by Ashlynn Phillips
Tucked away in the Garland District, is a place full of one-of-a-kind apparel. The place with the funky leopard-print sign is Glamarita. The shop was opened in June of 2011 by Spokane clothing designer Ronnie Ryno.
“I started designing and selling clothes online in 2006, and I fell in love with what I was doing,” Ryno said. “I was a teacher for over 10 years, but I quit teaching so that I could do this full time. I wanted to give an outlet to other local designers because there is so much talent in Spokane and I felt like it needed to be seen.”
Supporting local designers is extremely important to Glamarita. The store only sells clothing made 100 percent by local designers in Spokane. The store features everything from clothes to soaps, from lotions to candles. They also carry many headpieces including hats, bows and headbands.
Glamarita’s prices range from $3 to $400, depending on how detailed the piece is.
More elaborate pieces can easily take more than 20 hours to make, but Ryno said she can crank out a simpler piece in three or four hours.
“We can also custom-make anything for you,” Ryno said. “If you see something you love but want it in a different size or color, we can alter it or make something similar to it. We have anything that your girly heart desires.”
There are 45 artists who contribute to Glamarita. One of them is Lynne Blackwood.
“I’ve been designing clothes for Glamarita for three months now,” Blackwood said. “I had a background in costume design for theater for 30 years, but I just started getting into commercial retail.”
Models and designers constantly come in and out of the store bringing in designs.
Runway Renegades is a fashion show put on by Glamarita on the streets of Spokane every summer. Whitworth sophomore Alaska Bruneau has done some modeling for the designers.
“During Runway Renegades this summer, I modeled a Japanese school-girl-inspired skirt and jacket, which is actually in the store waiting to be sold,” Bruneau said.
Supporting the local community is also important to Bruneau.
“It’s a lot of fun helping the local people be creative,” Bruneau said.
Contact Ashlynn Phillips at aphillips15@my.whitworth.edu.