Bloomers might be one of the most divisive trends of 2026: Either you love them or hate them, and I fall firmly in the former camp. So does Charlie Beads founder Charlie Hourston. Her namesake label is known for comfortable basics, playful accessories, and of course, bloomers. But even she didn’t jump on the bloomer bandwagon right away.

Hourston, who was inspired by her mother’s pajama brand and a deep-rooted passion for fashion and styling, launched Charlie Beads in 2020, at the start of the pandemic. What began as a solo project creating beaded jewelry for friends has since evolved into a three-person team and a thriving apparel business, featuring pieces crafted primarily from deadstock fabrics sourced in Los Angeles. With unwavering support from people in her community, including friends who help her with photo shoots and fans who attend every pop-up, Hourston continues to take Charlie Beads to the next level.

Ahead of the new CB Basics collection, which launched on May 5, we talked with Hourston about how she built Charlie Beads, what’s next for the brand, and her take on the bloomer trend.

Teen Vogue: How did you start Charlie Beads? You originally began with jewelry, correct?

Charlie Hourston: Yes. So, in early 2020, I was going through a pivotal moment in my career. I was 20, styling at Aritzia up in Canada, in-house. I had a boss there who pushed me to apply to Parsons, which I did, and I got in. At the same time, I was exploring myself and my creativity, and I did really enjoy styling and modeling. I then signed with my agency, LA Models. I’m a dual citizen, so I was like, “You know what?” I lived in LA from 16 to 18, moved back to Canada, and then decided it was time to come down here and really give it a shot. I was like, “I’m going to model and style.”

Throughout all these changes, I was inspired by another jewelry brand but could not afford what they were selling, and I was like, “I feel like I could make that.” So I went to my local bead store, bought some beads and spent, like, $60, and made a necklace for myself.

Then the lockdown happened. I was stuck in this sublet. My modeling shoots were canceled. I just didn’t really know what to do with myself, so I picked up the beads and started playing around with [them]. I started doing it for friends and selling on my Instagram story.

Then this person who was in my life at the time and was a branding expert, they were like, “You should just start a brand. You’re a magnetic person, people will follow it.” I didn’t think I could do that, but I thought about it more and more, and I was like, “You know what? It’s not like I have anything else to do. So if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.”

TV: How did you get into clothing design? Did you always have an interest in that?

CH: When I was 17, I had recently moved to LA with my mom because she started a pajama brand, and she and I would go downtown to source fabrics. We ran the company together, so I had a familiarity with how it’s done.

About three years into [Charlie Beads], I started making silver jewelry, and as I was doing it, I realized my heart wasn’t in it. Growing up with a mom who was in fashion—she was a stylist, a model, an art director, and then she became a designer—that was just what I know. So when it was time to do this rebrand, I told her I needed her help.