Charlotte Hunter

Charlotte is espy’s pint-sized find from Whiterock, B.C. She may be tiny, but she is a force in the fashion industry. Charlotte graduated in 2009 with a B.A in English from the University of British Columbia. Originally she began her studies in English literature, with a minor in Spanish, because she wanted to become a teacher. However, in her last semester she changed her mind and decided to go after her fashion dream.

Since she was 15 years old, Charlotte has worked in retail and loved fashion. Going to university and studying education was a good plan – but as she moved through her studies, she began to look into fashion programs. After she graduated from UBC, she started working in the food service industry in Vancouver as an outside sales food rep. Char is a natural saleswoman, and although she is a foodie, those fashion programs continued to be researched and mulled over.

After two years working in the food service industry, Charlotte decided it was time to take a chance and she enrolled in the Fashion Marketing and Merchandising program at the Olds College campus in Calgary and started searching for a retail position in Calgary. It was when she came across the espy website and read about espy’s vision, past events, and other staff bios that Char found exactly what she was looking for.

The reason behind her desire to work in the fashion industry stems from a familiar place to many North Americans – Stacey London and the What Not to Wear philosophy. People turning their lives around through clothes is exactly why Charlotte took the leap into fashion. What excited her even more about this major departure from her original plan was that helping people to do this was a real option, within her grasp. This is where espy came in. Megan Szanik’s vision for a store that offers customers a full fashion experience from a team of professional stylists dedicated to positivity, body-type styling, and fun shopping experiences was exactly what Charlotte had in mind. The idea of a place that leaves the drama at the door and has customers leaving the store newly styled men or women seemed too good to be true – but turned out to be just what Charlotte had read about online and what she now does as an espy stylist.

“…if you feel fabulous in something, then you will be fabulous in it!”

Her favourite part of her job at espy is styling customers from head-to-toe. She loves to create outfits customers would never try themselves and explain why it works for their body. “When the customer smiles, you can tell they feel good.” Charlotte believes the way you look shows your personality, and putting your best self out there can start with wearing clothes that fit properly and make you feel good. If you’re feeling hot – chances are that positive energy is projecting. The personal relationship Charlotte develops with her customers is abundantly clear to all who work around her – her customers can barely go to the till without her! It’s that one-on-one relationship that Charlotte really loves. When she makes your day, you make hers through your gratitude for her help and the smile that shows how happy you are to have been styled by one of espy’s best.

The Fashion Marketing and Merchandising program has helped to expand Charlotte’s knowledge of the industry and express her creativity, and working at espy gives Charlotte the hands on experience she craves. Moving from one of Canada’s fashion capitals to the small, but growing fashion centre in Calgary has given her more opportunity to develop within the industry. Char is so excited to start her already budding career in fashion at espy and that excitement is infectious to be around. espy definitely happened for a reason! The fit is perfect and Charlotte is absolutely shining as she makes her way through her new career path.

So what about Charlotte’s style? She loves to play up her petite size with feminine and classic looks. The dancer in her loves to throw a little sparkle into an outfit whenever possible. Char loves street style. Seeing what other girls are wearing on the C-train, around campus, or out at night gives her inspiration to try new outfits on herself and on her customers. When Char wants to look her best she throws on her skinny jeans, a fantastic pair of heels, a flowy top and a cropped bolero jacket. Classic. Feminine. Stylish. Pulled together. That’s espy’s Charlotte!

Her number one fashion tip is to find pieces that highlight your best attributes. Which means you need to spend time deciding what those are. “But basically, if you feel fabulous in something, then you will be fabulous in it!” Style is about confidence – if you feel like you look good – then you do. In a fashion emergency (i.e. DATE NIGHT IN YYC!), ladies throw on a dress, “it’s simple, it’s pretty and if it fits you right, you can’t help but be sexy.” Men, it’s all about dark jeans, a classic dress shirt, and a casual blazer. Fashion can be complicated because it is an art form – but simplify it with silhouettes that accentuate what you’ve got going on!