Raising a Fashionista: Natalie Krumenacker

“Owning a boutique was my childhood dream,” Natalie continued, “After I achieved my degree in Design & Merchandising, I landed a job as a buyer for an off-price retailer. I thought of this position as the adult version of my ‘dream job’, but I quickly learned the corporate lifestyle was not for me. It felt like I was losing the passion and inspiration that I always felt when it came to fashion.” After the pandemic hit and Natalie moved to the Grand Strand to be near her parents and work from home, she saved all of her money so that she could finally go after what she truly desired. She explained, “The idea of having my own boutique meant that I could follow my intuition and make decisions based upon what I felt was right. It also meant that I didn’t have to focus on one aspect of fashion – I could do it all and be as creative as I wanted. I didn’t have creative freedom with what I was doing previously, but I wanted to be able to have a vision and fully follow it.”

Shop Ravel launched online in March of 2021 and the storefront opened later that year in November. On top of Natalie’s perseverance, her dreams also came to fruition due to the unwavering support of her parents and especially all of the incredible help from her mother, Susan. She pitches in by steaming clothes, working the floor when Natalie needs an extra hand, and is always there to remind Natalie that there is a light at the end of the tunnel during stressful times. Susan added, “My biggest role is being the cheerleader. I really can’t take any credit for the designs or anything creative. From the color of the flooring to picking out the clothes, she does every last bit of it. It always blows my mind when she’ll just put an outfit together or see potential in something that I would have never looked twice at. If you’ve ever met either my husband or me, you probably know our daughter owns a clothing boutique, because we probably handed you a card and told you to check it out. That’s just what I do, cheer her on and be a proud mom. I want to see her be successful!”

Natalie was never pushed to fit any sort of mold by her parents and that light in her shines bright through her boutique. She lets her personality be the guide and that resonates with the right clientele. “You can’t think too hard about things or be too scared to take a risk,” Natalie continued, “My family has been the strength and positivity that I’ve needed to keep going. They’re always honest and tell it how it is, which does keep me in check a lot of the time. Knowing that I have the support of my family behind me also makes it easier for me to believe in myself and my dreams.” Susan is a huge helping hand with the business, but Natalie also finds inspiration from her grandmother who was most definitely a fashionista. She explained, “I loved looking through old pictures of my grandma with such sophisticated outfits. She passed down that eye for design and color to me. The idea of doing what you love but making sure you give it your all while doing it was also passed down. My parents are both incredibly hardworking and instilled that in me as well.”

Although she always enjoyed visiting other boutiques growing up, Natalie felt like she was constantly seeing the same styles or limiting her purchases because of the price point. She wanted to create a shop that also provided women with unique and interesting pieces that are great quality without an astronomical price tag as well as create an environment where women can feel comfortable shopping. She clarified, “If you’ve experienced Shop Ravel, you know right away that I love a good print. I’ve always used clothes as an expression of my personality, so I pick out a lot of bold, statement pieces that reflect that. I love the feeling of putting on an outfit and feeling powerful, and that’s what I want for other women. You have to wear clothes, so you might as well wear clothes that make you feel good.”

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1904 Hwy 17 Bus
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