Meet Angelica Janillis (AJ) Dunlap: Creative, Editor & Founder of Andie & AJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angelica Janillis (AJ) Dunlap and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelica Janillis (AJ), what do you love most about your work?
My love for thrifting and creating content and my appreciation for diversity developed a passion and desire to find a way to show others that style and sustainability doesn’t have to be stressful. I have styled over 100 muses through sustainability since 2017 and my goal with Andie & AJ is to create a movement where we’re known for helping others with their wardrobes while highlighting what makes them look and feel beautiful. I want humans to know that representation matters, especially in the media, and intention creates impact. I also love fashion, but I’m concerned about its impact on the environment and society. The fashion industry is an industry that has the shown potential to be a catalyst for change and we would say as the sustainable movement continues to gain momentum, the demand for true representation and inclusion is rising alongside it. Our tagline is “Shop wiser. Dress smarter. See beauty in diversity.” Andie & AJ is curated to inspire you and help you get the most out of your closet through our online thrift shop, blogs, and events.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an editor currently living in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2017, I started a fashion blog, Andie & AJ, and creative community highlighting diverse beauty through a fashion blog, events and thrift shop. Fact is that the people and communities most negatively impacted by representation in the fashion industry are those of color and my passion stems from the desire to change that fact while delivering an inspiring and meaningful experience. I believe in connection and in the beauty in diversity so my goal is to show that through my talent. In addition to working full-time, my freelance hustle focuses on creating digital branded content for influencers as well as small independent companies and no matter the project – my goal is to deliver a clean aesthetic and capture visuals in an emotional and powerful way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, I love food so I would immediately take them to Shaking Seafood – a local seafood boil restaurant in Roslindale, Massachusetts. We would order hush puppies, 1 pound of shrimp, corn on the cob and that’s just to get us started…

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I want to thank God but for an earthly shoutout – I would like to make a special shoutout to my partner, Stephen. He has been supporting me since 2017 and without his support, I would not be as strong as I am today. Thank you for always being my downbeat. You are my favorite.

Another B I G shoutout goes to my team, supporters and all those that have helped A & A get where it is today!!