Meet Trailblazer Arlett Acosta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arlett Acosta.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in a very small town in Durango, Mexico to a 15-year-old mother and a 17-year-old father who were forced to get married as a result of having me because of Mexican catholic traditions. After five years and my father still refusing to grow up, my mother decided it would be best for her to come to the US to live with her mother. That’s how I ended up in Colorado in 1995, a strange new world where I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying. My father followed us shortly and we soon called Denver our permanent home. This was quite the culture shock since I came from a big family in Mexico, I loved my school, had many friends and was doing very well academically, I was very much used to being the center of attention at home and school and that would be hard to do here because I couldn’t understand or communicate with anyone.

Because of this I spent a lot of time alone since I was an only child until the age of 9 when my first sister was born. That, along with my strict parents who lived in fear of being in a strange land, made me spend a lot of time alone. I started reading a lot of books and watching a lot of movies. I fell in love with every woman I read about and watched on tv, probably because they felt like my only friends. This led me down a path to love everything “girly” from a young age. My idols became every single woman I read about, I loved learning each and every one of their stories. To this day, I still become obsessed for some time after learning about someone new. In high school, like a lot of girls that age who are obsessed with famous and powerful women, I also started paying attention to what they were wearing. I became obsessed with Vogue Magazine and the fashion industry, I researched every single fashion and beauty school in the country and in Mexico. However, because of my families legal status, college would not be an option for me that crushed me. It led me to stop dreaming and thinking about my passions and made me a little cynical if I’m being honest. With time and laws changing, I was finally able to go to Metropolitan State University of Denver where I graduated with a degree in accounting. As the first person in my family to go to college, I felt like I had to get a degree in something in “useful” and choosing something risky like a fashion degree felt irresponsible.

After a few years in the corporate world and not being able to get the jobs I wanted or feeling fulfilled in my life, I started listening and reading about others women’s stories again. Podcasts, books, magazines, everything I could get my hands on, and this is how I got back to my roots and inspired enough to do my own thing. These stories gave me the courage to quit my job and buy short bus that used to be a burning man mobile home for this lovely couple I met on Craigslist. Thanks to social media we have the power to put ourselves out there and find our people and create any type of business we want. It’s so easy to start where you are with what you have, especially with so many other people out there hungry to collaborate, it’s really a beautiful thing what’s happening with small businesses right now.

This is why my brand is not just a women’s clothing store, but also a platform to celebrate women and their stories because maybe I’ll be able to inspire at least one person like every single woman in my life has inspired me.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No it has not been easy, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The hardest part has been letting my doubts get the best of me and getting in my own way. I have my days where I get down and negative, but for every moment I’ve felt down, there is a moment that makes you feel on top of the world. I once heard Oprah on podcast say that entrepreneurship was at it’s best when you followed the little wins and let those keep inspiring you. When you’re creating something it’s easy to have those moments, it can be a simple ‘like’ from a local influencer, another business asking to collaborate, or a customer review. Just like in life, I think you have to savor the little things and let those keep inspiring you every day.

We’d love to hear more about Chula Boutique.
Chula Boutique is all about fun fashion, feminism, and friends. Our styles are feminine but bold, and our brand promotes celebrating all women and their stories, starting with our friends here in Denver! As a company, I am most proud of the community aspect of my brand. I am the happiest when collaborating with other Denver women owned businesses and nonprofits who are like me, trying to raise awareness around women’s issues or just doing things differently and breaking the mold.

Which women have inspired you in your life?
Every single woman that I have met and I have ever read or learned about has inspired me. There are of course some favorites; my mother, Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Michelle Obama. My mother is just the strongest, most loving person I have ever met. Frida because she always did what she wanted no matter what society told her. Ruth Bader Ginsburg because of her immense work ethic and Michelle Obama because of her compassion and will to inspire us all to own our stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: chulaboutique.com
• Phone: 7209369882
• Email: arlett@chulaboutique.com
• Instagram: shopchulafashion
• Facebook: shopchulafashion
• Twitter: denverchulas

Image Credit:
Josh Marquez and Jessica Cooke

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