As most of you probably already know, a little less than two years ago I embarked on a journey we call business ownership. Somehow the stars aligned and with the help of my parents (especially my mom who is also my business partner) I bought
She's Unique, a boutique jewelry store on King St in Old Town, Alexandria! The last two years haven't been easy, but it's been an incredible experience to work on literally every single aspect of the store's transformation -- a lot of it with the help of my incredible and talented support system (more on that in the upcoming months). But before I get into all the details of this huge undertaking, I wanted to share a little part of my job I call "the perk". One of the most challenging but also exciting parts of owning your own boutique is definitely the buying process and all the travel that comes along with it. It's so exciting to attend trade shows, meet designers in person, and of course, select what I think would make my customers happy. I know we've all heard of the "big boys" and their buyers (last time I was in the Jennifer Zeuner booth with the Neiman's buyer - pretty intimidating and yes I took notes), but I thought it would be cool to share a little glimpse of what I get to preview at these trade shows from my small business perspective. Because let's face it, I'll never have a gazillion dollar budget, but then again, at least you know every single piece is selected with love (and lots of prep and research)! This past week, I attended the NYNOW show in NYC. It was a mix of personal accessories, jewelry, beauty, gifts and decor. So in other words, hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of attendees and more products that any normal human being can possibly see in six days. I was there for only two days since my focus is primarily jewelry, but I did indulge in seeing it all (or at least trying really hard), and even added a few new products outside of jewelry for this year - no more Voluuspa candles from Anthro here :) Anyway, here is a little brief look into some of my fav brands. Enjoy!
A constellation necklace with a birthstone in it -- Love!
This year, both personally and professionally, I'll be focusing more on a positive way of living and thinking. Of course, with that said, I had to have these in the shop!
Aside from the beautiful and completely inspiring jewelry designs I see at the shows, I also absolutely love and get inspired by how creative the displays are. Definitely took lots of notes to bring back and use at the store. Learning from other professionals in the field is key!
Don't panic, dainty rings are still a HUGE trend, but get ready for statement jewelry (especially rings) to take a front seat in 2014. I'm especially loving the animal theme. How stunning is that lion?
No caption needed. Just be here now!
One of the highlights was meeting
Jenny Bird and experiencing her stunning collection in person. One of my favs was this midi serpent ring that is divided between head and tail. How creative and fun! She's a genius.
Staying with the animal theme, these sterling silver Elephant necklaces are going to be such a sweet addition to the shop. They're good luck, and we can all use a little bit of that right? :)
Aside from jewelry, I absolutely loved the NYNOW's accent on design! Talk about a dream wonderland of home goodies and decor elements only found in your top boutiques. What a dream! I got lost on the second floor of Javis Center for about two hours and discovered treasures upon treasures. Unfortunately my store doesn't have the space for larger decor pieces, but I definitely left with tons of inspiration for my apartment and big dreams of eventually expanding into this amazing world! How incredible are these
Fort Standard marble platters and funky bottle openers above?
Can't decide if I loved the skull, the gun, or the crown more. All of the above?
These shot glasses are a must have if you speak spanish or have ever taken a shot with a Latino/a
Loved this color combo. Need these turquoise birdies in my life!
I really hope you enjoyed this little recap. Follow more of my SU adventure's on instgram @shesunique_va and tweet at me @shesunique_va (I may take a day or two to reply though - you've been forewarned!) hehe!
xoxo
K-
As most of you probably already know, a little less than two years ago I embarked on a journey we call business ownership. Somehow the stars aligned and with the help of my parents (especially my mom who is also my business partner) I bought She's Unique, a boutique jewelry store on King St in Old Town, Alexandria! The last two years haven't been easy, but it's been an incredible experience to work on literally every single aspect of the store's transformation -- a lot of it with the help of my incredible and talented support system (more on that in the upcoming months). But before I get into all the details of this huge undertaking, I wanted to share a little part of my job I call "the perk". One of the most challenging but also exciting parts of owning your own boutique is definitely the buying process and all the travel that comes along with it. It's so exciting to attend trade shows, meet designers in person, and of course, select what I think would make my customers happy. I know we've all heard of the "big boys" and their buyers (last time I was in the Jennifer Zeuner booth with the Neiman's buyer - pretty intimidating and yes I took notes), but I thought it would be cool to share a little glimpse of what I get to preview at these trade shows from my small business perspective. Because let's face it, I'll never have a gazillion dollar budget, but then again, at least you know every single piece is selected with love (and lots of prep and research)! This past week, I attended the NYNOW show in NYC. It was a mix of personal accessories, jewelry, beauty, gifts and decor. So in other words, hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of attendees and more products that any normal human being can possibly see in six days. I was there for only two days since my focus is primarily jewelry, but I did indulge in seeing it all (or at least trying really hard), and even added a few new products outside of jewelry for this year - no more Voluuspa candles from Anthro here :) Anyway, here is a little brief look into some of my fav brands. Enjoy!
A constellation necklace with a birthstone in it -- Love!
This year, both personally and professionally, I'll be focusing more on a positive way of living and thinking. Of course, with that said, I had to have these in the shop!
Aside from the beautiful and completely inspiring jewelry designs I see at the shows, I also absolutely love and get inspired by how creative the displays are. Definitely took lots of notes to bring back and use at the store. Learning from other professionals in the field is key!
Don't panic, dainty rings are still a HUGE trend, but get ready for statement jewelry (especially rings) to take a front seat in 2014. I'm especially loving the animal theme. How stunning is that lion?
No caption needed. Just be here now!
One of the highlights was meeting Jenny Bird and experiencing her stunning collection in person. One of my favs was this midi serpent ring that is divided between head and tail. How creative and fun! She's a genius.
Staying with the animal theme, these sterling silver Elephant necklaces are going to be such a sweet addition to the shop. They're good luck, and we can all use a little bit of that right? :)
Aside from jewelry, I absolutely loved the NYNOW's accent on design! Talk about a dream wonderland of home goodies and decor elements only found in your top boutiques. What a dream! I got lost on the second floor of Javis Center for about two hours and discovered treasures upon treasures. Unfortunately my store doesn't have the space for larger decor pieces, but I definitely left with tons of inspiration for my apartment and big dreams of eventually expanding into this amazing world! How incredible are these Fort Standard marble platters and funky bottle openers above?
Can't decide if I loved the skull, the gun, or the crown more. All of the above?
These shot glasses are a must have if you speak spanish or have ever taken a shot with a Latino/a
Loved this color combo. Need these turquoise birdies in my life!
I really hope you enjoyed this little recap. Follow more of my SU adventure's on instgram @shesunique_va and tweet at me @shesunique_va (I may take a day or two to reply though - you've been forewarned!) hehe!
xoxo
K-
1 comment:
such lovely pieces, and how exciting! I'm in the beginnings stages of planning to own a business, and I'm thrilled and nervous all the same!
XO Sahra
Que Sera Sahra
Post a Comment