Upper l2r: Jahweh David, Regal of Designs by Regal, and Christa Molloy. Lower l2r first photo: Jovani Peter, Khnuma Simmonds and Xaulanda Simmonds. By. MY GIRLFRIEND'S CLOSET.
My Girlfriend’s Closet, the well-known women's boutique in Christiansted has expanded into St. Thomas and has organized a grand opening event for Saturday, November 12, owner Khnunma Simmonds has made known. The event commences at 4:00 p.m. at the Havensight Mall, Building VII, Bay E, and the entire community has been invited to participate.
According to Khnuma Simmonds, My Girlfriend’s Closet St. Thomas is the sister brick and mortar boutique to My Girlfriend’s Closet on St. Croix (MGCSTX) and collaborator in the international GirlfriendismTM brand.
"MGCSTT is a Virgin Islands-owned, woman-owned, black-owned, survivor-owned and veteran-owned boutique that is founded by three girlfriends who are growing in friendship, business and beyond," reads a description of the outfit in a release issued this week.
Khnuma Simmonds, Xaulanda Simmonds and Jovani Peter embarked on this journey to expand the GirlfriendismTM brand by investing and taking a plunge with opening the second location of My Girlfriend’s Closet in the acclaimed Havensight Mall on St. Thomas, says the release. This sister boutique will feature culturally-inspired designs by and for women in the Virgin Islands and around the world.
As such, local designers and fellow women entrepreneurs embraced the venture and are making MGCSTT their new home on St. Thomas, according to the release. These female entrepreneurs include Regal of Designs by Regal, Jahweh David of Mariposa Ankh Artistry, and Christa Molloy of Christa’s Art Gallery.
"This diverse, yet homegrown, collaboration will offer the girlfriends of St. Thomas and the Virgin Islands as well as visitors access to exclusive madras designs, local art, handmade accessories and more," says the release. "Simultaneously, it provides a collaborative avenue for local women designers to build capacity and expand their businesses too."
Co-Owner Xaulanda Simmonds said, "MGCSTT offers an opportunity for women to come together and create an experience greater than if we tried to do it alone. It truly is a creative, entrepreneurial collaboration of culturally inspired designs founded on the Girlfriendism experience of women’s empowerment, community and legacy building."
Khnuma Simmonds stated, "I’ve always wanted to open a second location but the investment, time and commitment that it would require is one that seemed daunting and almost unlikely…until my girlfriends came along and are now making this dream a reality for all of us! I am beyond grateful for this venture and look forward to building friendships and collaboration with the women in business on St. Thomas!"
Jovani Peter, who is from St. Thomas and the newest of the three co-owners, shared, "I am honored and grateful to be able to blend my friendships with this movement that really focuses on the entire woman. The entire premise of Girlfriendism is the empowerment, strength, and support of not only women close to us, but women in our community and beyond. When we support each other the possibilities are endless!"
The grand opening will be preceded by a soft virtual launch on Friday, October 28th from 6:00 p.m. via the My Girlfriend’s Closet Facebook page (@mgcstx) where viewers will have an opportunity to preview the space, engage with the co-owners and learn more about how to pre-order their exclusive apparel, art and accessories by the featured designers via the shopping tab on their website, www.girlfriendism.com, according to the release.
Thereafter, the grand opening on November 12 will feature an array of fashion and wellness activities as well as other designers around the world from Miami to South Africa.
