Ashford's dream came true. The Pasadena, California native realized her dream at a young age of running a boutique of her own Pieces of Adrene, then later, House of Adrene in Atlanta's historic Castleberry Hill.
Working behind the scenes, a bevy of beauties rely on Ashford for her fashion sense---helping stars like Jennifer Hudson, Melanie Fiona, Kandi Burrus of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Kelly Rowland look chic at premiers and award shows. Ashford has emerged as a go-to style diva. She produces fashion shows. She walks the red carpet at galas and parties. Most recently, she’s the Fashion Editor at Hope Today Magazine.
eye*like*your*style caught up with Adrene while on location at a photo shoot in Los Angeles.
eye*like*your*style: Tell us about Pieces of Adrene.
Adrene: Pieces of Adrene was born in 2001. The whole concept of getting into retail fashion was came out of the need for me to have money for law school. I was accepted into UCLA School of Law but I had no money to go. My mother got wind of the fact that I was using my student loan to buy clothes and shoes. She made me sell them. She said, if want to go to law school I needed to sell everything in that apartment. So, that summer before law school, I started my first trunk show. I had a tea party on Sunday, and invited four to five of my girlfriends to sell stuff I hadn’t worn. To add value to the pieces, I framed them to show in my apartment in midtown (Atlanta). Before I knew, it grew from 5 to 40 girls and I was doing them every other Sunday! I would invite different types of girls because I had different types of clothes. I called it Pieces of Adrene.
During your first year of law school they don’t let you work. I’ve worked since I was nine years old, I don’t know what it’s like not to work. So I thought, yes, I can move back with my family but I still have to be able to afford to keep myself in law school, pay my bills and eat. I deferred the first year. Second year came around, I still wasn’t ready. They allowed me to defer twice. I felt like I needed to go or I needed to do something more. I decided to rent a loft from a designer in East Atlanta. East Atlanta was one of those areas that were being revitalized. In a year I doubled my space. Fast forward to House of Adrene. I started House of Adrene because a lot of men were coming into Pieces and were like what about us, because Pieces was solely dedicated to women. Pieces of our personality. Pieces of our wardrobe. Pieces that move you. You didn’t have to have the whole outfit, you have to have that piece. I felt that name was very specific to hat cause. I was in a different place and grew as a business owner. My eye grew as a stylist. Although I got into the styling game through men, I opened a women’s store because that’s what I related to. I started to see good things happen in men’s fashion. I started to see guys coming out of white tees, coming out of jerseys. I hated that phase. Right after that phase ended, the nice button down shirts came popular. That’s when I started to believe in men’s fashion. After eight years, I closed Pieces when I was on tour with Jennifer Hudson.
eye*like*your*style: How did you become a stylist?
Adrene: A girlfriend of mine was modeling and I was on a photo shoot with her and volunteered my time with the dresser. Someone from Sean John, a friend of mine who I went to school with, called me the next day and said, ‘you really rocked that photo shoot what’s your rate?’ I started to hyperventilate and told him ‘can I call you right back?’ I’m thinking people get paid to do this? I was floored. I didn’t know what to do. I called the first person in the industry I could think was a makeup artist friend of mine. Totally low balled myself. The fashion show was for Puffy. Sean John. I worked directly with him. That was a do or die experience. Puffy is a perfectionist and rightfully so. Very, very intense. Anything that bears my name on it I’m going to be an ass about it too. He changed the line up 3 minutes before the show. A good stylist can roll with the punches. It was a good experience. I had no complaints about it. That’s where I started building relationships. He hired me the following year to do the same thing. The low ball thing worked for me. I doubled my pay the next year. So it worked.
eye*like*your*style: What fashion trend do you wish would go out of style?
Adrene: I don’t believe in trends. Trends are only what you make them. Trends are what everyone follows. I feel like I’m a person who creates trends. Not for everyone to wear the same thing but to inspire something different. Style is a melting pot. You’ve got your 60’s your 80’s your 40’s all mixed in together. You’ve got your sexy, your sassy and your conservative looks all mixed in. That’s a beautiful thing to me because as a stylist I never want to be put in a box. I don’t go by rules, I make my own rules. Because I’m a free flowing spirit I’m very uninhibited I feel fashion should be uninhibited. That being said, I’ve never been a fan a hammer pants. That’s the one pair of pants I could live without.
eye*like*your*style: What piece of clothing should every woman own?
Adrene: Spanx. I think every woman should have them in her wardrobe no matter your size. We all have our imperfections somewhere on our body. Even if it’s that time of the month, you want to have the security you are being held in. That’s my simple every day. Every woman needs at pair of hot sexy red pumps. Sexy red stilettos is a must! Even if you have no style at all, put on all black and a pair of red pumps. It will change your life!
eye*like*your*style: Who are some of your favorite designers and why?
Adrene: I love independent, up and coming designers. I have a special love for independent designers because I think they are so driven, so ambitious, and so anxious for their talent to be seen. They overkill and I love it. I’ve been on this corset kick lately---I probably have 20 of them. There’s a designer out of New Jersey, Lara Corsets. I love them. I think they are sexy and timeless. You can wear them day or night. You can layer them. Hey, maybe every woman needs at corset!
eye*like*your*style: What is your favorite style of purse (i.e. shoulder bag, clutch, hobo, etc.)?
Adrene: I’m a clutch girl all day long. The bigger our bags the more we put in them. If you’re anything like me, everything is important. You want to have access to everything. Carrying a clutch is sexy, it’s simple. Credit card, ID and phone are all you need.
eye*like*your*style: What inspires you?
Adrene: Everything inspires me. I could have a conversation with someone and an idea will pop in my head. I can see someone walking down the street that put an outfit together considered a so called ‘no no’ and find inspiration in it. I’m always making people over in my mind.
eye*like*your*style: Who is your favorite person/entertainer to style and why?
Adrene: Victoria Rowell because she’s so theatrical. Her energy goes from 0 to 60. She takes on the persona of whatever the clothes say and I love that about her.
eye*like*your*style: What would you say is the best part about having a boutique, in Atlanta specifically?
Adrene: People tend to think Southern Belle’s are Country Bumpkins. Southern Belle’s have a lot of style and swag, actually. I’m happy to be a part of a growing fashion community. A lot of trends are coming out of Atlanta. There are a lot of risk takers in Atlanta. If you haven’t noticed all the stripper gear is hot right now---the five inch platform, the leggings, all of the things exotic dancers wore back in the day is all a part of fashion now.
eye*like*your*style: With the huge success of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, is Atlanta becoming a fashion capital?
Adrene and designer Mychael Knight
Adrene: I think Atlanta can become a fashion capital. You have Mychael Knight. My store was one of the first boutiques to house some of his original pieces before Project Runway.
eye*like*your*style: What advice would you give to an aspiring stylist?
Adrene: Study the art. Pay attention. Read. Understudy with another stylist. Nowadays, there’s such much to learn and so many resources even before my time.
eye*like*your*style: What's next for Adrene?
Adrene: House of Adrene will continue to host in-house fashion shows, we will showcase independent designers, stylists and artists. On the styling front, I have a couple of films coming up, I’m working on a coffee table book, and a couple of other things coming down the pike.
House of Adrene is located at 264 Peters Street, Atlanta, GA 30313
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