Meet Cecelia Schwartz of Belle and Black in North County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cecelia Schwartz.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was 14, I started going to Goodwills and Salvation Army Thrift Stores around San Diego, looking for fun secondhand clothing pieces to bleach, sew, patch, and recreate. In high school, I would often receive compliments and questions about where I got certain pieces and it was always fun to be able to say I made it or bought it for $7 at a thrift store. There’s something very individual and creative about building your wardrobe out of primarily thrifted clothes, especially because you know it’s essentially one-of-a-kind! You get to wear a piece that nobody else will have, while also reducing environmental waste and encouraging recycling. I wanted to be able to turn my love for thrifting into a vintage boutique so I could share the love I have for secondhand clothing, and Belle and Black was born!

Has it been a smooth road?
Creating a side business while also working a full-time job is hard! I work in digital marketing for my day job and was determined to make sure Belle and Black was just as big of a priority as my job when I was starting out. I was really concerned about having a large inventory, building a big social media following, and making sure I was making lots of sales, but I quickly realized it was taking a lot of the fun out of it! What I came to realize about Belle and Black is that it’s a hobby and a passion project, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Once I started looking at it like that again, Belle and Black got a lot more fun!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Belle and Black is a curated boutique collection of secondhand and vintage clothing, focusing especially on 90’s trends. I strive to keep Belle and Black’s style and vibe as close to my own as possible. The name Belle and Black comes from blending the name of the street where my childhood home is and the translation of my last name, “Schwartz,” which means black in German. Belle and Black is a reflection of my own style, which tends to fall somewhere between Rachel Green, “Almost Famous” Drew Barrymore, and 2001 Avril Lavigne. I’m a firm believer in wearing whatever you want, regardless of if it’s “on trend” or in style–life is way too short to wear clothes you don’t love!

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Because Belle and Black is an online boutique, I have customers from all over the United States!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://poshmark.com/closet/belleandblack
• Email: shop@belleandblack.com
• Instagram: @belleandblack

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