Envi Boutique
Shop Envi Boutique and Make Your Friends “Green With Envi”

Photography by Tara Flannery

Heather Mendez wanted to open a women’s boutique that would rival all others, and she’s done just that by offering a fresh, contemporary style that isn’t overdone and out-of-date with Envi Boutique, located in Houston’s Vintage Park Shopping Village.

Heather opened the doors to this trendy women’s boutique a year ago to provide an alternative to traditional Texas styles. Catering to women of all ages, Envi Boutique is more “LA chic” and less “Texas bling.” Heather set her sights on diverse, high-quality clothing lines; simple, yet elegant jewelry and accessories; and fashionable handbags that make a woman feel like she’s one of a kind. “My interest in fashion stems from a department store marketing co-op internship I had when I was just 16 years old,” Heather noted. “I was in heaven around clothing all day and really breathed it all in.”

A COMMITMENT TO HIGH-QUALITY FASHION

Originally from northern Alabama, Heather moved to Houston a few years ago with her husband, Eduardo, and began discussing opening a business together. “After a trip to New York and some research we did visiting Houston boutiques, we started thinking that a women’s boutique with high-quality, more ‘unique’ clothing items and accessories was needed in the area,” she said. “The styles sold in the stores we visited tended to be the same everywhere, and the quality of the items wasn’t always the best. We wanted to set ourselves apart and sell a fresh look, backed by high-quality craftsmanship.”

And so Envi Boutique was born. Heather carefully handpicks the clothing, jewelry, accessory and handbag lines that are sold in the store, 80 percent of which are made in America. “This sets us apart from other boutiques because the clothing we offer customers isn’t mass produced, so the quality is better,” she noted. “There isn’t the tearing or the unraveling that you might see in other lines.”

Envi carries such clothing lines as Fluxus, Tart, Mavi Jeans, The Furies, Single, Covet, Analili, Numph, Bella Dahl, Fifteen Twenty, Prose and Cosabella (Italian lace undergarments). Jeffrey Sebelia, Project Runway season three winner, is the head designer of Fluxus, which is one of a handful of lines that Envi exclusively sells in Houston.

“The Fluxus brand is very well-known in LA and has a lot of celebrity buzz,” Heather said. Seen on celebrities like Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Charlize Theron, and the Kardashian sisters, Fluxus pieces are simplistic, yet cutting-edge, and are reasonably priced at under $100. They are timeless and stand the test of time. “Fluxus means ‘to flow’ in Latin, and these pieces truly transform you when you put them on,” Heather added. “I like them because they are flattering for every age.”

ONE-OF A-KIND ACCESSORIES

Heather also searched high and low for the perfect handbags for her customers, deciding on Oryany, Henri Lou, Melie Bianco, and the Colombian-made Cordobags. “Cordobags are exquisite, ecofriendly handbags and purses that are handmade in Colombia,” she said. Combining its love affair with bags and the love for Colombia, Cordobags provides one-of-a-kind bags made by the Zenu tribe, with all-natural products. In addition, the company contributes 10 percent of its profits back to the artisans. “The Wayuu Mochila bag takes 20 eight-hour days to make,” Heather stressed. “The workmanship and attention to detail that goes into the creation is astounding. These bags are true works of art.”

The Envi jewelry lines are stylish and refined, yet understated. They include the light-weight golds of New York City-based By Boe; California’s Dogeared; leather- and saddle ring-inspired jewelry by Henri Lou; chains by Israel’s Nava Glazer; Houston’s own Swati Jr., known for its African gold- and brass-infused designs; and Made with Love’s African recycled rubber bracelets, which created a frenzy with its give-back philosophy.

A PLEASURABLE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

The aura of the boutique is calming, comfortable and sophisticated. Heather and Eduardo wanted the shop to have a clean, uncluttered look. The store flows from front to back with clothing items paired together to aid shoppers as they make choices. “I use a lot of faceforward racking so my customers can see what is available right when they walk in,” Heather said. “I want to entice them so their shopping experience is as pleasant as possible.” A special indulgence?Customers are treated to a complimentary glass of chardonnay or a latte while shopping. New styles also come in each week, so customers should visit often.

Heather’s sales team delivers personalized customer service in a friendly, down-to-earth way. “My team is phenomenal. It’s like shopping with your girlfriends. We can provide any level of service a customer needs from very hands-on to just being available if someone needs help with sizing or completing an outfit,” Heather added. “We are here for you, but don’t hover.”

Envi Boutique also sells beautiful, locally made fused glass art, conversational and functional platters, votives, and Houston’s own Araya Artisan Chocolates.

It’s time to make all your friends “Green with Envi.” Stop by Envi Boutique today or visit their new website and shop online at EnviBoutique.com.

It takes 12 plastic bottles to create the inside lining! Also the dye to create the fabulous colors for  the Matt & Nat bags come from vegetables. This means, that these dyes, once they are used and dispose, will not affect the ecosystem.

So, look out for these Vegan bags coming soon to Envi Boutique and www.enviboutique.com