She is Changing Louisville’s Fashion Scene

By Keri Foy

"It's not just the hair, the clothes, and shoes — it's everything and how it comes together," she says.

Every woman has a style, according to Yamilca Rodriguez, owner and founder of Louisville Bespoke, a fashion makerspace, a place where designers can come to use shared tools and space to create fashionable things.

"I love being a woman, but we do a lot: nails done, makeup and hair, shoes and clothes," Yamilca says. "I see women every day who look amazing. They put effort into looking good. I don't think it's vanity. It's more fun."

Photos by Sunni Wigginton 

What does Yamilca do to create her own style? She takes basics and adds accessories to take her workday outfit to a more chic level.

To work:
To maintain this shared space for fashion designers, Yamilca balances tedious computer work with networking. You'll often find her at local coffee shops or lunch spots building her business. In the evenings, Yamilca hosts parties at Louisville Bespoke. "If I'm having a party, I don't go back home to change clothes. I make sure my outfit fits for the lunch but also for the dinner, but I'll have a little bit more accent for the dinner."

Like many in the fashion world, Yamilca is drawn to black. "I like to wear a lot of dark tones, grays and blacks, and give it a little accent somewhere — jewelry or a scarf — make it more than what it is," Yamilca says. While her clothes may be black, her accessories could be yellow, fuschia, or even floral. "This is the year of the florals," she adds.

Yamilca often plans her outfit from the ground up based on the weather forecast. "Rain versus cold versus hot. It gives me a set place where I want to go," Yamilca says. "From there, I like to layer things. If I put on tights and then a skirt, tank then sweater. It's the layering element. I always think about how to layer even if it's summer."

No matter the weather, Yamilca prefers to wear a skirt. "My particular dress code is I love wearing skirts. If I could wear a skirt everywhere, I would only wear skirts," she says. She prefers the feminine silhouette and especially likes that skirts are comfortable. She refuses to wear jeans except Roxy Nell, a local designer, who also happens to set up shop in Louisville Bespoke. "Her custom-made jeans are amazing."

Adding bright accessories to her black outfits is a hallmark of Yamilca's style. 

Yamilca loves Camper shoes, but she does try to buy from local designers when she can. For example, she recently bought a piece from Gunnar Deatherage, a local womenswear designer and former Project Runway designer. She also shops at Clodhoppers and Banana Republic. "I've got so many designers who do great stuff. I'm really trying to support them," Yamilca says.

Hair
This Brazilian beauty has thick, coarse hair that requires some attention. "I'm very particular about my hair," Yamilca says. "My hair is the number one priority." When she washes her hair, which isn't daily, she allows for two hours. There is a definite time investment to get her beachy waves. The products that work for her are Frédéric Fekkai and Tigi. "Frédéric Fekkai products smell amazing," Yamilca says.

Beauty
For work, Yamilca goes for the natural look wearing minimal makeup. She is addicted to Bobbi Brown CC cream and eye shadow. She likes lipstick but not too much. Her naturally long eyelashes don't require mascara, which is a good thing as her allergies will turn mascaraed eyes into raccoon eyes by the end of the day. If she's going out to dinner or doing a video, she'll go heavier on the makeup.