Rose Reyes, owner of Unik Apparel, dreamed of having her own boutique since she was fifteen.  “My inspiration for my products and services was actually myself. I’m always looking for great pieces to wear and things that go right with my body type, which is pear.  I always want things on a budget and one of a kind. I created the store with that concept in mind. I know that a lot of women are looking for fit and learning how to dress as well as things in their wardrobe that work with their own style. That’s where Unik Apparel comes in. I offered unique clothing at great prices, but I also show how to style them,” Rose explains.

“I started working when I was 13 years old, by 15 I was a tired teenager thinking of making my own money and being my own boss. I started modeling at that age and learning about the fashion industry. Also, at that age, I started my Ebay store in which I was selling DVDs and Games that I purchase at wholesale price. Not exactly the product I wanted to sell, but it gave me a great practice run for my business today. I kept working on full time jobs and had my business,” says Rose.

“When I finished college I got my HR Manager job. I was an HR Manager for a fortune 500 company and I didn’t have the time for my Ebay store anymore. I just dedicated myself to my job, but I took styling classes and did fashion consulting on the side. I got laid off in the summer of 2008, when my division closed in San Diego. I started looking for jobs in my industry and even though I have an MBA, I’m bilingual and have over 5 years of experience, no one wanted to hired me. Either I was over qualified or I was paid too much in my last company. It was very disappointing to say the least. As I went to about 10 interviews a week, I realized that I didn’t want to go through this again. I wanted to create my own company and my own job.”

“I started selling my vintage and second hand clothing on Ebay and Etsy and got a great response. I started Unik Apparel out of that idea. I wanted to sell clothing that was unique, but stylish. I wanted to help women find the right clothes for their body type. I combine that service and my clothing into one website. The store did great last year and I decide to expand my business and host trunk shows three times a week to get new clients and generate more sales. I’m re-designing unikapparelstyle.com right now, but I’m still doing trunk shows every week.

“My favorite experience with my profession is when people think they have no style and after a couple sessions with me, they discover that everyone has their own style. It is just a matter of finding the right fit and look for them.”

“I’m re-launching my boutique again with a new green concept. I went from just doing new clothes to secondhand and eco friendly. I’m very excited about that.”

“I’m working on a podcast as guests host the second Monday of each month. The show is about outfits for less on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/MakeMeOverEb. I’m also working on writing three articles for different publications. This year I want to start doing styling videos for my clients and blog audience. I’m taking my blog to the next level. I’m going to start featuring local talent and posting about fabulous stores that people don’t know about in California. A lot of projects in the works and I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Visit www.unikapparelstyle.com Escondido, California

Tags: apparel, boutiques, budget, personal shopper, shopping, style