“My mom said when I was little the first thing that I looked at were people’s shoes,” Morgan Miller, owner of new boutique, the Indigo Child said in a recent interview. At just four years old, Miller’s mother knew that her passion for fashion was very dominant at a young age. Hipster with a twist of southern charm is the perfect way to describe the down to earth 25-year-old.
Deciding to move back to her hometown of Suwanee, Georgia after graduation, Miller actually ended up meeting the love of her life, Josh, during her junior year of college at the University of Alabama. She graduated from the university with a degree in fashion in December 2015 and her new fiancé with an accounting degree. He decided that he was either going to Georgia State or the University of Georgia to gain his CPA in the field.
Once finding out that Josh had been accepted into the university, Miller began her hunt in finding a space for her store in Athens. After driving down many streets they came up to Clayton Street, and Miller noticed an empty store with a lot of windows. Miller quickly jumped out the car while it was still moving, spelled out I-N-D-I-G-O, and knew that this was going to be the place where she began her own legacy. When asked how she felt about Athens and her new boutique she said, “Athens is a really awesome town that has a really cool vibe that I thought my vision would work here really well.”
Coming into an already thriving boutique culture can be difficult as a new store owner, and Miller definitely began to feel the heat when the grand opening was arriving. “I had doubts in my own head that I was going to have opening day and not one person walk in, but that was just in my own head,” Miller said.
The Indigo Child isn’t your average boutique, and she was afraid that somehow the vision in her head wouldn’t play out how she imagined it to be in the classic city. “This is something that I love and that I have always wanted,” she said explaining to the landlord as she began the renting process of the space. Miller had to prove to the landlord that her vision would work, and it’s something that she is still continuing to do today.
Before the grand opening of the boutique, the Instagram account had well over 5,000 and began the evolution of the store that has yet to slow down. The account now has over 12,000 followers from all over the United States. The boutique is located at 264 East Clayton St., and has been a booming success since opening. Since opening in October Miller’s sales goal was doubled by December.
Unlike your typical boutique in Downtown Athens with sorority styles and game day attire, the Indigo Child differentiates itself from the stereotype due to its edgy style. Most would say that every boutique carries the same “look”, but once you walk into the Indigo Child it is not exactly what you would expect to see from the all girly boutique culture in Athens. “My grandma, mom, and 15-year-old sister all shop here. It is a lifestyle boutique more than just clothes we have vintage in the back, guy stuff” Miller said when asked how she separates her boutiques from others.
A loose fitting shirt, joggers, sneakers, completed with a hat is the typical outfit you would expect to see Miller wearing as you enter the Indigo Child Boutique. Walking inside of the store to your left, you see a scatter of Jimmi Wiz bags that has become a very popular brand in the metro Atlanta area and quickly spread to Athens since the grand opening in October.
Jimmi Wiz bags are handmade from elk skin and deer antlers that are truly one of a kind bags. Miller’s store is the only one in Athens to carry the brand since her family and self are so close with Jimmi Wiz himself. After passing through the bags there are circular racks throughout the store with different labels such as “Sale” or “New Arrivals”, that attract the attention of customers immediately as they walk in. Clothing items are hung up on the walls, plus the inspirational quotes and vintage concert posters that add to the theme of a unique individual. “They are creative, innovative, ahead of their time, and that embodies what we try to do here. Outside of the box kind of thinking,” Miller said as she described what the Indigo Child meant to her.
The team Miller hired for her boutique are a very important aspect to her business, and when beginning her hiring process, she was not just going to have anyone working at her store. She decided to hire people that she knew and trusted, because she felt more comfortable since being a first time business owner.
MacKenzie Johnston is a student of UGA, family friend of the Millers, and employee of the Indigo Child Boutique. Johnston loves working at the store, describing it “Funky. Because everything in here is unique and it’s not stuff you’d see just in any store downtown.” Having a collection of products that customers of all ages can wear is very important in Athens, and the perfect way to isolate your boutique from the others. “There is a variety of products from vintage too new any type of person can come in here whether you want to spend $5 or $300,” Johnston said.
Click here to view my ThingLink
Pitaya and Dress Up are two boutiques in Athens that are established and popular downtown. When beginning to compare the brands that the Indigo Child carries versus those two it was pretty obvious that the boutiques do not carry anything that the Indigo Child does. Dress Up is a private label store whom places a label on all of their items, and buys their products from whole sale marts. Meanwhile, Pitaya does carry various brands such as Blue Blush, Lush, and Double Zero. Hannah Terranova, customer of the Indigo Child, said “I love that you can get stuff that no one else has where as other stores have a lot of chain stuff, and you’re matching other people.”
| The Indigo Child | Dress Up | Pitaya |
|---|---|---|
| For Love & Lemons | Private Label (Wholesale Products) | Blue Blush |
| Cleobella | Lush | Lush |
| Good Hyouman | Piko | Signature 8 |
| Ruby Yaya | Mitto | illa illa |
| Made Worn | Emma's Closet | Audrey |
| Blue Life | Peach Love | 3 + 1 |
| Mother Denim | Chris & Carol | Double Zero |
Not only do customers come into the boutique to shop for clothing items, but the store also has a home goods selection that has been doing very well. Some even come into the store asking if there are designers who can come decorate their dorm rooms or apartments. Because of the positive feedback and success of the home good selection in the store the Miller’s decided to open up a second store dedicated to all home good products named the Indigo Home right next door to the boutique. It will carry a variety of gift, home, and dorm goods that will fulfill all the needs of those whom are looking for the perfect decorations for their new room.
Miller continues to keep her business outside of the box and extravagant, and with the upcoming spring game, G-Day, this weekend. She decided to have a pop up shop held at her store where customers can stop in and shop for the latest brands that she carries at the Indigo Child.