CLEVELAND — Daruny Mounthanivong's mission is all encompassing - fusing fashion, identity and advocacy. This thrift store owner is using all she's learned to make an impact on the world.
"When I was young, I thrifted out of necessity," she recalled. "Our family came to America as refugees after the Vietnam War, and I knew at a young age that I loved fashion. I took about 10 years working within the retail industry."
Daruny returned to Cleveland about three years ago and started MsfitXchange, a thrift store on Larchmere Boulevard that focuses on environmental sustainability through the practice of reselling.
But Daruny's future plans for the business have an equally important mission.
"Did I ever think that I was going to have my own thrift store or resale shop? No," she said. "But my ultimate goal in my life was to eventually get back to the motherland, which where my grandma's from Nakai, it's a small village in northern Thailand."
As she grew older, Daruny became more aware of issues facing women
"Learning about how human trafficking has a really big effect in Thailand and in Laos...hearing that story really, really hit home for me and I was like, what can I do to help the women back in my country?" she recalled. "Sewing is very central to that area. Fashion is a part of the village as well."
Daruny shared how a future expansion of her brand could become a life-changing arrangement for women back home. She realized that by continuing to resell, but also adding a label of custom clothing, the Msfit brand's potential worldwide imprint could change more than fashion.
"My cousin, who lives in Laos, has a manufacturing business. My cousins that live in Thailand, they're in tailoring business," she said. "And it's crazy if I can create a job, you'll [be able to] see this woman coming into a beautiful workspace and she has this opportunity to draw, draft things down, and then make and create these amazing things that are being sewed within the US and hopefully worldwide through the MsFit label. That is a dream come true to me."
MsFit Xchange always offers complementary styling sessions, and they're celebrating Women's History Month with a special sale -- so be sure to visit by friday to find some very special deals. You can learn more about the store and Daruny's mission by visiting msfitxchange.com or emailing msfitxchange@gmail.com.