Local female business owners collaborate for the fashionistas of RVA

by | Mar 1, 2016 | ART

It’s hard for us women to keep up with the ever-changing, latest fashion trends today, but luckily we have fashion bloggers and business owners right here in our city that do all the work for us.


It’s hard for us women to keep up with the ever-changing, latest fashion trends today, but luckily we have fashion bloggers and business owners right here in our city that do all the work for us.

Sometimes, if we’re lucky, area fashion boutiques and bloggers will work together to promote each other’s work and support what they are doing to push fashion boundaries.

And that’s just what a few local female business owners are doing, this time all for your benefit.

Owner of online fashion boutique Trunk Up Sue Kallamadi, Sweetest Stitch owner Niki Kong, Sarah Natale of My Sassy Life and some local fashion bloggers have partnered up to give away some pretty cool stuff.

Bur first we asked each of them what drew them to the industry in the first place and why they decided to partner up.

“It’s such a wonderful feeling to work with other female business owners and bloggers in this city,” said Kallamadi owner of Trunk Up. “I’ve already learned ways to improve by business by connecting with them and swapping advice. This is also a great way for us to connect with our city and expand our outreach together.”

Kong, whose Sweetest Stitch store specializes in a variety of women’s fashions, said it was important for her to work with other like minded female-owned businesses.

“The particular women I have decided to collaborate with… have been nothing but supportive of my business and my dreams and I reciprocate those feelings towards them and theirs,” she said.

Kong’s RVA-based clothing and accessories business strives to empower young women to feel proud in what they wear and to “step out of their comfort zone.”

“We offer a variety of styles online to match your casual, classic, or edgy mood, whatever you’re feeling that day,” Kong said. “In particular, we have partnered with a local photographer to work directly with rising and current high school seniors to outfit them for one of their biggest shining moments in high school, their senior portraits.”

Megan Wilson, another member of the collective, started her blog Sweet Sauce over a year ago to get back in touch with her creative side.

“Never would I have thought that I would develop so many meaningful relationships through Sweet Sauce,” Wilson said. “I love having the opportunity and platform to to share stories about small business owners, entrepreneurs, bloggers and other creatives that call Richmond home.”

Stefanie Eadie, founder of beauty and style blog According to Blaire, also weighed in on the importance of partnering with local businesses.

“It’s great to have a support system and be able to help one another and promote small businesses,” she said. “I’ve been working closely with Mod&Soul which is a local boutique that is launching their first storefront in downtown Richmond later this year! It’s also really awesome being an inspiration to others in fashion just as I’m inspired by others through social media.”

These ladies of RVA’s local fashion scene and using their new union to promote one another through an awesome giveaway.

Other participants include Touting My Wears, Clarabelle, and The Crystal Press.

By following the instructions below, one lucky winner will have the chance to win a coffee mug, a flower crown, a $40 gift card to Starbucks, and a $100 Visa gift card.

To win the grand prize head to @trunkupboutique and follow the rules from there.

Participants have to follow each of the Instagram pages in the loop: Trunk Up, My Sassy Life, Sweetest Stitch, Touting My Wears, Sweet Sauce, Clara Belle CWB, The Crystal Press, and According to Blaire to qualify.

The contest ends at 9 pm tonight. Winners will be announced on 03/02 on @mysassylife_.

Amy David

Amy David

Amy David was the Web Editor for RVAMag.com from May 2015 until September 2018. She covered craft beer, food, music, art and more. She's been a journalist since 2010 and attended Radford University. She enjoys dogs, beer, tacos, and Bob's Burgers references.




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