By Tiffany Ash
Just as much as I love to follow trends and styles, I also love learning about the people behind the fashion. This month, I decided to use this Missouri Magazine platform to get to know Amanda Pike, owner of Amandenîmes, a denim boutique located in Osage Beach. The store opened in May 2019, but as you will hear…the story began long before that.
Tiffany : Why did you want to start a denim shop?
Amanda : I wanted to start a denim shop because my whole life I grew up loving fashion. In high school, I always distressed my own denim. So, whenever I went to college I didn’t really know what I wanted to do or major in … so I just kind of went with the flow and majored in what everyone else was majoring in, Ag Business. I graduated and came home and started an online thing just for fun. My business escalated from there and now I have a storefront!
Tiffany : What do you love most about owning a store and about what you do on a daily basis?
Amanda : I love what I do because I love taking something that nobody wants and that someone might thing is ugly, and making it cute. I also love recycling and if the jeans (in my shop) weren’t getting distressed and resold, they probably would end up at Goodwill for years.
Tiffany : What’s your favorite article of clothing, besides denim?
Amanda : Totally sweatpants!
Tiffany : What message do you have for other women who desire to chase a dream?
Amanda : Just do it. Don’t procrastinate because I did and now that I’m doing it I’m like I really wish I would’ve started this even back in high school. Life goes really fast so you just have to do it!
Tiffany : Who has been your biggest cheerleader?
Amanda : Definitely my family. All three of my sisters and my mom for sure. My dad also helped me build everything in my shop. So my family 100 percent!
Tiffany : What is something that would surprise people to know about you?
Amanda : I don’t really look like it but I went to school in Oklahoma, which is one of the main reasons why I got into distressing denim! While there, was surrounded by the western industry, and thrift stores, and stuff like that so most of my styles are influenced by that western culture.
If you’d like to learn more about Amandenimes follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or stop by the boutique. www.amandenimes.com
