Built From The Closet Up: How Off The Hanger Became A Newark Staple

NEWARK, N.J. — What began in a spare bedroom on the South Ward has blossomed into a 15-year legacy of style, empowerment, and reinvention. Off the Hanger, the Newark-based style lounge founded by Lynette Lashawn, has become more than a retail destination: it’s a movement centered on mindful fashion and building confidence through clothing.

Now operating as Off the Hanger, style lounge, the business has evolved beyond its boutique roots into a full-service women’s clothing store. Lashawn offers personal styling, shopping assistance, fashion emergency services, retail rentals, and curated group experiences like Girls’ Day or Night Out — all designed to make fashion more accessible, intentional, and fun.

“I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was inspiring people through style,” Lashawn said. “It didn’t feel like work. It felt like purpose.”

Before founding Off the Hanger, Lashawn worked in the legal field as a paralegal. But styling friends, advising women in fitting rooms, and an innate love for fashion pushed her toward a different path. “I knew I had something special,” she said. “Helping people feel good in their clothes. That lit me up.”

Born and raised in Newark, Lashawn credits her stylish upbringing for shaping her eye. “My mom, grandparents — they were always sharp. Church hats, Lancôme cosmetics, streetwear, bamboo earrings. It was all around me,” she said. Her entrepreneurial spark came from her grandfather, a truck driver who transformed a bus into a makeshift corner-store-style candy shop.

That blend of hustle and heritage remains at the heart of Off the Hanger. Initially launched out of her apartment, the brand grew into a showroom and later into a 1,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar boutique, operating successfully for a decade before the pandemic.She offers a curated selection of stylish capes — including designs once worn by Queen Latifah — along with graphic shirts and signature baseball caps that blend bold fashion with Newark pride and personal flair. 

Now back in a showroom-style space, Lashawn shares the location with her two other brands: Newark vs Everybody, a city pride apparel line, and High Street Original, her own fashion label launched during the pandemic. Together, the space reflects a more intentional model focused on smaller, curated drops and creative collaborations.

“People aren’t shopping the same way they used to, and that’s okay,” she said. “It’s allowed me to refocus, slow down, and pour more into other creative projects.”

That includes producing major fashion events in Newark, from parades for Newark Arts to high-attendance runway shows at the Newark Museum of Art and mentoring youth interested in fashion. She’s brought in high school students to assist behind the scenes and hosted self-esteem workshops that explore personal style as a form of self-expression.

“I’ve always believed fashion is deeper than clothes. It’s therapy. It’s connection,” Lashawn said. “I want to give people, especially young people, a chance to see themselves in this world.”

Off the Hanger’s mission is grounded in what Lashawn calls “mindful fashion,” an approach centered on thoughtful styling and intention. “Your outer shell is the first thing people see. It’s a conversation before you speak,” she said. “Every piece I buy for the store, I ask: does it serve someone? Is it wearable, flattering, timeless?”

Over the years, Lashawn’s work has been featured in Vogue, Budget Travel, and United Airlines magazine. She’s also launched her own clothing line, High Street Original, which was born during the pandemic. “That was a legacy decision,” she said. “It’s one thing to buy from vendors. But creating my own line, that was me betting on myself.”

Looking ahead, Lashawn envisions Off the Hanger evolving into a warehouse-style creative hub — part boutique, part studio, part incubator for other local entrepreneurs. “I want to teach. I want to help others do what I’ve done, and more.”

Despite challenges, from financial hurdles to health struggles, Lashawn remains rooted in resilience. “Discrimination, lack of access, all of it. I’ve faced it,” she said. “But I’ve also kept going. I had to learn to stop sabotaging the vision God gave me. He doesn’t give you ideas for no reason.”

Her upcoming book, “Queen of Making a Scene: The Crowning Act,” merges fashion and self-help as a reflection of her journey as a designer, educator, and community advocate. And as she prepares for New York Fashion Week and her next chapter, Lashawn remains laser-focused on her mission.

“We are the culture,” she said. “Black creatives, Black women. We set the trends, we build the blueprint. I’m just doing my part to make sure we’re seen and celebrated.”