Women’s clothing for the ‘fashionably eclectic’

WASILLA — Flip through a magazine and one can find fashion shoots with models, or celebrities like Halle Berry and Nicole Richie, wearing Paige Premium Denim.

But did you know that the Paige behind the brand is Wasilla High School graduate Paige Adams-Geller? Or, that you can purchase the same premium denim clothing A-listers are wearing from her WHS schoolmate Ruth Villanueva?

The two women attended high school together in the late 1980s and reunited in 2010 after Villanueva opened In-fu-sions Boutique in Palmer in 2007.

“In high school, Paige was the epitome of fashion,” Villanueva said. “Now she is a famous A-line denim designer.”

Villanueva left Alaska in 1987 and lived in Los Angeles for 15 years before moving back with her family in 2002. She said she noticed a big change when she came home.

“I moved back and there was nowhere to shop. Where did all the local shops go?” Villanueva said. “We did have some really great locally owned clothing stores in the 1980s.”

Since 2010, the boutique clothing shop has operated at 1731 E. Palmer-Wasilla Highway in Wasilla. No doubt her business partner also is a familiar face to many local folks, too. Her partner is her mother, Esther Buckareff, longtime owner and operator of Shalom Bookstore.

“This was her dream from the time she was very young,” Buckareff said of their joint retail venture.

Villanueva describes the shop’s merchandise as fashionably eclectic. She said she aims to offer clothing for women of all ages and body types, and across a variety of price points. For example, while people can spend $100 — or more — on a pair of premium denim jeans by Paige, Miss Me or Rock Revival, the boutique also sells an assortment of $12 camisoles, Villanueva said.

“We know that most customers are watching their budgets,” she said.

Folks at the Pioneers of Alaska Igloo No. 11’s 23rd annual Salad Luncheon and Style Show at the Palmer Moose Lodge got a taste of Villanueva and Adams-Geller fashion sense April 27 when In-fu-sions styled outfits for the models in business professional, evening wear and casual attire. And several models in the show wore clothing made in the USA by Paige Premium Denim.

Buckareff said she and her daughter go on buying trips all over America, as well as traveling internationally to select new merchandise for their unique boutique. In several cases, those vendors also inked agreements with In-fu-sions that gives it the exclusive rights to distribute their lines in this region, she said.

In-fu-sions is turning the heads of fashion savvy Alaskans from Kenai, Soldotna, Anchorage, Eagle River and people all around the Mat-Su Valley have noticed, too.

“You’d be amazed at how many fashionistas are in Talkeetna,” Villanueva said.

The mix of merchandise reflects the fact that Alaskan women are all different ages, sizes and body types, she said.

The common denominator is a love of fashion.

“We like to make women feel good about themselves,” Villanueva said.

As much as anything, she said she opened the boutique for what she thought the experience could teach her four children.

“I want them to understand hard work,” she said.

Villanueva said she also likes the idea of showing her children that they can start a business, not just be an employee.

The boutique is open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact 357-2033 or infusionalaska@yahoo.com.

Contact managing editor Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.