Meet the Owner of BCF

 

Hi, my name is LaWanda, and I'm the owner of Blasianchina Fashion.
I was born and raised on the west side of Chicago, where my love for fashion was born. Living in a big city like Chicago allowed me a variety of options, which was wonderful for a fashion lover like myself, especially as someone who lived on a budget.
I stayed with a fresh fit, and it didn’t have to be Gucci or Louis for folks to compliment me on my outfit choices. I looked good, and I did it all on a budget.
My love for fashion never went away, even as I transitioned to a different part of Illinois.
I started my business back in 2019 after resigning from my job of almost seven years. I loved it, but I was ready for something different, ready to start doing something for myself outside of work. I have two boys—well, two young men now, and I saw that they didn't need me as much as they grew older. I’m such a hands-on kind of mom, and as time progressed, I realized I didn’t really do anything else outside of caring for them and working for other people.
I had to ask myself, “What can I do for myself? What do I really love to do outside of working and being a mom?” Of course, I'm always going to be a mom.
Before starting my business, I’d transitioned from one job and started another one where I made a little more money. The other job was very stressful, and I didn't have enough time to do anything for myself, whereas this new job afforded me a little more free time after work. With less stress and more time, I could really focus on what it is I love and how to make a career out of it.
I spent almost a year and a half just researching. I didn't just jump into this, and I wasn't doing it for money. I’m passionate about fashion, which made it easy to take my time. I learned a lot about the different qualities of clothing and many other things that go into opening and running a business. It wasn’t as simple as waking up and opening an online store. Many people do that, and I wish them nothing but success. As for me, though, that wasn’t what I wanted to do.
Many people tried to get me to just put my business out there, but I’ve never been one to do anything but ride my own wave, which I continue to do to this day.
I learned something new every day. And even now, I'm still researching, still going to classes. I learned how to do my website. People charge like $3000-$5,000 to do it, but I didn't have money like that. I still had bills and two young men to take care of, so I was cautious about taking my time and learning as much as I could. Being an entrepreneur is expensive, and I needed to never put myself in a financial hole, which is very easy to do, especially when you're doing it yourself.
While I’ve always wanted to be my own boss as a boutique owner, I never wanted to have a storefront. I’ve always wanted my business to be online. I’ve always liked the idea of an online store, and honestly, I didn’t want to add another bill. I made the wisest decision for my business model, and a storefront requires a lot more than I want to give this season. I do, however, have dreams of getting a warehouse or showroom one day where I can do photos and stuff like that, as I currently use my basement.
Owning a business requires resilience and the ability to pivot when necessary. As I mentioned, I use my home as a studio for photos for my clothing, and after spending a lot of time and effort remodeling my basement, life got to life’n. There was heavy rain and my basement flooded. I was crushed! I gave myself some time to be upset then I hopped into gear. Thankfully, my village is strong, and we were able to repair everything ourselves, but this just shows you that the only person who can stop you is you.
I've never been a materialistic girl or been into all the labels and stuff like that. It's just not me. I do like to look pretty when I step out, to feel good, and all without living beyond my means.
It was a no-brainer for me when deciding what kind of fashion I would sell. Having loungewear, active sets, and other lovely pieces that you can dress up or down was essential to me. Clothes that are comfortable and make you feel good.
No matter who my customer is, I want them to leave feeling celebrated with pieces that emphasize the beauty that’s already there. I hope that every person, everywhere, can find things that make them feel good, both inside and out.