Fabrics have the power of seduction

Colors express emotions and mood. They can convey a sense of calm, joy or even sadness. Gloria Neumann knows that. She is the owner of Sun Decor Fabrics, a company that represents 35 European textile companies with which she has managed to succeed in the Big Apple.

Gloria transforms empty spaces into luxurious and exclusive environments. With fabrics for making curtains and furniture, Neumann, who arrived in New York from Medellin in 1972 when she was 17 years old, has made the streets of Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue her new work place.

With her office in Manhattan, Neumann works with the most recognized architects and designers in the city.

The history of this Colombian business has been rising. One year before finishing her degree in interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she was already exercising her profession. Her first job was to design a dental office. Then she was climbing and was employed for a company that was involved in making furniture.

"These jobs expanded my knowledge of the industry." Then I decided to open new horizons. From her home, she established in 1987 her first office of interior design called Neumann Interior Design.

"At first I only had to invest in a phone line and spent $ 1.000 to print my letterhead and business cards." Under this company, the immigrant won contracts, along with other architects, to decorate and remodel the offices of Intercap, a project valued at $ 15 million.

But a problem with her thyroid forced her close the business in 1992. "It worked for two years, which forced me to begin all over again."

"When in 1994, I felt improvement, I asked my mother for $ 1.50 to take the train in July and go to the Design Center to search for sellers of fabrics to give me the opportunity to sell their products from my home."

"The first person I visited on the top floor of the building accepted my proposal. I could not believe that again my expectations could grow as a professional and entrepreneur, "said Neumann, who was accepted three more times that day to sell more samples.

"On the train back home I started to cry. She did not know whether it was sadness or happiness, "she says.

Then, a week later she received the samples of these companies and started to sell them quickly thanks to a broad customer base of previous work.

She only spent a few months that her company was launched in 1994 and moved from home to the New York Design Center. Now, Neumann continues expanding hers business successfully. It also promotes its business through www.sundecorfabrics.com.

Translated from Spanish version.