One of the most beautiful experiences we’ve had in the last couple of months is getting to know Adorned By Chi and the Facebook Group run by the crew – it’s one of our favorite safe spaces online, pink unicorns and all.
Adorned By Chi is owned by Jacque Aye who is an absolute badass and answered a couple of questions we asked her. It is a lifestyle brand + online store celebrating anime, food, feelings and magical girls! The brand is erasing the angry black woman stigma and encouraging their soft, cutesy and girly traits.
A freelance social media marketer and graphic designer, Jacque started Adorned by Chi for a creative outlet during the start of her entrepreneurial journey in Dallas. Her cutesy tees, home decor, and accessories gained popularity on social media, giving her e-commerce success.
Thank you! In 2015 I quit my job and started freelancing. While I enjoyed being my own boss I wasn’t having much fun and I created Adorned by Chi as a creative outlet and a way to honor God with my skills. “Chi” means God in Igbo, so Adorned by Chi means made beautiful by God! At first, I sold handmade flower crowns and cat ears, but over time I’ve evolved into apparel and accessories. Even with the changes, the whimsical/cute/quirky Black girl aesthetic has remained intact.
Since you started Adorned By Chi what are some of the magical things you’ve experienced?
Well, I was able to make a handmade crown for Jhene Aiko, sent products to Chloe & Halle and I’ve been featured on some of my favorite sites – like Buzzfeed! But the most magical thing that has happened to me thus far has been creating a community of ladies (through our Soft Black Girls group) just like me and giving them a safe space to just be.
Can you give us a snippet of what your typical day looks like? Do you have a routine you follow?
I have no routine haha. Usually, my day consists of lots of emails, packing orders and occasionally I go through a period where I design a bunch of products in bulk. I work from home so I’m almost always in my PJs!
It is super cool that you’ve built a brand this stunning. How did you build such a large following?
Thanks so much! Well, I’ve been on the internet for a very very long time so at first, my customers were people who had read some of my blogs in the past. I think eventually things just spread through word of mouth and lots of hustle on my end. In the beginning, I literally never shut up about my business and I made sure everyone saw my passion.
Tell us about 3 women you admire
I admire Janelle Monae for inspiring me to embrace my “weird” self. I also admire Solange, for staying true to herself even when others try and put her in a box. I also admire my mom and I love her for never scoffing at my business even when it was in the rough beginning stages ha!
What does creativity mean to you?
Creativity means freedom.
What major have you learnt in your journey so far that you’d like to share with us?
One monkey doesn’t stop the show. I used to cry every time I had a negative experience and I would think “this is it, my business is over” but I realized that one failure won’t break you. You just have to dust yourself off and keep moving.
Share your favorite websites and productivity tools with us.
The only thing I use for productivity online is a social media scheduler called Viral Tag – it’s a life saver!