There are many positions to take in the wide world of fashion. There are designers, there are stylists, there are photographers, and there is a place for those special few who help us-the fashionistas-get access to the garments. Rachel Kim is one such activist, if you will. And her story is particularly fascinating, because Rachel has made a living out of her area of expertise right here in the Northwest.

Rachel is the mastermind behind Bellevue’s VueSociety (www.vuesociety.com), an online boutique offering the styles of smaller designers that VueSociety handpicks. But it should be noted upfront that the magic of her boutique extends far beyond the shopping. Having been published in nearly every major publication in Seattle and Bellevue, Rachel now uses her writing and her eye for trend to give her readers and shoppers a truly educated look at fashion. After reading through her blog and perusing her shop, it became clear: she’s smart, she’s savvy, she’s active in our community, and she knows her stuff. Visiting VueSociety is a little like having a best friend with a fashion degree that she uses solely to keep you looking good. She shared with us what drove her to create the site:

“People encouraged me to write a blog, but at that time the fashion blogs were so saturated and I didn’t see the point of it when everyone and their grandma blogged about fashion and street style. When I moved to the Pacific Northwest I initially wanted to open a boutique…Through my journey to do some local market research, not only did I realize that many small boutiques were slowly going out of business, but that there were only a handful of Seattle fashion blogs and absolutely no Bellevue Fashion blogs. With Vogue’s collaboration with Bellevue Fashion Week and the Bravern’s opening I saw an opportunity to write about these exciting events to not only put Bellevue/Seattle on the map for fashion, but to create an online presence and following to one day open an e-tail store selling apparel.”

The Northwest is fortunate to have Rachel and VueSociety, since efforts like Rachel’s site are successful in their efforts to bring our region recognition. As technology progresses, so does the typical shopping experience and fashion at large. Today is the day of shopping from our smart phones on lunch breaks, blogs-a-plenty offering style advice, and electronic transactions such as sales becoming more and more prevalent and easy to execute. So why not mix the two? And how did we ever do without her before?

For now, VueSociety offers women’s collections, though it is working to expand to include men’s wear and accessories. Rachel stays wholeheartedly true to her goals in choosing merchandise for the shop:

“There’s a customer that I am trying to serve. She is able to mesh east coast and west coast styles into her wardrobe. Whether she may be wearing something conservative or edgy and bold she wears it with confidence. It’s the subtlety in the detailing of the garments. That’s what I keep in mind when buying.”

Next we will see this young “net-trepreneur” as she calls herself, involved in a local digital magazine coming soon, and VueSociety is currently nominated for Metropolitan Fashion Week’s Blog of the Year award. Along with seeking out more men’s wear for the site, we can also expect to see Rachel hard at work on the evolution of Northwest style. To Rachel, the style is already here, it’s just a matter of releasing it.

“More so than anything I’d like to see the industry see Seattle on the fashion map outside of the perception of grunge, Northface jackets and UGG boots… I do believe there is style here, you just have to squint harder! I think it’s cool to say that we’re based in the Pacific Northwest!”

Rachel has certainly created an online offering of Northwest essentials: colors that can brave the grey days, bold enough to steal some glances without looking out of place, styles and cuts that are as edgy as our technologically-blessed city, and sequins, leather lookalikes and lace galore. Rachel describes it as the perfect mix of timeless with modern twists. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your credit card and visit the shop at www.VueSociety.com .

And her signature style?

“If I’m not in my pajamas, a black blazer never fails.”

The perfect look for a day of online shopping.

TheGlamourWire would like to congratulate Rachel Kim on her nomination for Blog of The Year! Get ready for Fashion Week by visiting http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Metropolitan-Fashion-Week/204231809629663 and get ready for the awards show March 31st, at 8:00 pm at the Museum of Flight.