Michelle, Trishell, and Kiazia Lovelace inside their new store, Exquisite Design.

Trishell Lovelace noticed Eau Claire offered quite a bit when she moved to the area eight years ago, but she also noticed a lot was missing. Specifically, she noticed a shortage of women’s fashion stores – particularly when it comes to options for women of color. 

She seeks to remedy that in her new business, Exquisite Design, which she created with the help and vision of her mom and three sisters. This women’s fashion boutique opens on Friday, June 12, at 3pm until 6pm with a roll-over celebration on Saturday, June 13, from 11am-7pm. 

“We did think of everyone. Specifically people of color who don’t have many options.” –Trishell Lovelace, co-owner, Exquisite Design

“It has been a dream, a goal of ours,” said Angela Lovelace, mother of the four sisters. 

“We did think of everyone,” Trishell Lovelace said. “Specifically people of color who don’t have many options.”

The boutique features items such as vibrant clothing, hair care products, hair extensions, shoes, jewelry, purses, and more – pretty much everything you could possibly need, Lovelace said. They offer products for black, bi-racial, and white women. 

Their vision for Exquisite Design began in February, Lovelace said, when the women grew tired of their old jobs and wanted to start something new. The five of them considered a few different names for the store – including “Divine Divas” – before settling on “Exquisite Design.” The family is a tight-knit bunch, Lovelace said, so they often bounce ideas off each other. 

“We do everything together,” she said. “We’re stuck at the hip.” 

Despite the blessing of opening a business with her family, Trishell Lovelace’s sister Kiazia said opening a new business in the middle of a pandemic hasn’t been easy – it has definitely been a challenging process. 

“We had no idea the year would pan out how it has,” Trishell Lovelace said. “We just have to roll with the punches.” 

The family plans to wear face masks and provide hand sanitizer at the store, and they ask that customers pull on face masks before entering the store to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

They also want the community to know they are a black-owned business and are 100% behind the Black Lives Matter movement, Kiazia Lovelace said. Their goal with their store is to spread love, she said. 

“We want to be open to the community,” Kiazia Lovelace said.

For people looking to support black-owned businesses in the wake of George Floyd’s death and amid protests for justice, the family said checking out the store is a great place to start.

Exquisite Design is located at 2759 London Road, Eau Claire. Learn more about this fashion boutique on their Facebook page.