Linda Tellis, aka Lady Ace Boogie, wrote her first rap at age 10 and never looked back. The lyricist calls Grand Rapids home and the home team surely knows how to treat a lady. Her acclaimed debut record, Feel Good Music on Hot Capicola Records, scored three 2016 WYCE Jammie Awards, including “Best Hip Hop Album” and “Best Album By a New Artist.”
Erica Lang, 25, of Commerce Township, is the founder and chief artist at Woosah Oufitters, a naturally-inspired art and apparel brand located at 131 S. Division, Grand Rapids. The locally-made, limited edition designs are inspired mainly by “woodcuts and the outdoors.”
Matt Sova, 39, is a personal shopper at A.K. Rikk’s, 6303 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids. He’s a sucker for formal wear and thinks every man should own a gorgeous pair of handcrafted shoes, well-fitted dark blue jeans, a tailored jacket and a luxury fragrance that’s sexy and masculine.
Living the dream at their day job, Rebel Reclaimed, 1409 Robinson Rd. SE in Grand Rapids, both Dann Boyles and Chip Minor are the area’s frontrunners in home décor and modish gifting. You’ll find Boyles ordering from artists and vendors and creating displays while Minor charms customers.
Kaite Lyn “KL” Christoffersen received her cosmetology training from the Newaygo County Career Tech Center and then jumped off in the deep end. She’s the co-owner of two Grand Rapids-based salons: Cheeky Strut, 216 Grandville Ave. SW and Siren & Proper, 217 Grandville Ave. SW. Christoffersen also created “Fluid Hair Painting.”
Ann Van Weaver is style crush material. She’s 33, lives in Eastown and is a stylist at Brindle & Blonde salon, 600 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids. A stylist for more than 10 years, she creates with her hands, enjoys craft beer and likes to see as many bands as possible.
Daniel Parker, a Grand Rapids native, is an agency director at The Matthew Agency, located at 77 Monroe Center St. NW, Grand Rapids. He won’t tell us his age but will explain the stylish life via his blog, studsandbuttonholes.com. How does he roll? “15 minutes late with Starbucks.”
Alert: Business woman on fire over here. Latesha Lipscomb, 37, of Grand Rapids, is the sole proprietor for I Got Face Cosmetic Concierge, located at 209 South Division, Grand Rapids. She’s an intoxicating mix of muse, makeup, model and maven — she’s all about the hustle.
Ashley Triêu is the mastermind behind Iconoclasp, a collection of hand-picked vintage and handmade original clothing and accessories for the rebellious and bold. It’s a one-woman shop “inspired by the spirit of past eras” with a big-city vibe that transcends its small-town origins both in style and reach.
You will never see Kev Couture in ripped jeans. He attended the International Academy of Design and Technology with an emphasis in fashion merchandising and now styles celebrities for events like the Grammys, Oscars, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Golden Globes.
Alyssa McElheny loves an eclectically, boldly dressed woman. That’s probably because she is one. She started wedding photography six years ago and now outfits the betrothed, because she likes “to push brides outside of that normal idea of what a wedding should be.”
It’s always a good hair day for Aleka C. Thrash. The 33-year-old Grand Rapids native went to Cornerstone University and is a natural hair enthusiast. She hosts hair care workshops and uses the platform to help others overcome insecurities and find confidence.
When your day job is to “make people feel and look beautiful” for weddings, commercials, television and theater, your style game has to be strong. With more than 10 years of experience, Erick Gerson Rodriguez has mad professional makeup chops. He’s from Carmen City, Mexico, he owns E.G. Makeup, and he’s making a name for himself in Grand Rapids.
Flip the coin that is Jonathan Jelks and you find on one side a businessman, fiercely committed to improving his city, and on the other a man who loves to talk brand crushes like Ralph Lauren, Moschino, Versace and Gucci. He’s constantly trying to figure out what kind of suit and tie Sean Connery’s James Bond might wear. This comes out in his style: part-street, part-suit, all dashing.
