Sophisticated with a dash of swagger—these local trendsetters prove that style is indeed a state of mind.
PHOTO BY AUBREE TIPPETTS, @AUBREE.PHOTOS
Stylist, model and creative director Franchela Ulises was always told she had an eye for fashion, so it’s not surprising that she ended up turning her talent into a career. The mom of three recently launched Mujeres of all shades, a supportive, fashion-forward social media community that champions women of all ethnicities. Her mission—to help all women feel beautiful, confident and radiant—is at the forefront of everything she does. modestubyfranchela.com
How did your love of fashion morph into a career? When I moved to Arizona in 2011, I became pregnant with my oldest daughter; during that time I was in college. After graduating, I had more time on my hands, so I started to thrift. In 2019, I joined a Goodwill Next Fashionista contest and won first place. Then, I signed up for Phoenix Fashion Week’s Emerging Designer Bootcamp and won cycle five. The impact my style made was outstanding, so I decided to turn my talent into a career.
What inspires your style today? My beautiful Virgin Island: the coral reef, the clear crystal water, the colorful carnival, the patterns and textures of flowers that grow throughout the island.
What are your go-to looks? For a more laid-back look I like jeans, a button-down shirt, mules and fun accessories. I’ll swap in a slip dress and blazer for a more dressy look.
What styles do you love now, but once swore you’d never try? Growing up, I was never a fan of bell-bottoms, and now I love styling them with a tank top or button-down shirt and a blazer. Growing up, I was told that bright colors did not suit my skin tone. Mixing patterns, textures or wearing bright colors was scary for me. It took me a while to feel comfortable wearing what I felt my best in, regardless of what people thought. Now, my brand is focused on bright colors, patterns and being the best version of yourself.
What can we expect from you next? I started a community-based organization called Mujeres all of shades (@mujeresofallshades), a fashion-forward community for powerful mujeres [women] to be embraced, valued and appreciated. I also want to continue modeling, designing and styling my beautiful clients. Helping my clients feel happy and beautiful for every event is my priority.
PHOTO BY CARRIE EVANS, CARRIE EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY
Based in Arcadia, luxury real estate agent Larissa Hoss is a boss, a fact that shows up in the crisp, tailored looks she sports. While California culture inspired her outfits as a kid, The LH Team founder’s style has evolved as she’s grown in her career. Now, Hoss favors streamlined, powerful pieces that complement her stature, both professionally and as one of Scottsdale’s women about town. thelhteam.com
What was your style like in your younger years? When I started shopping for myself, the Southern California skater scene was thriving—I remember wearing brands like Esprit, Famous Stars and Straps, and Etnies. I remember seeing Joey Potter from Dawson’s Creek and thinking that I wanted to transition my style out of the skater vibe. She was definitely still in the tomboy range of fashion, but I thought it was more girly. Then I discovered the movie Clueless and went full girly after that.
Who have been your biggest style icons over the years? As I matured, I have always found myself drawn to stars with iconic style—the women who walked into a room and captured everyone’s attention. Think Olivia Pope and Jackie Kennedy. Maybe it’s a politics vibe that I like—ha!
How has your career influenced the way you dress? In real estate, there’s an unspoken rule that you should dress professionally. And in a market like Scottsdale, there is a strong pulse on current fashion trends. Tying those two together ultimately morphed my fashion and my career. As I have built this niche in the luxury real estate market here in Arizona, I have definitely seen a change in my style. The properties and clientele I represent continue to increase in caliber, and my style has to follow.
What are typical looks for you? For a casual outfit, jeans, a graphic tee and sneakers. I’ll throw on a colorful blazer if I have any meetings. My go-to work look involves high-waisted dress pants and whatever my favorite heel is at the moment, with a pair of sneakers in the trunk of my car in case my day takes me to a construction site.
What inspires your style today? This may sound silly, but having a young daughter inspires me to keep up with current fashion trends. I love styling her and find myself incorporating some of her looks into my own wardrobe!
PHOTO BY KATE NELLE PHOTOGRAPHY
From playing dress-up as a child to dance recitals and, now, blogging, fashion has been a longtime player in Kate Keyt Bohannan’s life. The blogger, photographer and creative director’s style has a breezy, effortless appeal, with sustainability and a versatile neutral color palette as key drivers in her outfit choices. The secret to the McCormick Ranch-based entrepreneur’s laid-back elegance is simple: intentional dressing, with nothing superfluous in the shopping cart. katenelle.com; katenellephoto.com
Who have been your biggest style icons over the years? Audrey Hepburn and Princess Diana. I have always loved Hepburn for so many reasons, from her quirkiness and individuality to her beauty, elegance and grace. The pieces she and Givenchy collaborated together on, to this day, are unmatched. I also love Princess Diana for her beauty and vulnerability. Her style is still relevant to this day.
What inspires your style today? Becoming a mom and growing older. With more responsibility, there’s an equal trajectory for self-growth and getting to know one’s self. Those two things combined have allowed me to really hone in on my style. I used to follow trends and would buy anything rather irresponsibly. But now, I am much more intentional in what I wear. I stick to a neutral color palette and earth-friendly fabrics. I try to buy sustainably and slowly and collect pieces that I know can carry with me season to season, year after year.
What designers are you into these days? I love the sustainable ones—Dôen, Christy Dawn and Kara Thomas, to name a few. They all utilize lots of linens and feminine silhouettes.
What are some of your go-to looks? A casual look for me is a white T-shirt and a cute pair of jeans. When I dress up, I try to keep it dressy without being too dressy. Typically it would be a feminine-cut dress and a pretty pair of sandals, a kitten heel or a pair of boots. I love gold jewelry so I’d layer something dainty, and rock a designer bag.
What can we expect from you next? You’ll see more of me at my job at Guided Home Design (guidedhomedesign.com) and StyleMeGHD (stylemeghd.com). I am transitioning into a full-time role, and will be focusing solely on in-house interior photography and specific curated home campaigns and collections for StyleMeGHD. I will be sharing more fashion, more motherhood and more home DIYs. I will also launch my photography print shop soon, and I am very excited about that. There is so much fun stuff happening!
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