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Everybody needs a piece of funky
Why Circles Boutique stands out from the rest
4:00 am Aug 28 - by Elizabeth Lardizabal – buzz Writer
If it isn’t the statue of the Hindu god, Krishna, then maybe it’s the bamboo thatched rug. If not that, maybe the wooden totem pole placed at the front of the store. At Circles Boutique, there are plenty of things that give away owner Danielle Jameson’s love for all things international. The final cue to her global inspiration is, however, the clothing.
Circles Boutique on Walnut Street is Champaign’s ticket to the international fashion scene. Offering designer labels and items handpicked by Jameson herself, Circles delivers what most malls fail to offer, she said.
“You won’t see some of the designers that we have,” said Jameson. “I travel a lot, and I try to find different designers that won’t sell to the mall or any big [department stores].”
Designers and labels include Custo Barcelona, Betsy Johnson, Ivan Grundahl and Free People. “If I had to find a common thread amongst these designers, it would be their attention to detail,” Jameson said. “They put fun twists on somewhat normal things.”
Originally opened in 1984 by then-owner Jennifer Isaacson, Circles Boutique moved from Chester Street to its current location in 1990. In 1993, Jameson was hired as Circles’ manager. In 1998, she became its owner.
Jameson’s passion for unconventional fashion exudes through her own everyday outfits. That day, it was a light green, asymmetrical sweater worn over a basic white T-shirt. “The sweater is by a company out in St. Louis that designed clothes for the movie, The Matrix,” she said.
Jameson focuses on supplying a variety of clothes for customers to choose from while still trying to stay true to its boutique name, she said.
“I only buy limited quantities of things, so you don’t see yourself walking down the street,” said Jameson. “You feel special when you buy something. I think that’s kind of how a boutique should be.”
When it comes to keeping the boutique personal, Jameson agreed that coming to Circles is almost like shopping in your best friend’s closet. The boutique’s intimate feel is captured by the little details found around the store. Two white couch chairs sit in front of the register, inviting customers to sit and chat with Jameson or other coworkers while they shop.
The contemporary artwork, hand-crafted ceramics and the warm, vibrant colors make the shopping experience just short of an actual trip to Indonesia, the country that has inspired Jameson over the years, she said.
“I’ve been to Bali about 10 years straight,” said Jameson, who is originally from Decatur, Ill. “Being in the Midwest, I try to bring a little bit of Bali back here because it’s very peaceful — I can be centered there.”
At Circles, customers and coworkers become a part of the family that Jameson said she adopted when she became its owner 10 years ago. Kathryn Coulter, a Circles sales associate, said that it was one of the places that inspired her while growing up in Champaign.
“Growing up here, this was always one of the cool shops,” said Coulter. “This was the place that inspired me to go to [fashion] design school.”
Like Jameson, Coulter said she appreciates the atypical fashion that’s sold at Circles Boutique. “There are things you could wear inside-out, backwards — things from different countries,” said Coulter. “It’s fun to have that here in Champaign.”
With customer loyalty that spans more than 20 years, Circles Boutique is made for anybody, said Jameson. “I hope that this will be the store that anybody could come into and find something,” she said. “I don’t really gear my clothes toward any age group or ethnicity. We have men come in here and try clothes. I don’t have a problem with that either.”
Longtime customer Fran Ansel has been coming to Circles since it first opened at its Walnut Street location in 1990. “Danielle is very successful at addressing many facets of the fashion industry and reaching out to different kinds of clientele,” she said.
At 58, Ansel said that she shops the whole fashion gamut at Circles, from the little black dress to the funkier items such as accessories and scarves. “Everybody needs a little piece of funky,” she said.
With Jameson’s laid-back approach and eye for international flair, Circles Boutique is a step away from the sometimes intimidating world of high-end fashion and a step closer to finding the right outfit that defines who you are.
“I think that people should try to have fun with their clothes. Their clothes should be a reflection of how they feel,” Jameson said. “Not what they see in magazines.”
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