Today we’d like to introduce you to Bianca Baskins.
Bianca, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The birth of my online fashion brand, Bratty Luxe, really started out of nowhere. A few days before New Year’s Eve I was playing around on ChatGPT just for fun, looking up name and logo ideas. I thought it was just going to be something to pass the time and then I’d move on, but I couldn’t stop. By New Year’s Eve I was at my family party with my laptop out, building a website and jotting down ideas. I had never felt that kind of passion for anything before.
Very quickly I went from just playing around to fully investing. I was opening business accounts, meeting with a trademark attorney, paying for marketing help, and staying up until three or four in the morning every night. I even turned my glam room into a mini warehouse for my brand. It was a big sacrifice but it also showed me how serious I was about making this real.
The journey hasn’t been easy. A lot of people in my life didn’t really understand why I chose entrepreneurship over a “safe” job. I have heard every comment from “that’s too generic” to “it will never work.” Instead of letting it discourage me, I used it as motivation to keep going and to prove them wrong.
Today Bratty Luxe has grown into more than just a brand. It’s a community. We stay connected with our audience, they help shape our collections, and they are truly the voice of Bratty Luxe. I am proud that what started as a random idea has become something that inspires women to feel confident, seen, and unapologetically themselves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges has been juggling the life I had before with this new business that basically slammed into my life. Making it fit with my lifestyle meant sacrificing other things. I went from being someone who loves her naps to staying up until four in the morning on my laptop. I even gave up my glam room and turned it into a warehouse for my merchandise. It can be a lonely road unless the people around you really understand and respect that sacrifice. Some friendships have suffered because “clubbing Bianca” wasn’t around anymore. Others expected free stuff just because they knew me. Seeing people I had known for years act like that was hurtful, but it also helped me lean even more into my passion. I think that’s what people call growing pains.
Even now, there are people who aren’t fully on board with me making this my full time thing. I think they would feel different if I had been doing it for years without results, but I only started seven months ago and the growth has been insane. Sometimes I don’t even notice it because as an entrepreneur you are always trying to outdo yourself and raise the bar higher than yesterday. Those days would be easier if I had some of the people from my past encouraging me, but I have been lucky to build great connections with other young business owners through social media and networking.
And of course, I have dealt with the comments from strangers too. I have had people tell me that online fashion is too generic and would never work, or studios brush me off like I am not “big time” enough yet. But instead of letting it get to me, I take those moments as fuel. They remind me why I am doing this and push me to keep proving people wrong.
As you know, we’re big fans of Bratty Luxe. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Bratty Luxe is a lifestyle brand I created for women who are always told they are too much. It is for the women who love glitz, glam, sparkle, bold fashion, and want to feel confident in their own skin. In our last collection we had cosmetics like iced out mascaras and lip oils, sassy crop tops, bold cheetah sets, and lounge or jumpsuit pieces that are comfy but still sexy. Everything is designed with hyper feminine women in mind because it is made by one.
What makes us stand out is that we are not just selling products, we are building a community. Our audience is the voice of our brand. We run polls, do this or that games, ask open questions, and even let them help us name products. They get early access to drops, sneak peeks, and behind the scenes looks because I want them to feel like they are part of it, not just watching from the outside.
We are very drop culture based, so every collection feels new and exciting. I never want people to feel bored or like they are seeing the same thing in a different color. Each drop has its own vibe. Sometimes it is cozy lounge sets for the season, sometimes it is bold statement pieces, and sometimes it is something in between. The goal is to always keep it fresh and to make sure every collection leaves women feeling confident, sexy, and powerful.
What I am most proud of is that Bratty Luxe feels like more than just a brand. From the moment someone finds us online to the day they open their package, they are part of the Bratty Luxe family. We like to say it is your world, we are just designing it. Our newsletters give people something to look forward to, not just another spammy discount email. They get exclusive updates, behind the scenes moments, and fun content that makes them feel like VIPs. On the production side, we hand pick the best quality and work step by step with our manufacturers to make sure it is right. I also love that we can serve tall girls by making clothes that are shrink resistant with a thirty five inseam minimum, so they finally have stylish options that fit them the way they should.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I really love the Boss Babe podcast by Natalie Ellis and Earn Your Happy by Lori Harder. Those are my top favorites right now. They do a great job giving insight to behind the scenes of being a brand owner that you don’t really read about, you only experience. They’re raw, real and funny and extremely relatable. Sometimes I’ll be listening and think oh thank gosh I wasn’t the only person who made that silly mistake! It’s also a breath of fresh air listening to people that get what it means and what it takes being a woman in this industry.
And she’s not a podcast or an app but I have to give a shout out to my therapist Rachel, (hey girl!) because she really keeps me sane and level headed every week.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brattyluxe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brattyluxeco/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Bratty-Luxe-Co/61572360772052/
- Twitter: https://x.com/brattyluxeco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brattyluxeco
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@brattyluxeco
