Exploring Your Feminine Side in Pink Pastels, Intimate Apparel and Tall Boots on the Santa Monica Promenade

"The most precious thing we have in this life is our ability to take the ordinary and make it something truly extraordinary." - G Sparkl

Santa Monica is definitely opening up again. I've been wandering into stores to meet people and check things out. On Santa Monica Blvd near the promenade, I found myself wandering into a the Sparkl Fairy Couture Store, where I spoke to Gabrielle Hall and Ashlie Roswell.

Gabrielle Hall (aka Gsparkl on instagram) the owner and designer is 26. Nine years ago, she moved to LA with a dream to become a Fashion designer and own her own company. She attended Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising where she dropped out shortly after to start Sparkl. She started the company with one swimwear collection that she sold on Venice beach board walk. "It's crazy to see how far we've grown over the past few years from the beach board walk to a store on the Promenade in Santa Monica."

"About 3 years ago I had the honor of opening a store front location with my business partner Alexander Argyropolous. Who has been an invaluable part of the growth and expansion of SFC. With his investments and collaborative insight paired with my creative vision, design skills and consistent drive to grow the business we continue to take Sparkl to the next level. Also an amazing part of our team is Ashlie Roswell my executive assistant. She helps a lot with ensuring the Sparkl vibes at our store and styling our customer giving them an experience like nothing else. In edition to store front we also have a very successful online store, our website: https://sparklfairycouture.com/

Who shops at the Sparkl Fairy Couture Store?

"Our typical client is female and in her 20's or 30's. We also have customers who are as young as 13! a lot of little kids will come in here. Girls are very enthusiastic! They see all the rainbows and mermaids and unicorns.

"We have celebrity collaborators such as Paris Hilton, Dolls Kill, Vanessa Hutchens, Britney Spears and others. But it's mostly women who are fun and who want to stand out, and who love pastels.

As a small business, how does the SFCS work?

"Gabi is the designer, creative director and all things Sparkl. I finish what she needs help with and what needs to be fixed. We work really well together. I believe in the brand, and we understand each other well. Gabi does the design work, the visualization, merchandizing and business/ finical work. We both do the administration, like customer relations, sales and shipping. Alexander does monthly meeting with Gabi and helps with final business decisions. His family also owns the store location and have our biggest supporters since day one.

"Gabi lives in the Sparkl Palace in K-town. People rent it out for photo shoots.

"BTW, we have special events! One of them is our Sparkl Burning Man event on Saturday, July 30, 2022.

What's your look about?

"It's the Fairy fabulous lifestyle! It's about feminine energy and living larger than life.

"I think this location is perfect for the brand, because its all those things. Fun and colorful. We'll always have this pastel color palate. Light blue white, lilac, pink, mint and black. And all of it is usually pastel or iridescent. Fashion always goes through fads and forever changing faces, but our colors will live forever.

"People are transitioning from basic black to wear more colors, I believe. I don't think you can find another brand that focuses on pastels the way we do.

Are all of your customers women?

"Not at all! We have many gay customers, trans people. Drag queens, all buying things to perform in or just for themselves. I recently helped a drag queen who wanted a costume for a formal Drag Queen Ball. This is the perfect place to buy that.

Musicians come in here a lot. They sometimes buy costumes for their music videos. We also have customers who are DJs or other entertainers.

Our shoes go up to size 12 and our sizes go up to 3X, which are mostly women's sizes. Our store is where guys and gals find that energy, that feminine feeling that brings them joy. And clothing should be all about bringing people joy. Because we should all be happy in life."