Meet Natasha, a fashionista blazing the trail for body-positive fashion in Oakland
Support Natasha and other small business owners in Oakland, as Oakland becomes an official Kiva city on March 16, 2016. By lending as little as $25 to local small businesses you take an active role in choosing the shape of Oakland’s future, strengthening our community and creating jobs.
Five years ago, Natasha opened Halmoni, a boutique specializing in vintage statement pieces for women that also acts as a hub for fashionistas, artists and creatives interested in vintage culture. Recognizing that finding fashionable clothing in plus sizes can be challenging, Natasha wanted to create a brand that not only sells fashionable plus sized clothing, but also promotes body-positivity and self-love for plus sized women.
She also hosts community events focused on uplifting plus-sized women and organizes monthly clothing swaps called ‘A Naked Lady Soiree.’ A Naked Lady Soiree is a bi-monthly clothing swap for women of all body types to meet new friends, trade clothing and enjoy cocktails in a safe, nurturing environment. Participants enjoy store discounts and the clothing left unswapped is then donated to a domestic violence shelter for women.
Halmoni has also created a strong online presence through its hastag: #bigbellyfashion — which women from all over have used to demonstrate the love of their body and fashion without shame. As a result, Halmoni is quickly becoming a recognizable institution in the Oakland community and a space where residents can feel safe to shop, talk and share stories.
“We are like the Cheers of vintage boutiques!” Natasha said, about the culture she tries to create at Halmoni.
As an entrepreneur of color (daughter of a Korean mother and African American father), she believed it was important to share her identity to help inspire others. “Halmoni”, which means ‘grandmother’ in Korean, was chosen to reflect her Korean heritage and reflect her love of everything nostalgic!
Natasha attributes her entrepreneurial spirit to her time in New York, where she was exposed to many people who created opportunity where none existed. Her first business, in fact, was selling mechanical pencils to her classmates in grade school.
“I gained customers by comparing a basic wooden pencil to my awesome mechanical ones and they sold like hotcakes,” she said.
Although Natasha was born and raised in New York, she feels at home in Oakland.
“This city helps to nurture my inner Cali girl because I love how laid back and stylish it is,” she said. “What drew me to Oakland was it’s similarities to NYC, diversity, people my age, and the fashionable people, so it made sense for me to be here. Oakland has also helped to sprout all the seeds I have sowed in my life.”
With the help of 41 Kiva lenders and 19 first-time Kiva lenders invited by Natasha, she raised $3,000! She plans to leverage her success to create part-time jobs for women of color who are also interested in becoming solopreneurs themselves one day. She also plans to use a portion of the loan to build out her online presence so Halmoni can reach body-positive audiences all over the world.
Discover the inspiring stories of the businesses in your neighborhood, or if you’re a small business owner in Oakland learn more about taking out a loan here.
