Hidden Gems: Meet Yvonne Warmack of J’aime la Mode Boutique

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yvonne Warmack. 

Hi Yvonne, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi, my name is Yvonne Warmack and I am the owner of J’aime la Mode Boutique. I was born and raised in Detroit, MI. I am currently a student at Xavier University of Louisiana, entering into my Senior year. I major in Biology Pre-med with a minor in Chemistry and French. I can honestly say that my journey as an entrepreneur started at a young age. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and it encouraged me to start my own business. 

When I was younger, I enjoyed dance, gymnastics, and jewelry making. My mother bought me jewelry kits and I knew at that point that I had found my niche. I had a business called Voné Paris when I was 7 years old where I made $2 bracelets, rings, and necklaces and sold them to my classmates and teachers. It sounds silly now looking back but I was dedicated to making jewelry and selling my creations to people. I’ve always had the idea of J’aime la mode Boutique since 2016. However, J’aime la Mode Boutique was not officially created until 2018. 

The meaning of J’aime la mode is French for “I love fashion.” I created J’aime la mode while I was attending high school at Cass Tech in Detroit, MI and I was 17 years old at the time. The name of my boutique came about through my passion for style, fashion, and French; which I have spoken since the age of five. I knew that I wanted my boutique to mainly focus on sunglasses but I also knew that eventually, I would want to sell jewelry and other accessories which is why I named it J’aime la mode in order to remain versatile. Sunglasses are always a great accessory to add to your outfit. They not only make a great statement piece but they add that extra flare or pop to your outfit. Which is similar to my slogan “Accessorize your life.” I did not realize it but, looking back I’ve always worn sunglasses in pictures even when I was a child so unintentionally J’aime la mode was always meant to be. I will always be an entrepreneur. But I aspire to become a plastic surgeon. I am very passionate about helping people, making a difference in my community, and promoting accessible healthcare in poverty-stricken communities. After graduating from Xavier University of Louisiana, I plan on attending medical school where I will further my education to reach my long-term goal of becoming a reconstructive plastic surgeon. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Some of my struggles included managing a business and college life simultaneously. My major is rigorous and balancing both was a juggle. In the beginning, during my freshman year, it was very rocky. There were times that I had to close down my business for months and then re-open due to stress, anxiety, etc. but, I never stayed down for long. I always got back up and rebooted my website. I want people to see my story and see that they can do it too. Nothing comes easy in life, if you want something you have to work for it. What matters is if you continue to keep pushing and further your chances to become greater. I am thankful for the challenges that I had to overcome. Without those challenges, I would not have had the opportunity to learn from them. I embrace every obstacle as a lesson because I believe that there is a solution to every problem that you experience. There is no obstacle that I cannot overcome. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
J’aime la mode boutique is an accessory line that specializes in sunglasses for both men and women. What sets my brand apart from others is that it is not only woman-owned but it is also a Black-owned business that sells unique and trendy sunglasses all year round. Black woman business owners only make up a small percentage of all businesses. I feel that it is important to promote this awareness so other young Black girls just like me can start their own businesses as well. My goal for J’aime la mode boutique is to promote self-confidence amongst young Black woman and males by providing trendy and affordable accessories online. I offer an array style of sunglasses on my site that range from $5-$30. 

I am most proud of the opportunity that I had in June 2021 where I hosted my first pop-up shop. The event was hosted in Detroit, MI at one of Detroit’s most historic and artistic sites “Dabls MBAD African bead museum” on Grand River. All of the vendors at the event were Black-owned business run by woman entrepreneurs. I enjoyed the event and there was a great turnout. My biggest takeaway from the event was the ability to bring a community together to support local brands and providing them an opportunity to showcase their products to new potential customers. 

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I use an affirmations app called I.am. It’s actually really helpful because my daily goals include yoga, meditating, and saying affirmations but, sometimes I’m so busy that I don’t have time. However, I.am sends a few positive affirmations to you throughout your day. It’s helpful in reminding you to stay grounded and to take it easy. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.jaimelamodeboutique.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimelamodeee/

Image Credits
shanrockphotography
shutter.8
ashleycapriphotography