Meet Leilani Mathews | KIMONO INFLUENCER

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

Hi Leilani, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always been obsessed with clothes and fashion. I have been working in luxury retail for over 20 years. My grandmother introduced me to vintage shopping. When I was a little girl our Saturday shopping trips consisted of thrift shopping, finding vintage clothing and gems at local vintage stores. Two years ago during the pandemic I decided that I wanted to try working for myself and becoming a business owner. I had a lot of motivation, confidence and enthusiasm to create my own success in the pre-loved fashion world. My love for vintage kimono has grown in the past 10 years, so I decided to tap into that market and sell them. I wanted to specialize in something unique that stands out from competitors. The timeless piece is a work of art and can be worn by anyone (unisex). One of my goals is to teach women how to take a vintage piece and re-image it in a modern way . For me, selling vintage pieces is a way to repurpose them into one’s own story.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
BYOOTUHFUHL1 is a clothing line that gives a second life to vintage kimono. I hunt for them to sell to the vintage lovers . The kimono is a timeless design that is handmade and a one of a kind masterpiece. By promoting my brand on social media and gaining exposure in the online fashion world I have sold over 250 vintage kimono since I started this business . I show people how to up cycle vintage pieces with on trend fashion and to become socially conscious. I inspire and motivate customers to repurpose an old item and make it new . On my site I show people how to wear a kimono, whether it’s as evening wear, loungewear or simply over jeans and a t-shirt. One of the loveliest parts of this business is seeing how individuals have found my work on social media and fallen in love with it. Every woman should own one. It’s a staple piece. It is a great addition to one’s closet.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Before the turn up begins I would want to start off the weekend with a morning hike thru red rock canyon . After our hike we would shower and have a spa day at the Aria hotel. We would get dressed for happy hour drinks at the chandelier bar. .Dinner reservations would be at a speak easy called beauty & Essex . Next day , we would have brunch at “Drag Brunch” followed by zip lining on the strip . Take lots of IG pics on the strip and end the evening with takeout to our hotel room .

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband deserves a big shout-out for all of the things he does, big and small, to help me pursue my passion. He is very proactive in his support for my brand. For my social media content he is my personal photographer and videographer. He also packs and ships my products . When he sees me getting overwhelmed, he has no problem jumping in and taking the load off .

Website: WWW.BYOOTUHFUHL1.COM

Instagram: LEILANIMATHEWS

Image Credits
Photo credit : Belinda Berglof for pics in the purple kimono