In Shop Girl, we spotlight stylish individuals working at beloved fashion boutiques in NYC, LA and beyond. Next up is Sophia Boli, owner of Retail Pharmacy in Chinatown.
At a discreet, unsuspecting shop down a few steps and with a red tiled exterior in the heart of Chinatown, the swing tags read "Shopping is the cure. Get your medicine at Retail Pharmacy." Inside, a white interior with noticeable pops of red serves as a canvas, and the clothes do all of the decorating. We were greeted by Sophia Boli, a stylist turned indie shop owner with an distinguishable aesthetic that we can only attest to the various aspects of her life: the pop culture she has consumed, her mother who was also a shop owner, people she has brushed shoulders with on New York City sidewalks, her time spent living in Los Angeles, and her Hawaii upbringing. With a style that is hers and hers only, Retail Pharmacy is an extension of that, and both are a reminder that we all sometimes need: fashion is supposed to be fun.
Retail Pharmacy is an eclectic indie designer heaven where there are clothes to express every single feeling. Here, we get to know Boli and her style sensibilities
Ella O'Keeffe
What do you love about your job?
SB: "There's so many things I love about my job, honestly. I really can't complain a lot. I always wanted to have a store when I was a little kid, and now I do. And I just get to travel and find cool clothes and meet cool people all the time. I love it all honestly."
When you're not at work, what do you like to do?
SB: "Really normal stuff. I just go and hang out with my friends. I used to shop a lot, but now I feel like I shop for the shop all the time. So a little less of that. Trying to do nature related things or going to Central Park, hanging out with my cats at home, catching up on sleep. Yeah, really normal, boring girl stuff."
Ella O'Keeffe
Ella O'Keeffe
How would you describe your relationship with fashion?
SB: "Fashion has been an inevitable part of my life. I don't know how else to describe it. It's always been there. My mom owned a store when I was little, like her own place and I was raised in the back of it. My aunt, who was the closest family member to me, both physically and emotionally, was also obsessed with shopping and had a different outfit on basically every time I saw her. So I feel like I just grew up in this world of fashion and wearing looks and this and that, and it was the one thing that always kept my attention. I just wanted to make a job out of it so I wouldn't be bored with life."
How would you describe your personal style?
SB: "This is also something I really have trouble with. I guess it's just an amalgamation of all of the influences I've had over the year, whether it's been music, movies, TV shows, books, magazines I've read, or friends that have come across my path that have had amazing style. I just kind of grab inspiration wherever I can and take all the bits I like the most and then put it on myself."
Ella O'Keeffe
Who are your style icons?
SB: "There's obvious people like Isabella Blow. I love hats. I'm not wearing one right now, but I love hats. I love her hat vibe. I love Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen with the beat up Birkins. I love just wearing your clothes. But then also a lot of my fashion icons are just people that aren't icons. They're just random Instagrams I follow that have a thousand followers, but it's like some weird kid in a small town who has amazing outfits."
What are your favorite brands?
SB: "That one is also a little difficult, it's like picking your favorite kid almost. There are a bunch in my shop that I absolutely love. I love this brand, CD1974. He makes a lot of one-of-a-kind clothing and he also has an art practice. There's a lot of young designers I work with that I love. There's Shame, Romina Montserrat, and EMPATH. And Ashley Williams is amazing. And then, of course, there are the bigger brands that I love. Vivienne Westwood, Gaultier, and Anna Sui.
Do you have a favorite piece in your rotation currently?
SB: "I have this belt I'm actually wearing right now, this white leather belt by this small designer, Tommy Fitzpatrick. It says 'Pure' on the back and it's this one of a kind belt. I have the only one in existence and I just love it. I wear it all the time. It's been in my closet for two or three years now, and it's been a really good staple."
Ella O'Keeffe
What does your process of getting ready look like?
SB: "I usually wake up very early to my cat licking my face which is a nice little alarm clock. Then I go and do yoga or pilates, something to wake my body up. Then during that hour I'm trying to think of what I'm going to wear and hopefully I have an idea by the end of that hour. Then I go home and I just try and put on one of the outfits that I thought of in my head. Hopefully it looks good on. If it does, then I'm out. I'm actually pretty good at getting ready really quickly if I know what I'm going to wear. I don't do a lot with my makeup or my hair, but sometimes it'll take two hours to pick out an outfit if I'm just not feeling it."
How often do you end up taking pieces home from the store?
SB: "Way too much. Shouldn't. My fiancé would be so annoyed. I don't really shop anymore, but then I take home things from the shop probably with every order that comes in. There's at least one thing where I'm like, 'oh, I don't think I can sell that. I'm just going to buy it for myself.'
Ella O'Keeffe
How do you find brands and designers that you want to work with?
SB: "People come in the shop or I'm on the street and I'm like, 'what is that?' Or I see stuff online a lot. I also get a ton of submissions and people coming in the shop who are designers who then email me afterwards or even just bring in pieces."
What's your favorite piece in the store at the moment?
SB: "My favorite thing in the store is probably the Ashley Williams trash dress because it's a little piece of art and collage in a dress and it reminds me of a Polly Pocket. It's just super fun. I love clothing that's super fun and kind of impractical, but who cares? You live once, wear something fun."
Ella O'Keeffe
