I’ve always wanted my customers to be able to go to the next level in their wardrobe coordination without spending thousands of dollars.
My love for fashion began when I was 5 years old watching my mother, who was challenged with our modest family income. After working long hours, she would take a piece of printed cotton and turn it into a puffed sleeve, ruffled, and sashed dress. I thought it equal to something as magical as the Wide World of Disney. And if that wasn’t enough she made a miniature dress for my Tony doll with the scraps!
As I became a teenager in the 60’s, my mother continued the tradition of making stunning Vogue patterned party and prom dresses. At 15 I remember shopping with her in our small town row of stores, as we walked in front of the only women’s boutique called Elizabeth’s Shop. It had pink fancy paper on the walls with brightly lit chandeliers and was a shining star in the small college town. I passed the shop daily as I walked home from school and dreamt that I might someday be connected somehow to all it represented . . . a bustling world of excitement, designer fashions made from beautiful fabrics, fashion shows with the latest silhouettes, travel to New York and Europe, along with thrilling success was all a possibility.
On that shopping day, I told my mother that my dream was to work at the Elizabeth’s shop. Although my mother was not the outgoing type, she marched me right into the store to meet the owner Elizabeth and asked if there would be jobs for Christmas season? It must have been mother’s intuition because Elizabeth invited me to interview, hired me with a work permit to wrap packages that December. Elizabeth’s Shop kept me on after Christmas where I worked part time, selling, assisted buying, and fashion show coordinating through graduation. That was the beginning of an exciting fashion merchandising career!
From Kentucky to Soho: Since I had benefited from having one of a kind exclusive fashion growing up, I wanted to bring an exclusive wearable art concept to my customers. I had no idea it was the beginning of a HUGE trend that would last from the late 70’s to now and is still growing strong! I have always had a drive to find great fashion items and create them if needed. When my career in late 70’s took me to Louisville, Kentucky, to complete a needed collection with limited funds, I decided to travel to the early art district of SoHo, New York.
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