Western students can now add some bling to their style with the opening of Baddies Accessories’ first store in the UCC basement.
Baddies Accessories, formerly known as Western Baddies, opened their first physical shop in the University Community Centre earlier this month.
Run by Western alumni Rosita Zhang and Yaxin Ma, the store offers a variety of handmade accessories, including rings, bracelets, press-on nails and phone cases.
“We saw that the UCC needs something new. They need more aesthetic stuff,” says Zhang when discussing their vision for the store.
Zhang, who had a background in oil painting, began experimenting with nail art after growing frustrated with the high cost and limited designs at salons.
Western alumni and Baddies staff Nelson Chang (left) and Clementine Ma (right) stand in Baddies Boutique in the UCC basement, Sept. 13, 2024.
Meanwhile, Ma, who has been knitting since she was 11, rediscovered her love for creating handmade jewellery over the pandemic. She began sharing her designs on TikTok, quickly gaining a following of over 160K.
“I have a big audience, so I have to provide high-quality stuff. That’s why our products are made of stainless steel and sterling silver,” says Ma.
Zhang and Ma first crossed paths at a Toronto market in 2023, where both were signed up as vendors — Zhang was selling press-on nails, and Ma was running a jewellery business.
By chance, they were both assigned to share a table. Unaware they were both Western students, they quickly bonded over their entrepreneurial journeys.
They soon decided to merge their talents and from that chance meeting, Baddies was born.
Initially starting as an online store, Baddies recently expanded by hosting various pop-ups in Toronto and on campus. Their popularity surged, and during the 2023–2024 school year, they had a near-weekly pop-up in the UCC.
“We thought, if we’re gonna be here doing pop ups almost every week, why don’t we just get a shop here?” says Zhang
At one of these markets, they were approached by representatives from the Western Accelerator program, an initiative by the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship. The program offers mentorship, education and funding to support young entrepreneurs on campus.
Crochet keychains at Baddies Boutique in the UCC Basement, Sept. 13, 2024.
Ma and Zhang were able to open up their own storefront after securing $12,000 in funding by applying to the accelerator program.
“Western really has another level of support for their student entrepreneurs,” says Zhang. “There’s no other university around Ontario that provides an entrepreneurship program like this.”
Looking ahead, Ma and Zhang hope to continue running their business in the UCC for the next five years, laying the foundations for a lasting presence on campus.
Their official grand opening will be on Sept. 27, featuring free mystery bags for their first 20 customers.
“It’s not necessarily about people having to purchase to have to buy anything, it’s more having the space where people can just come by and see the cute things we have and enjoy the aesthetic,” says Zhang.
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