Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Hurst. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rachel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

A major risk I took was evolving my business into The House of Bolden in real time—shifting from a traditional boutique model into a smaller studio experience built around curated drops, styling, and editorial storytelling. It meant changing the name, changing how customers shop with me, and committing to growth publicly instead of waiting until everything felt “perfect.” The outcome has been clarity and stronger intention: tighter curation, better storytelling, and a brand experience that finally matches the scale of my vision.

Rachel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Rachel Marie Hurst — I’m the designer behind the Rachel Marie Hurst label, and the founder of both RMH and The House of Bolden, based in the Denver/Glendale area. I got into fashion the long way: I didn’t grow up with a perfect “I’ve always known” story. I just knew clothing made me feel something — and I also learned early that style can be a kind of survival. I was raised by a single mom, I’m the oldest of four, and I started working young (and hustling even younger) because I wanted independence. Fashion became this mix of creativity, confidence, and control — a way to decide how you show up in a world that is constantly deciding for you.

My path into the industry wasn’t linear either. I originally started college on a completely different track, but I hit a point where I realized I couldn’t build my life around something that made me feel numb. I pivoted into fashion and never looked back — even when it was messy, even when it meant starting from scratch, even when I didn’t fit the “traditional” image people have of who gets to be taken seriously in this industry. That part matters to me because it’s also the heartbeat of my brands: fashion is not just clothing, it’s identity, it’s authorship, it’s taking up space on purpose.

The House of Bolden is the boutique studio side of my world — curated drops, size-diverse ready-to-wear, styling appointments, and a highly intentional shopping experience that feels personal and editorial. I’m building it for women who want to feel seen and powerful, but also want guidance — not pressure. RMH is my design house: made-to-measure, statement pieces, and wearable art that blends structure with softness. Across everything I do, the signature is juxtaposition — tailored and romantic, hard and delicate, polished with an edge. I love a strong silhouette, lace in the wrong place (in the best way), and pieces that make someone stand taller the second they put them on.

The problem I solve is bigger than “what should I wear.” I help women get out of decision fatigue, fit anxiety, and the weird emotional baggage that shopping can come with — especially when you’ve been ignored by traditional fashion. I’m not here to sell someone a trend. I’m here to help them build a wardrobe that feels like self-trust. And because I’m both the designer and the stylist in the room, my clients don’t just buy an item — they leave knowing how to wear it, how to remix it, and how to show up as themselves.

What sets me apart is that this isn’t a faceless brand. It’s founder-led, intimate, and deeply intentional. I care about curation and story the way bigger fashion houses do, but I also care about access — size-diverse options, sustainability, and being realistic about what women actually need their clothes to do in real life. I don’t buy or design for a fantasy customer; I build for real women with real bodies, real schedules, and real standards.

What I’m most proud of is that I created what I wish existed when I was younger: a space where women can walk in and feel like they belong — not like they have to earn it. I’m proud that I’ve kept the heart of the mission while the brand evolves: sustainable, size-diverse, women-owned, BIPOC-owned, handmade, and rooted in community. If someone is new to my world, I want them to know this: I’m not here to “fix” you or make you look like someone else. I’m here to help you look like you — just more deliberate, more confident, and more bold.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

One story that really captures my resilience is the moment I realized I was going to have to build this career without permission.

I didn’t come into fashion with a safety net or a straight line. I was raised by a single mom, I’m the oldest of four, and I learned early that if I wanted something — stability, freedom, a future — I had to figure out how to make it happen. I started working young and I was always finding ways to hustle, because independence wasn’t a cute idea to me, it was a necessity.

When I got to college, I initially chose a path that sounded “responsible” on paper, but I was miserable. I hit a breaking point — the kind where your body and your brain basically force you to tell the truth. And the truth was: I couldn’t build my life around something that made me feel empty. I pivoted into fashion, and that’s where the real resilience kicked in, because it wasn’t as simple as changing a major. It meant stepping into an industry that can be brutally elitist and appearance-driven and deciding I was still going to take up space in it — as a plus-size woman, as a Black woman, as someone without connections.

I remember having to fight just to be in the rooms I needed to be in. I pushed for opportunities, asked for access I technically wasn’t guaranteed, and kept going even when I didn’t feel “legitimate” yet. I built community from the ground up, learned by doing, and made peace with failing publicly because the alternative was quitting. That season taught me how to keep moving even when you’re scared, even when you’re not fully equipped, even when people don’t immediately understand what you’re building.

That’s the same resilience that shows up now in my business. I’ve had to evolve, pivot, rebuild, and keep showing up — not because it’s easy, but because I’m committed to creating a space and a brand that women actually deserve. If I had waited until I felt perfectly ready, none of this would exist.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots of my life happened in college — and it’s honestly the reason any of this exists.

I went into school on a path that looked “right” from the outside. It was the kind of plan that makes other people relax, because it sounds stable and respectable. But I was miserable. I hit a point where I couldn’t fake it anymore — I had a full breakdown moment, the kind that makes you realize your body will start making decisions for you if you refuse to tell yourself the truth.

The truth was: I couldn’t build my life around something that didn’t fit me. I didn’t want a life where I spent my days doing work that drained me and then tried to “live” in the margins. So I pivoted into fashion. And it wasn’t a cute pivot — it was scary and messy and I didn’t have the traditional background or the confidence that I belonged in that world. I basically had to talk my way into the opportunities, advocate for myself, and prove I deserved a seat in rooms that weren’t built with me in mind.

That pivot shaped everything I do now. It taught me that I’m willing to start over if it means I’m building something honest. And it’s the same muscle I’ve used in business — evolving from a traditional boutique model into The House of Bolden studio experience, tightening curation, building styling into the brand, and letting the business grow in public instead of waiting for “perfect.” The pivot wasn’t just a career change — it was me choosing alignment over approval, and I’ve been choosing that ever since.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mboldenboutique.com
• Instagram: @thehouseofbolden
• Other: Depending on when this is published we will be switching our website to houseofbolden.com and our instagram to @houseofbolden

Image Credits

Roxie Photo