K-Fashion - It's A Family Affair

K-Fashion first caught my eye one evening thanks to a series of well-lit windows displaying an ensemble of colorful clothing and accessories. The 'K' in K-Fashion stands for Katherine (Hughes), the young proprietor who recently opened the urban clothing boutique. As much as I was surprised to find such a young-looking business owner on Allen Street, I was even more intrigued to learn that Katherine had been helping out next door at her mother's salon since the age of 16. I soon learned that she was an 'old hat' when it came to her life's passion: beauty and fashion.

Today, Katherine is not just a certified stylist at her mother's salon, New Touch of Elegance, she is also an instructor at Barbizon Modeling. It's a wonder that she will have any time left to run a fashion boutique. Upon my initial visit, there were as many family members in the shop helping out as there were customers. After talking to Katherine's mom (Mercedes) for a few minutes, Katherine popped in from the salon where she had been tending to client. "My dream," she began to say. "Is to take all of my experience and become a fashion designer. I decided that if I'm going to do that, it was necessary to open a shop so that I could learn about buying, stocking, displays and sales. The store is dedicated to women who are looking for outgoing designs... the clothing is funky and forward. It's contemporary fashion for people who are heading out on the town."

During my visit to K-Fashion I found that there was a steady stream of browsers and shoppers, many whom were coming from the salon. Little did I know (until later) that the salon was literally packed with clients waiting to get 'glamified'. The one-stop shop allows a woman to get her hair done, and grab a pair of boots and a bracelet before heading out for the evening. As for the merchandise, K-Fashion is stocking lines such as Sky (jeans), LA Idol (jeans), Love Stitch (dresses), Bamboo (shoes and boots), and Anne Michelle (shoes and boots). On top of that there is jewelry, belts, purses, gloves, hats... for a small boutique there is a ton of merchandise.

Upon leaving K-Fashion I peeked into the window of New Touch of Elegance and was amazed to see the amount of activity inside. A friend on the street stopped me and asked what I was up to, and when I told him, he answered [half joking], "The salon's customers take up all of the parking spaces on Allen... that's one busy place." Between the foot traffic at the salon, and the activity at K-Fashion, the corner was certainly bustling. It's always nice to see a family operation doing so well, while offering services and merchandise that may not be available outside of the Galleria Mall... which is where New Touch of Elegance started before the cost of the mall became too expensive.

K-Fashion
152 Allen Street
Buffalo NY
716-882-7222

Photo (L-R): Samuel Sosa, Katherine Hughes, Mercedes Hughes, Karolina Espinosa, Anthony Galvin