We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ariell Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ariell below.
Ariell, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I was desperately trying to figure out how I could venture into entrepreneurship and I remembered a business project I did in undergrad for a denim boutique. I decided at that moment that I would figure out a way to create an online boutique for women that was inclusive, sexy, chic and unapologetic thus Eleven 88 Boutique was born. The eleven stands for the 11th month of the year which is me and my sons birthday month. The number 8 is my life path number and is a symbol of abundance, wealth and achievement. Doubling that just makes it more powerful. I live in East Tennessee and honestly the fashion options here are lackluster to say the least. I wanted to create a brand that would serve this area but also be available to the masses. A brand that doesn’t play by the rules and empowers women to rebel against societal standards of beauty and fashion. As a plus size fashionista myself it was always difficult for me to shop outside of one store because their wasn’t many options growing up and even present day. I wanted to have a place where all sizes of women could shop at the same site and feel like the offerings were equivalent. I work day and night sourcing a multitude of manufacturers and vendors to curate pieces that make sense for the brand and the Queens that I am serving.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Ariell Johnson, a 36 year old first generation college graduate and single mother of one. I was born in Springfield, Massachusetts but raised in the small town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee since 9 years old. I come from a big family with three brothers and three sisters. I got my first taste of the industry at 8 years old when my older cousin put me in her charity fashion show when I came down to visit Tennessee that Summer and I’ve been hooked ever since. I used to bug my mom to buy me teen magazines at the grocery stores. I would watch “Rip The Runway” on BET and “House of Style” on MTV. I wouldn’t miss a “Victoria’s Secret” fashion show or an of episode of “America’s Top Model”. I would excitedly anticipate the arrival of a Delia’s magazine or Alloy in the mail. Fashion was everything to me and at about 15 I did my first fashion sketch after being inspired by one of my Aunts, My dream was to go to a fashion design college but I knew that with the tuition being so high my parents wouldn’t be able to afford it. That dream got lost in the sauce of life until the end of 2019. Eleven 88 Boutique officially launched in June of 2020, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic after a 3 month delay due to the crisis. I spent 6 months prior doing as much research as possible. I watched countless videos, and tutorials figuring out how I could execute this without any outside help or financial resources. I started out providing more basic wardrobe items for the Summer with just a few “spicy sexy” looks and I’ve pivoted to all spice and all sexy styles for all sizes. I just took it day by day and honestly I couldn’t write a tutorial about it because I know this wasn’t anything but God. I just prayed, had faith and every road block that presented itself God led me through it which is why I’m here today still working for my dream. I’m only operating one half of my dream because the other half is to be an actual designer.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The launch of my online boutique was what I considered a big success for a first time business owner in this industry. The first weekend I did numbers that I never imagined but honestly I haven’t been able to achieve that level since. I’ve had months and months of absolutely no sales or activity due to low inventory and not having the funding for more. To being apart of events that would bring lots of visibility to my brand but resulting in zero impact on sales despite the high attendance. I have launched full collections and put my last dollar into marketing and promotions without any results. It has been a very tough road but I refuse to give up because I know it’s all going to work out in my favor. There is a little girl or a single mother somewhere in the world that needs to see my story. They need me to be the example of what it looks like when you go for your dream and you refuse to give up.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I pivoted my business from more casual/demure fast fashion that was lower priced styles to more fashion forward, sexy, daring and moderately priced I did see a major shift in my customer base and sales. It was a shift that I wasn’t prepared for and still maneuvering through today. However, I played it safe in the beginning and I don’t regret changing my brand to a style and aesthetic that I truly love and believe in. At the end of the day I couldn’t possibly continue something that I don’t believe in with every fiber of my being. I’m also ok with being the rebel in a saturated market where the prices are cheaper quality, and they all look the same. I know that I’m up against the Sheins and Fashion Novas of the world, however I know that what God has for me is for me. He wouldn’t have given me this creativity and talent if it weren’t meant to be shared with the world and inspire women. My mission, purpose and uniqueness will catch on eventually. Even my models are a representation that you don’t see often, and that’s women with real bodies that are fiercely confident and comfortable in their skin. I want to show women that it doesn’t matter your shape you can take back your power and define fashion for yourselves!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eleven88boutique.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eleven88boutique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eleven88boutique
Image Credits
Magazine photo credit: Phillip J. Woods