We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sanika and Angel Howell . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sanika and Angel below.
Hi Sanika and Angel, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
We came up with the idea of ChiChi several years before we actually started the business in May of 2020. Chichi rooted from a lifelong interest and passion for art and fashion. When we were little girls we would make paper dolls and “design” different outfits for them using paper. We would use sewing kits our mom bought us to make little doll clothes out of old blue jeans. In 2009 Angel attended the Art Institute of Ohio-Cincinnati and obtained a degree in Fashion Merchandising and went on to pursue a career in Fashion Merchandising with a few well-known retailers. At the age of 12, Sanika discovered her gift of cosmetology and went on to become a talented hairstylist with a wide range of clientele. Some that have been with her for years.
After years of working in the hair and fashion industry we decided that it was time for us to merge both of our personal styles and love for fashion to create a place for fashion risk-takers to shop. We believe that every woman should feel beautiful, which is why we carefully curate collections of beautiful, unique and timeless garments for all shapes and sizes.
After 7 months of renting out a pop-up shop space in the historic Over-The-Rhine shopping district in downtown Cincinnati, we opened our first brick and mortar location. We couldn’t believe how fast things took off! We knew that it was taking a huge chance in the midst of a pandemic but we were determined to live out our dream. With the support of our close friends and family, it was a pretty smooth beginning to this journey. We took a month to remodel the space and create a beautiful ambiance that gives the look and feel of a walk-in closet… a “vintage boudoir” is what we like to call it.
Sanika and Angel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
We specialize in unique and affordable high-fashion clothing for women of all shapes and sizes. What sets us apart from others in our industry is that we buy everything as a collection. Each collection consists 8-10 garments that can be mixed and matched to fit our customers’ personal style. This is what we have become known for. We’ve also become known for carrying garments with unique cuts, silhouettes and textures that you won’t typically see in our city. We have also done collaborative projects with other up and coming creatives such as mixed media artists, fashion artists and jewelry designers. We’re most proud of the quality and uniqueness of our clothing. We’re also proud of our space. When we remodeled our space our ultimate goal was to create a mood. The mood being feminine and pretty.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best for new clients for us has been word of mouth, social media, hosting fashion events around the city and at the boutique and partnering with other creatives that aren’t directly competitive but compliment our brand. We always make sure when we are attending events we wear our product and carry business cards wherever we go.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What has helped us build our reputation the most is being intentional in every business decision that we make, everything from buying inventory to how we market ourselves on social media. Customer service is another big way that we’ve built our reputation. We always like to converse with our customers when they come and find out as much about their lifestyle and interests to better help us understand their wardrobe needs and wants.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chichiluxx.com
- Instagram: @chichixluxx
- Facebook: ChiChi Luxx
Image Credits
Crush Imaging LLC, Stuckovision Productions