Tokara Sexton

Fabuloulsy Feminine: Layered flowers, ribbons, Swarovski crystals, and pearls adorn the girly goods of Frosting Couture. “I always say, ‘Every girl needs a bit of frosting.’ That’s the tagline for my shop.”

An Etsy Beginning: Her “shop” is actually an online boutique through etsy.com, a network for independent designers and shoppers who buy and sell handmade items. Search for designers in Minneapolis–St. Paul, and you’ll be bombarded with one-of-a-kind, locally made products, including jewelry, clothing, paintings, and more. “I love Etsy,” says Sexton. “It’s allowed me to sell all over the world. It’s a market that you could never get by just being in a boutique. I’ve sold to people and shops in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, New York, the UK, even Greece and Turkey—in a year! I can’t believe it.”

Lines to Love: Sexton’s designs are inspired by everything from Sex and the City to current fashion movements to such trendsetters as Marie Antoinette and Chanel. “I have different collections and change it up as if it were a real boutique,” she says. “I used to use a lot of cotton, and gradually I’ve added silk and organic fabrics.”

Hats Off: Though she enjoys the creativity and tedious work that goes into fashioning her accessories (she’ll often work ten- to twelve-hour days in order to fill her incoming orders), Sexton loves the feedback she receives from customers. She’s sold many of her I Feel Pretty hats (fleece ’40s-style caps adorned with art deco flowers) to breast cancer patients who just need to feel feminine. “I’ve gotten letters and pictures,” she says. “One told me that the person didn’t smile until they put the hat on. I’ve cried from some of the letters.”

In Stores Near You: It didn’t take long before Sexton’s exposure on Etsy garnered attention from two Twin Cities retailers. Edina baby store bébé babble and new St. Paul women’s shop A. Michele Boutique have picked up Frosting Couture booties and hats. “I’d love to get into more local shops,” she says. “But first my goal is to get my own website up and running.”