I was faced with getting a job (that I didn't want to do) or begin something from home. My mom is quite an innovative seamstress and pattern maker, so she became the live-in creative staff. Combing the internet and actively thinking creatively, the idea came to do a large fabric bow top for sun and beach wear. The idea was not exactly for a swim top, but something fun and really pretty for summer....something no one else was doing!

My mom and I soon came up with a design and pattern that would work with printed cotton fabrics. We tried several pattern options that finally became the famous Amourouse Boutique bow bandeau! (We knew we had come up with something pretty wonderful as we were being copied continuously from the start....even our photographs were being copied to other shop sites!)

Sales began slowly at first (it was winter in Michigan) but sales trickled in from California, Florida, Texas, and other sunny places. We also noticed steady sales from Australia through the winter. With Pinterest starting to blossom as a network for finding great creative things...our bow bandeau business became something so big that we hired about 5 local seamstresses to help cut and do preliminary sewing with my mom and I finishing each item. Orders at this point were taking up to 6 weeks to create and ship! I became mostly involved with marketing our shop and replying to conversations.

Spring break (January through April) are still our busiest months. We have added lycra swim fabrics to our line after so many requests for active swim wear making Amourouse Boutique the place to shop for custom swim wear.

Currently we are sewing and creating at a steady pace so the wait for your custom bandeau or set is usually under 2 weeks. Each is still carefully crafted by my mom and myself.

Amourouse Boutique has been productive for over 3 years now. We have learned a lot along the way and so appreciate our customers who dream with us, sharing ideas that keep Amourouse Boutique creatively moving forward.

Eva and Carolyn