TikTok helped this Latin American boutique go brick-and-mortar in Oak Cliff
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Cadena Collective has around 267,000 followers on TikTok and about 105,000 on Instagram. Photo: Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi/Axios
Brick-and-mortar businesses typically lean on social media to expand their brand awareness. A new Oak Cliff boutique has the inverse story, starting online and evolving into a physical storefront.
Why it matters: Alejandra and Mabel Aguirre's Cadena Collective sells premium clothing and accessories made by Latin American brands.
- The company's recent expansion is an example of the TikTok effect, which is helping local entrepreneurs reach audiences far beyond their hometowns.
The big picture: Around 884,000 businesses in Texas actively use TikTok, per a report commissioned by TikTok and conducted by the consulting firm PF Global.
- The report says TikTok helped generate $7.8 billion in GDP last year for the Texas businesses that use it for marketing. Around 81% of Texas businesses surveyed for the report said they sold out of a product after promoting it on TikTok.
State of play: The Aguirre sisters launched their business in 2018 out of their mother's home in Pleasant Grove.
- "It wasn't until COVID that everything was shut down and everybody got on TikTok. I would say that was the catalyst for the business to take off," Alejandra Aguirre told Axios in an interview last week.
- Since opening Cadena Collective's showroom in Oak Cliff last month, Aguirre has juggled virtual consultations and in-person visits. One of her social media followers, for example, stopped by the shop while in town from Washington, D.C.
- "There's a blur between the internet now and real life," Aguirre tells Axios.
Vibe check: The boutique is tucked away on the second floor of chocolatier CocoAndré's Oak Cliff location.
- The curated racks include white wedding dresses accentuated with vibrant embroidery, shirts and dresses with a modern flair and accessories including leather bags and shoes. The items are sourced primarily from Mexico because that's where the Aguirres are originally from.
- "There are lots of shops, and they're all beautiful in their own way. But I really wanted something Michelin — that is the best way I can think about it, like restaurants that are Michelin-starred," Aguirre tells Axios.
Between the lines: Aguirre says that while Latinas have strong purchasing power, there is a shortage of high-end brands catering to them and their interests. That attention should extend beyond Hispanic Heritage Month and Cinco de Mayo, she says.
- "That also is the reason for us to exist, because I want us (Cadena Collective) to feel like the North Star," Aguirre says.