I have been following Conturelle’s product emergence in North America ever since I was introduced to this legendary German brand 5 years ago. Entering the US market sometime around their 125th birthday, Conturelle began its ascent here with an introduction of some of their established European styles. One of these, Provence, a gorgeous 3 part Swiss embroidered, guipure trimmed underwire bra has played an enormous role in the company’s success in … Read More
All my life I have been a dog person. Always had one living by my side; sometimes 3. Cats on the other hand were an afterthought. Somehow or another, the cats in my house were there because someone brought a kitten home, promised to covet it for eternity and then, left the poor feline there to fend for herself in the grasp of a canine domicile. Cats make very few demands, virtually disappearing into the … Read More
Many years ago, during my tenure as a buyer at the venerable Abraham & Straus, now part of Macy’s, I was given a choice of positions, most within my comfort zone; ready to wear and accessories. However, there was an opening in the Cosmetics Division and I decided to take that job, because I was curious about this category where merchandising was driven primarily by the vendor and marketing ruled all. I was 28 at … Read More
Every time I look at the In Bloom by Jonquil collection, I am amazed at the way they merchandise prints. As somewhat of a connoisseur of curated product, I am always impressed at how this brand finds a way to mingle visually dynamic lingerie fabrics to form a composition of coordinated sleep and lounge designs. What could be chaotic is in fact a captivating collage. Renown for their molded cup babydoll, In Bloom is a … Read More
Today, we are very excited to introduce a new column on Lingerie Briefs, An Intimate Gallery by Marina Rybak. Guided by her extraordinary vision, Marina has re-imagined a classic basic. Based on my long standing knowledge of Marina’s unique insight into the creative process and her ability to identify products that stand “outside of the box”, we have decided to re-direct her column to the discovery and execution of design concepts that have the … Read More
I have been to the New York Botanical Gardens many times, but our visit there this past weekend was a very different kind of experience. Maybe it was because it was the end of the summer and the rage of color was less acute, or maybe it was because there weren’t any special exhibits attracting hoards of visitors, but the park was virtually empty and very serene. No one could ever deny the beauty of … Read More
Over the years I have made a few savvy personal purchases, mainly on instinct. Something unexpected about the item alerts my style radar. That is how I felt when I found this pair of UGG boots 20 years ago in a small cold weather shop in the Hudson Valley. It was like discovering a hidden treasure. Preferring fashion that lives comfortably outside of the box, I was glad that the UGG brand was not well … Read More