PETERSBURG, Va. -- From the classroom to the showroom, teacher and entrepreneur Italia Talley is no stranger to making those around her feel and look their best.
By day the Petersburg native is grading papers and helping students but by night this fashion forward mom is managing her boutique and helping customers find the perfect outfit.
“Right now I go to school, I wake up at 6 a.m. I'm at the school till 2 p.m. and then I'm here till 9 p.m. and then I have to take care of my six year old when I leave here,” said Talley .
Talley opened ‘From Italia’ in May 2020 in South Park Mall and a year later, the store is celebrating a new launch, welcoming creatives to their custom selfie rooms titled ‘Love Thy Selfie’.
Made up of six different rooms, each with their own unique concept, Talley hopes the rooms will serve as a spot where creatives allow their ideas to flourish.
"I've always wanted somewhere where people like me could come and create content,” said Talley. “Each room I wanted to make sure represented a little bit of the culture but still, you know, welcoming to everyone.”
She had a vision for each of these rooms when she first launched the store, saying her family has helped bring her vision to life every step of the way.
“My mom, my grandmother, my auntie, my God father I mean, from every single day from the day I got the keys, it was ‘What do you need?’” said Talley.
Bright blue walls, a money gun, a record wall, glittered washing machines, a gold tub, plants and pink walls are just some of the decor items featured in the six rooms.
'Love Thy Selfie’ launched June 1 and is in the back of ‘From Italia’ directly across from Bath & Body works.
To book the rooms you can visit their website or go into the store for more information.
