She Wore It Like a Prayer: How Velvet Lattimore Uses Adornment to Amplify Identity

For Velvet Lattimore, founder of Vedazzling Accessories, fashion is not just what you wear—it’s about who you are and how boldly you choose to show up.

These days trends are fading quicker and fast fashion dominates, but Lattimore continues to choose the path built on heritage, community, and creative resistance. Her boutique, Vedazzling Accessories, serves as a cultural archive and a launchpad for Black and Brown designers often overlooked by mainstream fashion.

“Wearing something bold isn’t always about being seen,” Lattimore says. “Sometimes it’s about being understood.”

Lattimore’s love for accessories started as a side hustle in her 20s, selling statement pieces through an eBay store. What began as a casual pursuit quickly revealed something deeper: a talent for transformation.

“I could walk into a dollar store and find something that once styled looked like it cost $1,000,” she says. “When I realized people were drawn to me because of that eye, I knew I had something.”

That talent became Vedazzling Accessories—first a brick-and-mortar boutique, now an online destination and creative platform for independent artisans. But Lattimore didn’t build Vedazzling to sell inventory. She built it to tell the stories of other creators. For her, accessories are more than decorative—they’re declarations. She often stocks pieces shaped like the African continent, adorned with cowrie shells, or cast in the form of an ankh. These are not just style choices; they’re cultural affirmations.

“If you’re in a white space and walk in wearing an ankh or a continent earring, it speaks volumes,” she says. “Even your hair—your natural hair—is an accessory. And when you show up as your authentic self in those spaces, that’s resistance.”

In her words, fashion is protest—and protest is personal.

While many boutique owners chase trends, Lattimore curates with culture leading her way. Most of her designers are Black or Brown artisans whose work reflects pride in the diaspora. But her approach is as relational as it is creative.

“My community sends me artists,” she explains. “I don’t have to go looking for them. They find me—because they know this is a space where they’ll be seen.”

One of those artists is Michael Olivarri, an accessory designer who became both a vendor and a close collaborator. The two first met through a mutual friend and immediately connected.

“I knew Velvet was amazing,” Olivarri says. “She’s brilliant, creative, business-savvy, cultured, and benevolent. A true queen.”

Through Vedazzling, Olivarri’s work reached clients and platforms he might never have accessed on his own.

“Her mentorship helped take my business to another level,” he says. “I loved doing events with her. They were always exciting, filled with new clients, socializing, networking. That first one—something new for me—was unforgettable.”

Olivarri values not just the sales opportunities but the emotional connection that came with being part of Vedazzling’s extended creative family.

“In big stores, you miss the closeness,” he adds. “With Velvet, it’s different. There’s a relationship. There’s trust.”

Lattimore believes fashion should move you—literally and emotionally. She remembers a customer who purchased a handbag designed by a close friend. When the woman received it, she broke into tears. The bag reminded her of her late grandmother.

“It wasn’t even intentional,” Lattimore says. “But that piece brought her somewhere sacred.”

Lattimore encourages customers to explore not just what they like, but how they want to feel. Some pieces provide calm; others confidence. Her own accessories often reflect her mood or elevate it.

“I wear accessories every day,” she says. “And some days, they carry me.”

Vedazzling has always been about more than fashion.

“I opened my doors to artists when no one else would,” Lattimore says. “Through pop-ups, resales, and collaborations, I’ve helped small businesses grow. I’ve been a bridge.”

Her work is intentional and enduring. While many now claim to support Black-owned brands, Lattimore was doing it long before it was popular.

“I just want people to remember: I was selling Black and Brown creatives’ work before it was a hashtag,” she says. “I’m about my people—and I’ve always proven it.”

When asked to sum up her vision in one word, she doesn’t hesitate.

“Bold.”

And that’s exactly what she is.