'Hustlin My Hoodies': How four boutiques sell Alaskan style.

AuthorMathews, Cheyenne
PositionRETAIL

Alaska boutiques have found a fashion niche using images of local flora and fauna to convey the spirit of the state. The summer season is one of the busiest times of year for local boutiques as their style captivates both locals and the surge of tourists looking for that local experience. Alaska Business spoke with four Alaskan artisans who are taking their incredible talent and combining it with savvy business sense in a way that adds to the local economy and gives tourists and residents alike the opportunity to buy amazing--wearable--works of art.

The Boutiques

Sina Sena is the creative genius behind the designs of Crab Terror Island, which has one brick-and-mortar store in Anchorage and a strong online presence. In establishing her business, Sena has created a community of "islanders" who both enjoy and help bolster the experience of her store.

"'Island' means community to me. and I really focus my business on building that community." Sena says. Sena's inspiration for the name of her boutique stems from her childhood experience growing up in Dutch Harbor, where her mom ran the local television and radio station Channel 8, which often broadcast locally produced movies. "The community would get together and make these soap operas or little movies and one of them was called Crab Terror, about this giant crab that was sinking the boats in the harbor," Sena says. "And I thought, gosh how fun, we'll put a crab on a shirt and call it Crab Terror."

Marci Nelson's first career was as an English teacher at Dimond High School, but after eighteen years there she decided to devote her time to her passion for art, founding AK Starfish Co., one of the larger boutiques in Alaska with six stores located from Anchorage to Homer. After twelve years of success with AK Starfish Co., Nelson founded Mermaid Co. Boutique.

"I knew I wanted to start creating collections beyond what I was already creating at AK Starfish--and what I created, I really wanted to celebrate women and the ocean," Nelson says.

While the two began as separate boutiques, they are now merged under one LLC and oftentimes share the same space.

Also operating as a pair, Salmon Sisters co-founders Claire Neaton and Emma Laukitis opened an Etsy shop for Salmon Sisters in 2012. Both women split their time between Salmon Sisters and commercial fishing. It is that immersion in the world of fisherwomen that inspires their designs.

"[Our style is] Alaskan, which means practical, comfortable...

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