Meet Chandra & Kay of Fashion & Style by A’Jenae dba “By A’Jenae” in Snellville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chandra & Kay.

Chandra & Kay, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Fashion & Style by A’Jenae, LLC was actually created by my daughter Kay. At age seven, she expressed the desire to become a fashion designer. As a mother (of an only child), I wanted to do whatever I could to nurture her dream so I signed her up for sewing lessons so that she could perfect her craft. To get the ball rolling we made small crafted items and hand-made jewelry. Fast forward to 2014, she gave me my very first sewing lesson which was horrible (I must admit, lol) because I am somewhat of a perfectionist and didn’t have much patience, at all, with the process. However, thankfully, I caught on pretty quickly and it was all uphill from there and from here we became an official designer boutique.

I always tell people that Kay is the brainchild of the operation and I am the worker bee because now that she’s a teenager and attends a rigorous STEM school and preparing for graduation and college, she doesn’t have much time to actually sew; however, she is very involved with creating designs and takes full control when we participate in fashion shows and other related events and I am just fine with that. Looking back, I now know that Kay was supposed to birth this business for me. Had she not had the desire to be a designer, I would have never learned to sew or started this type of business which I absolutely love. I have always been very creative, and I find great joy in designing clothing from scratch. It is kind of weird because growing up, I saw my mom, grandmother and aunt sewing all the time. I remember them making many of our dresses for special occasions, such as Easter. However, I was never interested and would have never thought that today I would own a fashion design business. I know this would have never happened if it wasn’t for my daughter, Kay.

Today, we have designed over 500 custom garments (to include everyday wear, formal wear, swimsuits and etc.) for clients and fashion shows, but it has not been easy. Being an independent designer, a Public Health Analyst, and a Professor can be very stressful and time-consuming; therefore, I must juggle and manage my time wisely. We are currently in the process of developing a strategic plan for creating our first ready-to-wear collection that will appeal to the masses and one day grace the racks of department stores and boutiques. It has been a long and slow journey and can sometimes be frustrating; however, I have a particular vision in mind and will make sure it comes to fruition no matter how long it takes.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has DEFINITELY NOT been a smooth journey. I would have to say time management is the main obstacle that we face. As I previously stated, I am also a Public Health Analyst and a Professor which is my main profession. I love all things Health/Science therefore, I am not ready to choose one particular career over the other. I feel like I should be able to use all the gifts and talents that God blessed me with. However, this does not make running a business easy, at all. I am still trying to find a balance and learn to ask for help instead of being the “control fairy” that I am, thinking that I must do everything myself.

Please tell us about Fashion & Style by A’Jenae dba “By A’Jenae”.
We are a Fashion Design business where we design/sew custom clothing/apparel.

We specialize in women/ladies’ apparel; however, we have started to venture out and design pieces for men as well, upon request.

I am most proud of the fact that we were able to start a design business from the ground up with no formal fashion design education. Even when things get hard, I don’t quit because I remind myself that God didn’t allow my daughter to plant this seed for it to fail. It will succeed no matter how long it takes. Slow and steady wins the race.

I feel that Fashion & Style by A’Jenae is unique because we create custom designs from scratch using only our client’s measurements and an idea. We want our clients to feel great in their custom pieces that fits them perfectly and was made just for them. We want them to feel extraordinary no matter their shape or size.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I could go back in time, I would ask for help, instead of trying to do it all alone. I think that we could be a little farther along than we are currently; however, I have no regrets because you live, and you learn and I have learned a wealth of knowledge that I can now share with others about starting a business. Also, failure it not an option so even though it is taking a little longer than it might have taken the next person, By A’Jenae will be a successful brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.byajenae.com
• Email: ajenae.fashionstyle@gmail.com
• Instagram:  @fashionstylebyajenae
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FashionStyleby.AJenae

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