Several years back when I was in the process of launching a major sleepwear brand for my company, my Design Director and I decided to create an entire collection around shades of green. There was a rhyme to our reason because this was a licensee recognized world-wide for their horticultural motifs. When we presented our plans to the Sales team, we got a lot of resistance. They insisted that historically, … Read More
I love sitting in a showroom, nourishing my merchant’s soul with gorgeous product, beautifully executed and so seductively marketed. This is perpetually guaranteed when reviewing the Chantelle Lingerie collection. It’s always interesting and I am always inspired. This is, after all the brand that has so successfully managed to bring French elegance to the pragmatic North American marketplace. They have succeeded with a balance of sensual designs and essential basics. … Read More
By now, it must be very apparent that I get a kick out of finding a new product whose character is clearly defined by vision and quality. This time it’s the luxury designer collection from Minuit Douze showcased by the elegant In Showroom based in NYC. Made in France, this is a concept brand created to evoke the romance of travel to romantic venues often dreamed of but not always … Read More
When I first walked into Faire Frou Frou unannounced last week, Alison Rubke, the charismatic co-owner of this eponymous boutique was clearly surprised. We had tried to connect during several of my previous LA visits but never seemed to make it happen. Obligations always interfered; so this time, I did not want to make a promise I might not keep. It’s a bit of a trek from downtown Los Angeles … Read More
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When my son Charlie was 10 years old, a friend of his in his 4th grade class was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. I remember how I felt when I was told that July about Elizabeth’s fate. I was sick to my stomach, immobilized by fear, unable to separate my own maternal instincts from the reality confronting her parents. When she died the following December, one week before … Read More