Gillis during her senior year at the University of Georgia, Poise Society began as a vision rooted in ambition, creativity, and a deep understanding of the modern woman’s lifestyle. While finishing her final year of school, Natalie started designing pieces that blended elevated style with real-world wearability — clothing that didn’t force women to choose between looking polished and feeling comfortable.

The idea for Poise Society came from personal frustration. Natalie found herself constantly searching for pieces that felt flattering, functional, and versatile enough to transition from workouts to classes, meetings to errands, and everything in between. The options were either trendy but impractical, or comfortable but uninspiring. She knew there had to be a better balance — and Poise Society was created to fill that gap.

Launching the brand wasn’t easy. With no outside investors and limited resources, Poise Society was built from the ground up while Natalie was still a student — juggling coursework, design, sourcing, and brand-building all at once. Every dollar earned was reinvested into better fabrics, improved fits, and elevated design. Growth didn’t happen overnight — and it certainly didn’t look like the viral “overnight success” stories you see on social media.

Rather than chasing trends or viral moments, Natalie focused on producing timeless pieces she genuinely wanted to wear — designs rooted in longevity, versatility, and quality. Poise Society isn’t driven by what’s “in” this season; it’s guided by what feels good, fits beautifully, and stands the test of time.

What started as a passion project quickly became a full-time pursuit. As the brand evolved, so did the vision behind it. Poise Society began with thoughtfully designed lifestyle pieces, built around the same core values that still guide the brand today: flattering silhouettes, premium quality, and intentional design that supports women through every part of their day.

Every piece is created with intention, tested in real life, and refined based on feedback from the women who wear it. From fabric selection to fit development, Poise Society prioritizes comfort, confidence, and timeless style — because clothing should enhance your life, not complicate it.

Along the way, Poise Society began gaining organic attention. Some of Natalie’s favorite influencers have been seen wearing the brand — a full-circle moment that affirmed the original vision and signaled that Poise Society was resonating far beyond its earliest community.

Today, Poise Society is powered by a small, dedicated team that shares a passion for building a brand rooted in confidence, community, and purpose. We are proud to remain independently owned, growing intentionally and staying deeply connected to the women who make this brand what it is.

Poise Society isn’t just about what you wear — it’s about how you show up. With poise.