Luxury Boutique Owner Telsha Anderson On Opening A Business In The Middle Of A Pandemic

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Opening any business during a global pandemic is a huge risk, but it was a challenge that Telsha Anderson, founder of luxury clothing boutique T.A. New York was willing to take. “The world was suddenly closed, but the store was practically done,” Anderson tells BET. “I had all this inventory. So my sister told me to still launch online, and every week during COVID, we released ten new items.” 

After months of uncertainty, waiting patiently for New York to begin reopening, the time had finally come, and she was able to move to a brick and mortar location. Overcoming those obstacles is not something she takes lightly. “You know, it's not just my win, it's a win for all of us,” she says. “If I can help other African-American men or women get to where they want to be in this industry, I think that's incredible.”

And that’s exactly what Anderson’s experience has been thus far, incredible. Most amazing, is that she’s in the position to amplify and empower Black designers. “Sourcing Black-owned brands is the emphasis and what we do,” she says. “I’m always looking to find Black-owned brands that not only represent their own individual perspective on fashion, but also their communities, our communities.” Most notably, she carries the beloved UK luxury brand, Wesley Harriott. “I make it a point to put Black brands at the forefront of my store,” she says. “I’ll give them the whole wall.”

But her boutique T.A. isn’t just inspired by the style of others, it’s also inspired by Anderson’s personal style. “The T.A. style is a daredevil version of my own personal style,” Anderson says. “My closet is so exciting and I walk into it anticipating what style I’ll be wearing or channeling that day. I want women and men to come in and feel that same feeling of excitement. T.A. style is exciting, it's fresh, and It's me, but not completely me.”

Anderson hopes that when the world completely opens again, she can connect with other small, luxury fashion boutique owners. “There aren't a lot of black luxury stores out there,” she says. “But the ones that are, are killing it. I can't wait to meet those people in person and pick their brain about how they’ve been doing it so well for so long, because it's a lot. Plenty of doors have been closed in my face. I had to really establish myself and convince these showrooms to take me seriously. It was hard.”

Follow T.A. New York on Instagram @t.a.newyork and visit https://shop-ta.com/ to explore Anderson’s collection.