WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

As a child, it was clear LaQuia had what it takes to fulfill her dream as a fashion icon and entrepreneur. The story LaQuia shared about her $2 pair of shoes is both adorable and inspiring. “My mom and aunt didn’t have a lot of money, so when my cousin and I got in trouble in middle school, my aunt thought it was a brilliant idea to buy some $2 shoes. We had to wear them the rest of the school year. So, I put together some outfits to go with those $2 shoes, and I thought they were the most lavish that I’ve ever worn. 

“At that point I knew it didn’t matter how much something cost. If you use your imagination and value what you have, you can look like a million dollars. You have the power to determine what lavish is,” shared the CEO and owner of Yanick Styles. Yanick is pronounced “unique.” 

LaQuia was blessed to have such a strong and resilient mother and role model. “No matter how bad a situation was, she never gave up and never allowed me to see her down and out. I’m sure there were times she wanted to give up, but she never let me see it or feel it. I never went without. She passed it down to me and that’s how I am with my kids,” said the mother of two. 

The spirit of love and fairness was also passed down to LaQuia, so when she decided to step out on faith and start an online fashion boutique, she didn’t forget about the financial struggles of her mother and other Black mothers in her neighborhood. In 2020, LaQuia started an online fashion boutique called Yanick Styles. “When I started my boutique, the first thing I did was to make sure the prices were affordable for everyone who wanted to look and feel amazing,” said LaQuia. 

I checked out the website and I was extremely impressed! I saw something for everyone, and in every style, from stepping out for a nice dinner, black-tie affair, and gala, to going out to enjoy a movie, a Saturday night sports event, or concert. 

I asked the young CEO what sets Yanick Styles apart from other fashion boutiques. “We go the extra mile for our customers, so we also provide styling assistance. If you’re going out to an event and you’re not sure what to wear, you can make an appointment with us and we’ll make sure you look absolutely gorgeous.” 

I asked LaQuia what some of the top sellers are during the holiday season. “Because we’re in the fall and winter season, some of our top sellers are the fitted sweat suits and our fitted sweater dresses. You can dress them up or dress them down. They’re perfect to wear while visiting family for the holidays! The material feels nice and smooth against your skin, and fits your body perfectly. For Black Friday, our sweat suits are 25% off,” shared the Winston-Salem Prep grad. 

There were a few outfits that caught my eye. The Goldmine set is for the bold and sexy. The Walk Me Down dress and the lounge short sets are perfect for running errands, movie date nights, and cookouts. And my favorite is the Prestigious Peach suit, which is for the true boss lady, when you want to wear a dress, yet stay warm. The Keep Up Hoodie dresses and the Lounge Legging sets will keep you warm, looking fly and beautiful.

 “Our slogan is, ‘Where fashion is paired with your uniqueness.’ Our brand is a mixture between classy and chill.” As I said earlier, Yanick is pronounced unique. So, I asked LaQuia where the name Yanick came from. “My aunt said when she first laid eyes on me, she knew I was a unique child, so when I opened my boutique, I thought what better way to open a business than to name it after myself. It’s a direct alignment of my whole being. It’s everything that I am. I trusted God and went for it. I got my LLC in 2018, but I waited until 2020 [to open my business]. The wait wasn’t a punishment, it was preparation because I knew God had already prepared a way for my business. He used those two years to prepare me to receive it and make sure it would be successful,” said LaQuia. 

She said the greatest part of owning a business is watching it grow and reminiscing about where it was and where it is now. “I really appreciate where I am at this point, and I truly appreciate the support the community has given me so far. I have met the most amazing people and created some great relationships because of my boutique. I look forward to seeing what God is going to do next. It’s a wonderful feeling seeing people in Yanick Styles clothing. There are times when I’m out and people come up to me to say hey and share how much they love my clothes.”

LaQuia seems to have a warm spirit of humility. We all know that a business can’t survive without making money, but LaQuia seems to understand that it’s equally as important to truly care about her customers and make them feel amazing. I believe that should be the goal for every entrepreneur and God will deliver the rest. 

Every business has their challenges. I asked Laquia what is the scripture that gives her strength during challenging times. “Philippians 4:6-7: Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Why worry if you pray? Why pray if you’re going to worry?” 

The Chronicle’s Business of the Month is Yanick Styles. Visit Yanick Styles at www.yanickstyles.com.