By: Milan Staples
I had the pleasure of catching up with Keena Williams, owner of the fashion forward, So Excessive Boutique in Newark, New Jersey. The boutique recently had a “Sip & Shop” event that was hosted by Love & Hip Hop’s Emily Bustamante. Read below to get the deets on the boutique, what’s hot in accessories for this winter and more.
Milan Staples: Please describe your boutique and what types of items are sold there.
Keena Williams: I always say that So Excessive Boutique is like shopping in your super stylish girlfriend’s closet. She always knows what’s hot and what to wear with what. We carry accessories for every woman, from the minimalist to the showoff, so we cater to every woman.
MS: How long have you been in business and what inspired you to create the boutique?
KW: So Excessive has been in the making since high school; I starting selling jewelry during lunch periods. So technically, I’ve been in business for a little over 15 years but the name came later on and the boutique has been up for about 1 1/2 years now. Opening a boutique was always the goal for So Excessive, I just wanted to make sure that it was the right timing when I did so. My love for jewelry inspired the boutique and I saw that there was a void and need for an accessories boutique in Newark.
From Left: So Excessive owner, Keena Williams; ROCKstar Bracelet
MS: What are some of your favorite pieces in the shop right now?
KW: Our ROCKstar bracelets are my favorite right now. I’m obsessed with them and so are our customers. Not only are they conversation starters, but they can stand out on their own, meaning you can get away with wearing as few or as many as you want!
MS: What’s trending in accessories for this winter season?
KW: The winter season always calls for ladies to make their ears and fingers their focal points. So, wearing big earrings and over-sized rings are always trending in the winter! One of the designers that we carry in store, that I’m really into, is Melody Ehsani. Her earrings are perfect for the winter season. They are big, but made of acrylic so they are super light!
MS: You recently had a “Sip & Shop” event with Emily Bustamante of VH1’s reality show Love & Hip Hop as the host. How did it go?
KW: Yes, we hosted our first annual holiday “Sip & Shop” with Emily recently and it was a huge success! The event featured some of the hottest accessory designers that we carry in store: Crux NY (Beyonce just wore their earrings in her “We Like To Party” video), Melody Ehsani, and Joelle by Marc Joseph. We also had Skinny Girl Cocktails and Rose Courvoisier as our sponsors – so it was definitely Excessive! As far as choosing Emily to host our event, we love her and so do the women who shop at So Excessive. Her style is amazing and as you can see from the show she loves accessories, so it was the perfect partnership!
MS: Any future endeavors on the horizon for the boutique that accessory lovers should be on the lookout for?
KW: Right now we are working on putting together a lookbook for our Spring collection and we are definitely planning an event for that as well! We will also be opening up additional locations, so be on the lookout!
So Excessive Boutique
1212 Raymond Boulevard
Newark, NJ 07102
(973)623-1456
www.soexcessive.com
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Thank you Keena for taking some time out of your excessive schedule to chat with us!
