Avant Gaudy
Avant Gaudy is an online vintage clothing shop founded in 2005 by a pair of then-undergrads: Deborah Umunnabuike, a political science major at the University of Chicago, and her sister, Jessica, a student at Hofstra University.
Fast Facts
- Online vintage clothing store
- Founded 2005 by sisters Deborah and Jessica Umunnabuike
- Started with the idea of creating a socially responsible business
- Based in Chicago
- Featured as one of BusinessWeek's 2007 list of the 25 businesses owned by young entrepreneurs
Global Perspective
Soon after launching their business in the summer of 2005, the Umunnabuike sisters—first generation Americans of Nigerian heritage—noticed that their appeal was global. A sizable portion of Avant Gaudy's internet traffic was from places outside the US, including Southeast Asia and Australia. In order to expand into Asian markets, the pair took on Hong Kong native and University of Chicago graduate Vincent Choi, as a third partner. According to an article on UChicago.edu, with the addition of more international associates, the company hopes to collect and sell vintage items from around the world.
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