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Boutique fashion, bold reinvention, and the courage to start over — Renata Gasparyan joins Marnie and Alisa in the studio for a conversation as rich and layered as the pieces she designs. In this episode of Bench to Bold, the founder of Renata — a one-of-a-kind boutique on East Boulevard in Charlotte — shares how a career at one of São Paulo's most legendary fashion houses led her to a bonus room in the Carolinas, and eventually to one of the city's most talked-about brands. There are stories about moving from Brazil with two kids and no safety net, panic attacks that came out of nowhere, a stranger in leather pants who became a lifeline, and the husband who said “well, why don’t you just start your own thing?” Plus: the design philosophy she calls sketch to stitch, why her pieces don’t go out of style, and what it really means to dress a woman — not just her body. Consider this the episode where fashion becomes a love language.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:56 — São Paulo Roots & Starting in Fashion at 21
04:37 — How the Boutique Was Born: From Compliments on the Street to a Bonus Room Business
07:55 — Word of Mouth Only — Building Renata Without Marketing
09:45 — Sketch to Stitch: The Design Process Behind Every Piece
14:57 — From the House Studio to a Real Storefront on East Boulevard
19:43 — Proportion, Tailoring & the One Inch That Changes Everything
22:06 — The Bench Moment: Moving to Charlotte and the Panic Attacks She Never Saw Coming
28:31 — Go For It: Renata's Message to Women With a Dream

ABOUT RENATA GASPARYAN:
Renata Gasparyan is the founder and designer behind Renata, a boutique fashion brand based in Charlotte, NC. Born in Brazil and raised between São Paulo and Westport, Connecticut, Renata spent years working at Zulu — one of South America's most iconic fashion houses — before relocating to Charlotte a decade ago. What started as compliments on the street and a bonus room full of her favorite pieces has grown into a full boutique at 1419 East Boulevard, beloved for its signature blend of Brazilian sensibility and Southern ease. Renata designs everything from sketch to stitch, working with a small team of four tailors to produce limited, one-of-a-kind collectibles that women wear — and reach for — for years.

CONNECT WITH RENATA:
Shop: 1419 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC (beside Millennium Nails)
Instagram: @renata_gasparyan

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