Boutikey

Boutikey, a mobile app created by Tiana Haraguchi launched in February this year, as a new way to build a community between small local boutiques and their customers.

Boutiques create accounts and use the app to post photos of new arrivals in their stores, advertise sales, and gain exposure. For shoppers, the app utilizes location services to help people discover shops in their area, be it their hometown, or some place they are traveling to.

Users follow their favorite boutiques and get an Instagram like image feed to see what's trending locally and receive a notification the moment a shop announces a sale.

In a nation where 61% of the population has a smartphone, Tiana's intentions are that Boutikey will serve as a catalyst to get shoppers excited about visiting their local boutiques during a time when 8 out of 10 small businesses fail within the first 18 months.

In addition to the app, which encourages shopping local, a new Boutikey e-commerce site, has just launched this month, giving local boutiques national exposure.

Boutikey allows local shops to share their new products and advertise sales, while the users can see what is going on nearby in real time and collect rewards from their purchases. Are there any new features you are planning on adding to the app?

The new app will give users the ability to also shop items from our e-commerce platform, and search for items in their area. They will now be able to see tags on images with the name of the designers. I should also note that we will be removing the loyalty program, as we are transitioning to be more of a discovery and shopping app. However, users will still be able to search for exclusive offers and events!

The Boutikey app currently features only stores in the Boston area; when can the rest of us expect to see our local boutiques start showing up? 

Very soon! We are planning to expand to new cities beginning in October once the new app is available, and any kinks of our e-commerce platform have been worked out. We'll be starting with major cities in California, New York, CT, New Jersey, Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta and Miami.

What has been your biggest challenge in making Boutikey a reality?

Finding enough hours in the day to get everything done, and learning how to wear many different hats. Before Boutikey, I worked in corporate finance. Now I have many roles, including head of finance, marketing, management, social media, sales, accounting, customer service, IT and so forth!

Proudest career moment?

Definitely the day our app launched in February. After a year of research, planning, late night overseas development conversations and hustle of signing on boutiques, it was very gratifying to see the product go live and that all of our hard work paid off. Launching our e-commerce site brought me a similar feeling as well!

Boutikey’s e-commerce site has just launched featuring items from five of your favorite Boston shops, what is your one must have item on the site?

That's a tough one, I love so many items! If I had to choose, I would probably say the Rochester Vest from Ku De Ta. It's the perfect transitional summer into fall item, and will look amazing with a pair of dark shorts and lace up booties.

If you are excited to check out Boutikey, you can use coupon code CHIC15 for 15% off your purchase through October 22nd, 2014.

Interview with La Fille D'or

I can't remember how I first found my way to La Fille D'or, Wardrobe_Remix, perhaps, but she quickly became one of my favorites. I adore her style, which is a mix of vintage pieces, classic cuts, lots of florals and big sunglasses!
When she asked me if I would like to do an interview swap, I of course jumped at the chance!

What prompted you to start the blog; before La Fille D'Or did you read many other fashion blogs? How did you find your way to the fashion blog community?

I had worked on a collaborative fashion blog before involving local boutiques and designers in the easy bay area outside of San Francisco where I live. But, due to time constraints and the changing economy, and life in general - the blog did not continue on, and it was sometime before I decided to do a blog on my own. I stuck with fashion because it's something that I really enjoy, but there are other things in here as well, food - I love to experiment with vegan cooking and baking! Travel, if it were possible I would travel all the time, I love even just traveling and exploring places in California. I also write about movies, art, and books - anything goes I guess!

I did and do read a lot of other style blogs as well, call it voyeuristic, but I like that I can get a glimpse into someones life and what they do on a daily basis and what influences their personal style.

Has your style evolved greatly over the years? Would 15 year old you approve of the style choices you are making today? If you could, would you tell 15 year old you not to wear any particular style or article?

15 yr old me was way cooler! I was definitely much more adventurous with color. One of my favorite outfits was a pair of shredded tights, velvet knee high boots and a paisley print 60's mini dress. I think at 15 I also dyed my hair black and had an asymmetrical bob. I don't think I could rock velvet boots now or bright poly-paisley dresses, but it was a lot of fun. I would definitely encourage 15 yr old me to keep experimenting away! If anything 15 yr old me would probably not like my current closet and call it stuffy.

My style has definitely changed since college. Where I wore mainly 60's babydoll dresses and flats (and had a bob) I would also wear a lot of skinny jeans with band t's and cardi's and such.

I don't really know if I could put a finger on what my style is now, as it is am amalgamation of so many things I like! A smorgasbord of styles- vintage 50's,60's,70's,90's, classic, mod, preppy, romantic, girly...

Is there anything in your closet you absolutely love, but never wear?

Oh, this used to be the case! I had lots and lots of stuff I never wore. But I've gotten much better. Thanks to several style challenges, reading about other's closet woes, and taking tips from other bloggers. I have managed to put my closet and wardrobe in perspective - and I'm really trying hard just to buy what I really need - and right now I'm happy to say that I don't really need anything.

It's been six months since you started your blog, and I can recall an early post when you discussed how you came up with the name, La Fille D'or. You talked about a new start, and being hopeful that things change for the better. Half a year later, what are you sentiments? Are you happy with your changes? Are you the Golden Girl?

I was referring to new beginnings- maybe I was having a quarter life crisis (haha) when I started the blog. Maybe we all go through something similar where, we start out on one path with a clear destination in sight, but end up going down a totally different road. I was all set to go into the arts dance, singing - but I got ill. So ill, that I was unable to do the things I really loved. This all happened at a very critical time right before college when I should have been in top form to apply to the schools I wanted to. I really was shattered. But, I went to to college, I studied English Lit. I moved to the west coast. I traveled a lot, and am enjoying my everyday life. While I still haven't found my true calling in life (career wise anyhow) I am enjoying the work that I do, spending time with my awesome hubby - and I am having a great time with this blog - as through it I've been able to document life, meet many interesting people and new friends.

You've just found out you won a giveaway for a vintage piece by your favorite designer, what have you won?

Wow! I would love to have one of the Givenchy dresses designed for Audrey Hepburn. Specifically that lovey strapless gown from Sabrina.

You often mention all the really tasty dishes you have cooked, so I'm sure you are an excellent chef - what is the best meal you've made?

Cooking is something relatively new for me. I mean I never learned to cook from my mom. or grandparent. I went on my way to college where I survived on cafeteria food and hotplate cooked meals. When I got my first and very cute vintage studio apartment I never ever cooked because it came with a not so cute vintae Wedgewood gas stove that I needed to light with a match. I was so scared of blowing myself (and the building) up that ended up dining out a lot and living off leftovers. But, now that I have proper kitchen (and a willing guniea pig) I have been experimenting a lot with cooking and loving every minute of it.

I am Vegan and gluten-free so that kind of adds to the challenge/fun of cooking.

So far, the best meal I've made is a really simple black fig pasta dish served with a crumbled olive and walnut tofu 'feta' topping.

In your perfect world, you have:

a) really huge empty closet you can fill with anything

b) a perfectly edited closet of classic pieces

c) your closet right now, with a dozen more pairs of shoes

B, please! This would be my dream come true. But, I think it is beyond me to simplify my life that much!

If you haven't already, I hope you will stop by La Fille D'or and say hi!

All Photo Credit Belongs to La Fille D'or