Provided by Beyond Cuffs
Cynthia Sadler
When Cynthia Sadler retired in 2016, she easily could have filled her days with golf and grandchildren. She’d certainly earned the down time after a dynamic 30-year career in the banking industry. But slowing down was the furthest thing from Sadler’s mind.
That’s because she had an idea. Like the classic aha moment, it came to her as a flash of inspiration in a time of need.
She was heading out of the office one evening to attend a law firm reception when she wished she had some sort of fashion accessory to quickly and easily lend a little flair to her all-black outfit. Something stylish but also serious. Something polished that also popped. Something like an elegant French cuff that could slip under a sleeve to make a bold statement without adding the bulk of an extra layer of fabric. Later, when Sadler decided to search for the type of French cuff she envisioned, she couldn’t find anything even close.
Within nine months of retiring, Sadler had a business plan in hand to design and sell her idea of a detachable, decorative French cuff. The goal, she says, was to give women a “unique way to personalize, expand and enhance their existing wardrobe.” She had officially begun the entrepreneurial journey that would become a men’s and women’s fashion accessories company called Beyond Cuffs.
"At first, people don’t always get it, but the moment they see someone wearing them, they understand and realize the cuffs are fun, clever, and creative.” Cynthia Sadler, owner
She remembers feeling excited at the start, but also nervous. “This was an entirely new product — a complete unknown — and I didn’t know if I was going to fall or fly,” she says.
Sadler says her biggest challenge has always been educating consumers about the cuffs. "At first, people don’t always get it," she says. “But the moment they see someone wearing them, they understand and realize the cuffs are fun, clever, and creative.”
Indeed, the cuffs sell themselves: Every time she wears a pair, whether it’s running errands or watching a TCU football game (she’s a longtime season ticket holder), women always comes up to her to ask where she got them. Her answer is always the same: “I hand them a card and say, ‘Here’s the website!’”
Today, Beyond Cuffs offers cuffs in a range of colors and patterns, from solids and stripes to a shimmery zebra print. Every holiday season, there are new designs based on original art commissioned from a Texas artist, and there are several limited-edition designs available year-round. Every pair of cuffs comes in a drawstring fabric pouch nestled inside a handsome blue presentation box. It’s a display so elegant that it won an ADDY Award for package design.
Sadler handles every element of her business in the U.S. and strives to keep as much local as possible. Her fabric is printed in Virginia, her buttons and elastics come from New York, she worked with a company in Oklahoma on her signature blue boxes, and all manufacturing is done in New York City’s garment district. Distribution is handled by a company on Fort Worth’s Northside, and she proudly works with Expanco, a company in south Fort Worth that employs differently abled workers, to handle her packaging.
The company’s original moniker was Signature Cuffs, but Sadler and her team transitioned to the new name, Beyond Cuffs, at the close of 2019 to better reflect the company’s expanding mix of merchandise. In 2018, Texas Christian University granted the company a license to create branded cuffs and other fashion accessories, and this became the catalyst to create a wealth of new products featuring their vibrant TCU tartan plaid design.
Provided by Beyond Cuffs
Cynthia Sadler
“At first, we weren’t thinking of anything but cuffs, but once we had the license and then the gorgeous artwork created by a local artist, we started to brainstorm about what else we could make with fabric,” Sadler says.
In record time, the company added a selection of silk bow ties, silk pocket squares, and men’s socks. (Expect TCU headbands to launch soon.) The new products were an instant success. The socks alone sold out in a single day when they debuted at the Fort Worth Club’s annual Holiday Boutique.
Beyond Cuffs keeps Sadler beyond busy as the company prepares to add A&M-branded accessories this summer, with more Texas schools to come. But Sadler still finds time to serve her community, something she’s prioritized since her days as an active member of the Junior League, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Delta Delta Delta sorority and other organizations. She enjoys inspiring young people by speaking about entrepreneurship and design to TCU students and by hiring them as summer interns. She also prioritizes family time — she has two grown sons and three grandchildren with a fourth on the way — and gets in some golf when she can.
Through it all, Sadler’s love for cuffs remains as strong as ever. “I think about Beyond Cuffs 24/7,” she says. “I never wake up saying, ‘I don’t know if I can do this’ — I love the concept, I love our designs, I love our team, and I am very proud of everything we’ve accomplished.”
