1 of 6
The Reia Handbag: One of Jones’ first handbag designs, this purse is named after one of her first customers. “We named many of our products after our day one customers,” Jones says.
2 of 6
Wedding Album: Jones and her husband, Keon, were married on the day before her birthday. The wedding was photographed by Keith Cephus, who also created this album for the bride and groom.
3 of 6
Pink Adidas: Jones’ luggage was lost during a recent flight to New York City, where she interviewed with a prominent fashion icon, who gave Jones a pair of light pink Adidas sneakers from her own closet to wear home.
4 of 6
Tiny Footprints: Jones’ twin sons, Julian and Jaxon, were born at St. Mary’s Hospital in 2015. “I hold on to their footprints from the hospital because they are so near and dear to me,” she says.
5 of 6
Making the List: Last year, Sassy Jones was honored as part of Entrepreneur Magazine’s list of 360 top small businesses in the nation. “The award was a confirmation that I’m headed in the right direction,” Jones says.
6 of 6
Dream Closet: Constructed by B&W Painting Services, Jones’ luxurious walk-in closet was converted from her twin sons’ former playroom. “They hardly ever used it, so one day I said, ‘This is going to be Mama’s oasis,’ ” she says.
If you haven’t heard of Charis Jones yet, you will soon.
The Hampton Roads native is the owner of the award-winning Sassy Jones accessory brand, which has grown into a booming e-commerce site and a brick-and-mortar boutique on Grace Street. It offers a collection of boldly stylish jewelry, handbags, scarves, hats and more, all designed and named by Jones.
Jones was raised by her grandmother, whose refined style and poise inspired Jones to adopt a fashionable lifestyle. After graduating from Hampton University, she spent years working in corporate sales and marketing until she decided to start her own business.
In 2015, Jones juggled becoming a new mother to twin boys with traveling around the country to trade shows while showcasing her new accessory line. “I had my boys in June, and I went to my first show in Orlando in September,” she says. “I ended up doing almost 50 shows by the end of the year.”
The travel proved too demanding for Jones, so in 2016, she transitioned the business to an online marketplace. The most important aspect of the brand, she says, is having personalized interaction with customers. She hosts frequent virtual livestreams and a weekly online “Sparkle Party” during which she talks directly to viewers and shows them how to style new products.
“I call it experience marketing because we want to enhance that connectivity between us and our customers,” she says.
Jones hosts Sparkle Party in her corporate office, but originally, the recordings were filmed in her Mechanicsville home, a custom build that she and her husband purchased in 2011. The house is a key part of the brand’s story because it’s where she started designing her products. “My home is my haven,” she says. “It’s where I started my family, and where I come to relax and escape the rest of the world.”
Jones says her designs reflect her eclectic decorating style, which combines textures, materials and colors to create an eye-catching and glamorous setting. “I buy what I like and mesh it in where it fits,” she says. “I am not in the store worried about where I’m going to put something.”
Last year, revenue for Sassy Jones surpassed the $1 million mark, and Jones has no plans to slow down. The brand recently caught the attention of HSN (formerly Home Shopping Network), so she plans to spend this year focusing on a partnership with the popular shopping program and building her brand internationally. “It feels unreal to be at this level,” Jones says. “It’s a dream come true.”
