1 Tes DeLuna
Store of the ish: Velouria
Issue #24
Clothing designer Tes DeLuna sets up shop in Seattle to showcase fresh and fashionable wares
By Joan Hiller
Published: June 1st, 2005 | 1:57pm
Before Zuzupop clothing designer Tes DeLuna opened her Velouria boutique in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in July 2004, she waited tables by day and hunched over her sewing machine by night.
“The storefront became available next door to my sweetie’s record shop [Sonic Boom Records],” DeLuna says. “Having the store has been great because, as a designer, I get to see what people look like in my clothing and get immediate feedback on what they like and dislike.”
Even though she only had one month to renovate and design her boutique — not to mention garner enough product to sell — the enterprising DeLuna had no problem opening up shop. A respected and loved member of the Pacific Northwest’s grassroots-minded fashion community, she had Seattle designers itching to sell their wares inside Velouria’s doors.
Soon, crafters and designers from all over the country got connected with the store, which now sells hand-dyed silk slips, individually crafted handbags from labels like Oakland’s Good Together, gorgeous designer jewelry, and luxe accessories. Of course, cutting-edge seasonal women’s fashions from Suzabelle, Brooklyn’s Ouvrez La Porte, Purldrop, and her own detail-rich Zuzupop line (zuzupop.com) are the boutique’s staple items.
DeLuna says she’s thrilled with Velouria’s growth. “The store has evolved into what I really want it to be, and I really love it,” she says.
And she should. Once inside the store’s softly colored walls, which drip with artfully arranged flower wall sconces and local artists’ work that changes monthly, it’s tough to walk away empty-handed. The killer location, friendly environment, and beautiful offerings aren’t the only reason to visit DeLuna, who works at least six days a week. She makes her boutique a destination for trunk shows and fashion gatherings, complete with tasty snacks and Q&A sessions with designers.
Plus, Velouria is a working studio. “My sewing machine is out while I am working on new projects, so when people first walk in, they have a sense that things are being made in front of them,” she says. DeLuna strives to educate people on the importance of buying handcrafted clothing and accessories, rather than “mass-produced items made by big corporations that exploit workers and resources in other countries.”
“I want Velouria to be more than a store, but a place to come and have fun, meet new people, see something inspiring, and make a connection,” DeLuna says.
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