Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamel Dorsey.
Hi Jamel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Jamel Omar Dorsey but I go by my stylist name Omarijay when in the field. I am the CEO/Founder Touched by Omari Consulting LLC. Under that brand, I own House of Omari, which is a luxury clothing boutique offering affordable clothing to all. House of Omari opened its doors on December 7, 2020, based of Dallas, Texas. However, we have an ecommerce platform currently with the hoped to open up a downtown storefront in December 2021. My vision to start House of Omari arose to me about three years ago when I was shopping with friends. I noticed that I had a certain exclusivity to my style. I am gender nonconforming, which means I do not categorize as male or female. I am a free spirit who just love being me. I observed as a teenager that I learned to love me for myself and not follow any rules that anyone attached to my life, especially when it came to fashion.
Fashion is an expression. If I was a masculine male, 6’5 with big muscles wearing pink nail polish and straight hair, it would be defined as cool or a statement. Nothing is wrong with that because they, too, whether gay or straight, have a choice to be free and wear what makes them happy. If a gay male or female wore the opposite of what societal standards deem as acceptable, it becomes a complex conversation. So, live unapologetically fabulous and express yourself. I just embrace being me and for that, every article of clothing has been handpicked by me as something I would wear as a female and as a male. We are in a time where differences are celebrated. Why should fashion and style be boring? Coming from a small rural town called Greensburg Louisiana, we did not have large department stores near buy and the whole IG shopping or Facebook shopping was not at the height it is now. I remember my mom and I driving on Saturdays 30 miles out just to find great department stores.
My dad, the late James Earl Dorsey, worked blue-collared jobs most of my childhood. I remember as a kid, I use to call him every other day asking for a new pair of shoes to match my undershirt that was worn under my uniform shirt. For example, we had to wear these horrible khaki pants and three button polo style shirts that I hated. I wanted to style mines up! So I would either wear colored shirts under it, matching shoes with a universal matching jacket to create an outfit. My dad never told me no! My mom Elaine use to let me pick out clothing with her when we went shopping for her and my dad on our mother and son Saturday shopping dates. It was all of those moments that built my love for fashion and enhanced my love for clothing. I would define my style as grand elegance. However, I am not afraid to get edgy. Therefore, having lived in Louisiana and then moving to the Midwest for law school where I attended Indiana State University in Fort Wayne. I had a chance to integrate my southern fashion choices with the Midwest. I realized that fashion is an expression of character and style will always remain with you even when you are 80 plus years of age. I wanted my customer to be able to wear stunning clothing that did not pause the bank. You can wear something from the thirty stores and look amazing if you have the right eye, the right confidence and just do it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been the smoothest road. Launching a new product, such as clothing pieces, takes a lot of work. It requires a host of marketing and consumer trust-building. I am not some social media influencer with 30k followers. I have had to gain followers for my business and brand. I am just a small town country boy who grew up in with an exquisite eye for fashion. It is a gift where I can put articles of clothing together in my sleep. Not everyone will trust your vision starting out and that is ok. I spent over $2000 on marketing materials alone, whereas most startup boutique owners will say they started their business with their tripod stand and iPhone camera to capture quality photos for their site. I hired my good friend who is a celebrity makeup Brendan King based out of Dallas who has worked with Tamela Mann and more, hired professional photographers and creative directors to capture my vision. I wanted to come out with a bang and I did.
Prior to my launch, everyone seemed excited on my Facebook and Instagram. Unfortunately, my first week of launching we did not have as many sales as we did hype from social media and that is perfectly fine. I had to learn that those sorts of vibrations will come when starting a new business. Not everyone will support and not everyone will purchase because your products are not for everyone. This is the purpose of having a targeted audience. I am sure Neiman Marcus executives do not get frustrated when customers do not purchase certain items because they know the right, loyal customers will. Lastly, your inventory may not always work out and you may have to regroup. I have had a few items that came in from vendors that will be discontinued from future collections because of quality. I do not want to send my customers who are like bad family inventory. I consider all of House of Omari’s customers as family members of the house. When hick-ups happen, you must never give up. Stay true to the vision and level up.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
House of Omari offers affordable apparel, styling services such as personal shopping, image consulting, editorial styling, and client mood boards. We also offer personalized shopping and styling experiences. For example, if you are getting married and need a stylist to help you pick out your wedding gown, prom gown, birthday party looks or even your graduation looks. We tailor whatever you need to ensure you have an experience.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people see me and automatically think I love shopping at major brands or even when I opened House of Omari, people thought prices would be through the roof. Trust me! I have heard the conversations amongst peers. In all actuality, my greatest inspiration comes from thrift stores. In college, I would always go to thrift stores of Saturday mornings just to find vintage pieces. My older sister Gemelle Hulbert and I who is also a business owner of Lux Promotions based out of New Orleans, would wake up every Saturday morning and shop all day. Now I love designer brands but for my store, I wanted my customers to feel luxurious without breaking the bank.
Contact Info:
- Email: sales@houseofomari.com
- Website: www.houseofomari.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shophouseofomari/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/House-of-Omari-104430684732549/
Image Credits
Jade & Jora Photography
