Meet Your Neighbor: Silvia Huezo

Silvia Huezo’s passion for designing began in high school when she took an entrepreneurship class. Originally from El Salvador, Huezo grew up in Takoma Park knowing that she wanted to do something creative as an adult, and working in fashion would be it for her. Now a Rockville resident, Huezo opened up her own shop, the Red Hue Boutique, in Rockville Town Center, in 2009 with help from her parents.

In Rockville, she says, she “found an area with a strong sense of community and support for local businesses by the residents.”

While her love of fashion and design is what started her interest in the retail world, her passion for people is what drives her to work hard every day. Her hands-on involvement with the manufacturing process is at the heart of her business.

She visits her home country three times a year to oversee the everyday management of her family-run workshop and maintains strong ties with the people that work there. Her shop’s tags say proudly, “Made by hardworking hands in El Salvador.”

Huezo wants her customers to walk away feeling good about the clothes they buy, knowing that the clothes they are wearing are coming from a good place where there is no labor exploitation.

Reflecting on her work, she admits there are challenges associated with being a young business owner, such as not being taken seriously and balancing work and personal lives.

But sketching her own designs and seeing her brand come to life every season inspires her to dispel any misconceptions people may have, she said.

As Huezo says, “I work hard for what I do to show people, yes, it can be done.”

Click on the video above to view Silva's interview on Rockville 11.

To nominate someone for a future episode and article, contact Rocio Snowdy, neighborhood resources coordinator, at rsnowdy@rockvillemd.gov or 240-314-8345