Meet Charlie | Owner of Glamour Society LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlie, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Fashion has always been a part of who I am. As a child I loved playing dress up, in high school I loved styling others, in college I became obsessed with online shopping and boutiques. Fashion has always been my way of expressing myself creatively. It was the one space that I could truly be…free. Fashion also allowed me the opportunity to make other women feel beautiful and confident which is an exhilarating experience for me. I honestly feel as though fashion pursued me in a way.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Glamour Society is a luxury boutique that aims to motivate, inspire, and encourage women worldwide to be the best versions of themselves. We accomplish this mission by offering quality clothing at an affordable price, giving our customers great customer service, and creating a branded community that allows women to be unapologetically themselves. As a company I am extremely proud that I am able to touch so many women and make them feel beautiful on various budgets. The mission for my company was formed when I was 13 years old, opening a candy store in my grandparents (Billie & James Lane) garage to afford the things my parents deemed too expensive.

Of course it has not been an easy journey. I have experienced financial setbacks by purchasing items that I assumed would sell and didn’t. I didn’t know that it was a set of processes and procedures that you follow to purchase, market and ultimately sell an item. There are so many working parts that are required in order to grow a multimillion dollar business. I jumped head first into a business without knowing any of this so I have had to do plenty of course correcting along the way. I have experienced mental setbacks as well. Not being where you want to be when you want to be there really can deter and discourage you. I would face a setback and instead of learning and growing through it I would halt my entire business which ultimately continued to set me back. You have to fail forward, always, that is important for growth. I am at a point where business is booming shoutout to God as well as my wonderful customers and I am no longer letting anything distract me. I am so into Glamour Society you can barely get me to talk about or see anything else. If a problem arises I go into problem solving mode instead of stopping business completely.

I want the world to know that if a little black girl from the south side of Chicago can make it they can too. All they have to do is dream big and work until the dream unfolds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a very chill person and so is my bestie. We would go to the beach, ride bikes, go to the sauna, get massages, check out the local museums, check out some local “Instagrammable” spots, go to a lounge, and go to brunch. We love catching the vibes and interacting with like minded individuals.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
God and my loved ones especially my mother Cristal Lane who recently passed away,  without them I would not be where I am today. The woman my mother was made me the woman I am today. I am forever grateful for every sacrifice, every piece of wisdom, every prayer, and every helping hand my loved ones have ever given me to become the best version of myself. Being an entrepreneur is not easy, having loved ones (closed friends&family) who support you and encourage you is very important along this journey. Also, having a strong faith is important too because things can get rocky and in those moments you have to lean on God.

Website: www.shopglamoursociety.com

Instagram: Shopglamoursociety

Twitter: Shopglamsociety

Image Credits
Image credits: Briana Ashley in leopard maxi shot by: Keilanscottphotos Briana Golar in brown set Shot by: Gabriel__gervase