Larisa Stinga moved to the Vineyard three years ago from Romania to be a wedding photographer. Her business took off and the summer months were busy capturing people’s special days. But as the wedding season slowed, Ms. Stinga had to look for winter work. She took a number of jobs, working at Nat’s Nook, as a receptionist at an architect’s office and at Wolf’s Den Pizza, but wanted to be her own boss.

“Working for someone else, your self esteem goes down,” she said. “I decided we have to do something.”

When the shop below her Vineyard Haven apartment closed last season, she decided to take a chance. In early May, Ms. Stinga opened Sleek MV, a boutique that sells clothing, Island-made jewelry and art. Her plan for the space was simple: create her dream store.

“It’s very fresh, modern, airy and light,” she said. “We don’t have tons of patterns, it’s easy to wear, comfortable and sleek, hence the name.”

Opening Sleek MV was a group effort. — Maria Thibodeau

Opening Sleek MV was a group effort. The young entrepreneur is only 26 years old, but has a large support system of family and community members behind her. Her father visited from Romania for two weeks to help fix up the shop, her mother, who’s run a number of businesses in Romania, provided ideas and business advice over Skype, and her brother, who shares the upstairs apartment with her, helped her in nearly every way.

Her neighbors on Main street also pitched in. Off Main gave her their old sign which she repainted, and in the store she burns candles from Brickyard. To stock the shelves, Ms. Stinga traveled to Las Vegas for a trade show. Having no experience in running a boutique, she relied on her own style to guide her selection, focusing on the feel and quality of the fabric.

“I hand picked everything I would wear myself,” she said.

Ms. Stinga is inspired by all the women on the Island who own their own businesses, whether it’s in event planning or landscaping.

“They want comfy clothes that make them look good and confident,” she said.

In addition to soft, light dresses, skirts and blouses, she sells scarves she imported from Romania and work by young Island artists. She also stocks some of her mother’s necklaces she creates out of re-purposed denim jeans.

Her approach to clothes is also her business philosophy.

“If I will wear it, hopefully someone else will too,” she said.

Sleek MV is located at 30 Main street, Vineyard Haven.