Raquel

I’m Raquel, the founder of Gloris. I worked as a personal stylist in Europe for ten years, and that experience shaped how I see clothing: the shoulder line is the foundation of the silhouette. In Europe, shoulder enhancers are a quiet styling tool, and I grew up seeing them used the right way—something I learned from my mother, Gloria (and that’s where the name Gloris comes from). When I moved to the U.S. in 2018, I couldn’t find a version I would truly use on clients or myself. Most options felt bulky, uncomfortable, or too “costume,” so I decided to build the product I wished existed: modern, wearable shoulder pads that improve how clothes sit on the body and instantly make outfits look more intentional.

This is my second Kiva loan for Gloris, and I’m proud to say I repaid my first loan in full. Since then, the business has become much more real and much more international: we now sell through an e-commerce store that ships to the U.S., Canada, and the EU, and we also have a network of concept stores in Spain carrying Gloris. I’m based in Texas, and I regularly travel to Spain to build the warehouse and retail network—my family helps on the ground, and Spain is also how we ship orders to EU customers. Over the last year we’ve tested and improved the design and we’re in the process of protecting it (patent pending), and we developed premium tube packaging that protects the product during travel and presents beautifully. My next goal is to grow Gloris from a single hero product into a true accessory collection—more sizes, more inclusive shades, and new fashion-forward shoulder shapes—so that in a few years Gloris is the go-to styling tool that lets anyone customize their silhouette and turn everyday clothes into fashion-forward looks without designer prices.