We’re looking forward to introducing you to Courtney Buchanan. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Courtney, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: When was the last time you felt true joy?
You know, the last time I felt that kind of pure, deep-down joy—the kind that just makes you sit back and go, “Wow, this is it”—was actually on this totally spontaneous adventure I took with my son. We were supposed to just slip away for two days, just a little reset, nothing major. But one road led to another, and before we knew it, two days turned into this ten-day wander through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. We just kept going, camping under the stars, finding cozy little cabins, and letting curiosity lead the way.
The moment that’s etched in my heart is this one afternoon by the Nantahala River. Picture this: it’s chilly enough that we’ve both got our puffy jackets on, but the sun is shining down warm and golden. We found these wooden chairs by the riverbank, and my son just curled up in my lap. We just sat there, listening to the water, feeling the breeze, and saying absolutely nothing. And in that silence, everything just felt… perfect. I remember thinking, “This is the kind of moment I’ll hold onto forever.”
And you know what made it even sweeter? It was the first time since launching CB Grey that I actually took more than two days off and didn’t work at all. I didn’t open my laptop, didn’t check a single email. For once, I let myself just be a mom on an adventure with her kid. And in that stillness, I found this quiet, peaceful kind of joy that reminded me that sometimes the best stories are the ones where you just let go and live them.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Courtney Buchanan, founder and designer of CB Grey, a luxury silk accessories brand that turns real stories into wearable art. Every scarf I create begins as a hand-drawn illustration inspired by a real woman—her journey, her resilience, her magic. I like to say I’m a journalist through silk because to me, this isn’t just fashion—it’s storytelling with heart.
I launched CB Grey in 2020 with zero background in fashion. Truly—no design school, no fancy connections, no blueprint. I Googled how to start a silk scarf line and just figured it out step by step. What began at my kitchen table has now grown into a brand that has shipped thousands of pieces around the world, partnered with incredible organizations, and created custom designs for resorts, hospitals, nonprofits, and brands who want something deeply meaningful.
What makes CB Grey unique is purpose. Our pieces aren’t just beautiful—they carry emotion. Every design comes with a story, a heartbeat, and a message of empowerment woven in. My hope is that when someone wears CB Grey, they don’t just feel stylish—they feel seen.
Right now, I’m working on expanding our custom design collaborations and building our wholesale presence while staying true to what matters most: human connection, storytelling, and creating joy through art.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
So before anyone tried to tell me who to be, I was this observant, creative soul, always writing my own story. I wasn’t the loudest in the room, but I was always dreaming, always creating, and always carrying that blend of what my parents taught me in my own way. My mom, with her master’s in early childhood education, showed me how to find adventure in everything, turning ordinary days into spontaneous memories. My dad taught me the grit of entrepreneurship, even if our relationship was tough and I didn’t fit his mold. But that mix made me who I am.
And that’s still who I am at my core: someone who’s always been creating her own path, not following anyone else’s script.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, I’d tell her this: Hey, you with the big dreams and the creative spark—guess what? You never had to fit into anyone else’s mold. The way you see the world is your magic. You never needed to shrink yourself or put on a mask to fit in. You were born to stand out just by being exactly who you are.
And I know you may never hear these words from the person you wanted to hear them from most, so I’ll say them now: I see you, I hear you, and I love you exactly as you are. You are free to be yourself.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Is the public version of me the real me? Hell yes it is. I don’t know how to be anything other than myself. I don’t have a “brand version” of me and a “real life” version—they’re the same person. What you see is what you get whether I’m on Instagram, at a business meeting, at a trade show, or barefoot in my kitchen with my kid.
I spent years earlier in life trying to fit in, trying to dim parts of myself to make other people comfortable, and that left me feeling disconnected from who I actually was. I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I would never go back to that. So now I show up fully myself—heart on my sleeve, flaws and all. Some people love it, some don’t, and I’m totally fine with that. The right people always find you when you’re real.
At the end of the day, I believe people connect most with honesty. I don’t have time for fake. So yes—the person you see publicly is 100% me.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell about me when I’m gone isn’t about accomplishments or titles or highlight reels—I hope it’s about my heart. I hope people say I made them feel something. That I showed up honestly and wasn’t afraid to be real in a world that rewards pretending. That I lived wide open—creative, curious, a little wild, and never apologizing for being myself.
I hope people say I loved hard. That I loved my kids like breathing. That I celebrated people and believed in them, even when they didn’t believe in themselves yet. And I hope they say I gave more than I took—that I used my gifts to create beauty and meaning and connection, not just for myself, but for others.
I hope people say I never waited for permission to build the life I wanted—and I encouraged others to do the same. That I turned pain into purpose. That I took the broken pieces of my story and made something beautiful out of them. That I didn’t waste my time here—I felt it, I lived it, I shared it.
And if I’m really lucky, I hope they say this: she made the world just a little better, a little braver, and a little more honest—one story, one scarf, one soul at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopcbgrey.com
- Instagram: @shopcbgrey
- Linkedin: @shopcbgrey
- Facebook: @shopcbgrey
Image Credits
Monica Farber
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