Conversations with Ashley Alexandria

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Alexandria.

Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Ashley, and my journey to building Piece + Glory began long before I ever knew I was creating a brand. It started in the hardest season of my life, one filled with motherhood, loss, transition, and a determination to rebuild myself piece by piece.

I’ve always been passionate about beauty, confidence, and helping women feel restored, which is why I first opened my salon, The House of Black Hair. As a trichologist and healthy hair specialist, I learned how powerful it is when a woman feels like herself again.

But Piece + Glory was born from something much deeper.

In 2020, I lost my mother, and that grief changed me. My angel logo represents her, she is the quiet strength behind everything I create. Shortly after, I found myself navigating one of the hardest emotional battles: walking away from my marriage, becoming a single mother, and trying to rebuild a life for my son and myself. It was one of the most painful and transformative moments of my life.

During that time, jewelry became therapy for me. I started making custom pieces by hand in between salon clients, sometimes late at night, sometimes with my baby beside me. Each charm felt symbolic … tiny reminders that even when life falls apart, you can still create something beautiful from what’s left.

That’s why I named my brand Piece + Glory.

It reflects the journey of taking the “pieces” life hands you, the broken ones, the unexpected ones, the sacred ones and turning them into something full of glory, purpose, identity and giving me peace while doing it.

Today, Piece + Glory has grown into a charm bar, permanent jewelry brand, and a safe, joyful space for people to create meaningful pieces that tell their own stories. Every bracelet, necklace, or charm becomes a moment, a memory, or a milestone. What started at my kitchen table now travels across LA doing pop-ups, private events, and collaborations with brands, celebrities, influencers and communities I once only dreamed of working with.

I built this entire company while raising my son, showing up to work every day, healing, and learning how to stand on my own. And through every step, the wins, the setbacks, the breakthroughs .. my mother’s presence has carried me. Her angel wings are literally and symbolically the heart and logo of my brand.

My story is still being written, but Piece + Glory is my love letter to anyone who has ever had to rebuild their life while still showing up for others. It’s proof that even in the middle of your hardest season, beauty, purpose, and abundance can still be created — piece by piece, and with so much glory.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Piece & Glory was born during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. I was navigating the emotions and uncertainty of leaving my marriage, rebuilding my stability as a single mother, and trying to keep my salon thriving, all at the same time.

There were moments when I had to choose between rest and working another long shift just to fund my next idea. I started Piece & Glory with no investors and no savings, just the money I earned doing hair. Every charm, every chain, every tool was paid for by my own hands and long days behind the chair. At one point, a large portion of my jewelry inventory was stolen, and I remember thinking that maybe this dream wasn’t meant to happen. But something in me refused to quit.

Losing my mother also shaped so much of this journey. The angel in my logo is a tribute to her , a reminder that even when things felt heavy or impossible, I wasn’t doing it alone. I built Piece & Glory in the middle of heartbreak, transition, and uncertainty, but I also built it with faith, resilience, and a deep desire to create something that reflected beauty and strength.

Today, the same “hobby” I started as a form of healing has grown into a business that not only supports me and my son, but continues to open doors I never imagined. The challenges shaped me, but they never stopped me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In everything I create …..whether it’s healthy hair transformations at The House of Black Hair or personalized jewelry at Piece & Glory, my work is deeply rooted in legacy, healing, and intention. I’ve been a professional stylist since 2011, but the foundation of my career began long before that. My mom saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I used to do hair as a hobby, and she was the one who pushed me to go to beauty school at a time when I honestly didn’t know what direction my life was headed. I resisted at first, but what began as something she encouraged eventually became my lifelong passion and purpose.

Every client I touch now is a reflection of her belief in me. Even though she passed before she could see me open my own salon, I know The House of Black Hair was a dream she planted in me, and one that she’s still guiding.

That same sense of purpose carried into the creation of Piece & Glory. I built the brand during one of the most difficult seasons of my life, while navigating the emotional weight of walking away from my marriage and rebuilding as a mother. The angel in my logo represents my mom,its my reminder that I’m protected, guided, and never creating alone.

What sets me apart is that everything I do is personal. Every charm, every custom piece, every hairstyle is created with intention, meaning, and care. I specialize in work that makes women feel restored, confident, and seen. I take pride in building two brands from the ground up with my own hands, my own funding, and my own resilience, turning what started as “hobbies” into thriving businesses that now support me and my son

My work is more than artistry. It’s generational. It’s healing. It’s purpose-driven. And it’s a continuation of the legacy my mom started when she dared to believe in a future for me that I couldn’t yet see

What does success mean to you?
I define success as obedience, listening to what God tells me to do and having the courage to actually follow it. For me, success isn’t about numbers or recognition; it’s about alignment. When I move with God, even when it’s uncomfortable or unclear, things eventually flourish in a way that I know didn’t come from my own strength. That’s when I know I’m truly successful!
when I can feel His approval on what I’m building, how I’m living, and the example I’m setting for my son. Success is walking in purpose, even when the path doesn’t look perfect yet!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @pieceandglory_la
• Other: @thehouseofblackhair