SATORI BOUTIQUE
BEFORE ALL THE CRAZINESS OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I connected with Diamond of Satori Boutique in Tacoma, Washington, and planned to collaborate on a feature, but a pandemic and racial justice revolution pushed things back a bit. Consequently, sharing this beautiful, carefully curated black/woman-owned shop is even more necessary and timely. Her selections are carefully thought out in terms of sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetic, including brands like Baserange and this top I’ve styled here.
I’m excited for you to learn more about Diamond and her passions in the interview below.
Can you tell us more about yourself? Was owning your own shop always part of the plan?
I’m originally from Nevada but have been enjoying the PNW for a little over 10 years. Tacoma, Washington is my forever home. I have 2 kids (just passed the 2 under 2 mark this past weekend ) , 2 shops, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 1 husband. My life is crazy, pretty much, but I love to stay busy! Owning a shop was never something I could’ve imagined myself doing, but here I am. After high school, I tried the college thing, but it just didn’t ever feel right. I had dropped out of a few colleges and while I was working full time I thought to try going back one more time— but with a focus on fashion merchandising. Well, that didn’t work either! I quickly found out going to art school was going to cost a pretty penny. The money I would have spent in school I decided to invest in my own business.
What is the story behind your shop name?
It was my husband’s idea! Satori translates to enlightenment or sudden awakening. It’s a Buddhist reference. Opening Satori was kind of my sudden awakening in a way. I felt like I had been longing for some kind of direction in my life and having this store has definitely given me so much fulfillment and confidence.
How would you describe your personal style?
It’s all over the place. With two kids it’s gone a little downhill but now that my youngest is 8 months I’m feeling the need to get back to my roots! I’ve been rocking sweats (not the cute ones) for about 2 years. I spend a lot of my time buying for the store so don’t really spend tons of time on my personal wardrobe. If I were sum up my personal style I’d say I’m all about a statement piece, something a little unusual or androgynous.
How has sheltering at home and the current Black Lives Matter movement affected you and your family? How are you navigating this shift? (What does your new daily routine look like? How do you balance your work, creative pursuits, home life?)
Well, I’m Black, lol— I’m actually bi-racial. My mom is Black and my dad is White. Growing up, my family never really talked about race so the past couple of weeks have been especially heavy. Now I’m trying to educate myself more on Black history and even offer my own personal story to my friends and followers. A lot of people will never see the world through my eyes— so telling my stories is both helpful to me and hopefully to others to do anti racist work. The pandemic has been really difficult business wise but I am trying to take it a day at a time. My husband and I have been swapping watching the kids and going to work which is new and SO hard for us. We normally have childcare / extra help around from family but decided it’d be best to just limit who we are exposing the kids to for our safety. I never really say my life has any balance but doing things one day at a time has helped me feel more sane and like I can do it again the next day.
Where do you find yourself seeking inspiration of late?
Actually getting out of the store and not having that day to day interaction with a lot of customers has helped me search for more inspiration and happiness. I’ve been spending a lot of time finding new music and getting lost in mood boards. Music heavily influences the way I feel and discovering a new artist can really help me seek out something I need/want.
How do you decide on what brands and items to include in your shop?
It’s a big mix, but pre-pandemic I would go to showrooms every few months in LA and do some self-discovery through Instagram. Nowadays, I’m doing a lot more virtual buying and it can be a little tricky because I base most of my buying off of the feeling of something. Whether that’s something that makes your heart flutter a little or something that just melts in your hands. With the new direction of my shop ,I am also doing a lot of digging into new designers that are not only ethical but also are inclusive. I want to work with more designers that are more accessible money wise, size wise and that are more representative of minorities.
What’s something that made you smile recently?
Friends I wouldn’t expect doing activist work. Gives me so much hope to see / hear people talking more about ways we can change the world and grow.
How do you keep yourself nurtured/centered?
Honestly-,I don’t exercise and I probably don’t drink enough water but giving my body a solid meal and beauty sleep is all I need. That and some good late night conversations with my husband always feed my soul.
What are you reading right now— for edification or for pleasure?
Oh god. I don’t really read books. Guilty. But I wish I was that person in a book club. If I *had* to say I’m reading something it’s most likely some sort of fashion magazine— and let’s be honest— I really just look at all of the pictures
What’s next for you and your business?
Brick and mortar Satori will be open in a month or two with a whole new look! I’m really excited I’ve been digging into what I truly want out of the store. I’ve been open for about 7 years and am still figuring it out! But this will feel so much different and SO ME. Around Fall you’ll start to see a lot of fresh, new designers online as well. Get ready!
