[Off the shelf]
The little boutique that could
(and did)
With a trifecta of boutique fashion, unique selection and prices that make a party girl giddy, Patty’s Closet is much more than a local success story — now it’s becoming a national success story. Patty’s Closet opened its first out-of-state franchise store in the fashionable Nob Hill area of Portland, Ore., last December, and is planning five more franchise locations in Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, Arizona and Michigan this year.
Running the stores was becoming too much for Patty Barba and her husband Juan to tackle alone, and franchising seemed the next logical step in building what they hope will one day be a retail empire. Patty Barba is furnishing completely turnkey operations and designing each store, coordinating everything from furniture to signature paint colors and purchasing the initial inventory. But they’re not forgetting about Las Vegas: They also licensed a new franchise to open in Summerlin this spring and are opening an outlet in the Galleria Mall in Henderson later this month. Demand among would-be franchisees is so high, they’ve turned down more than a dozen local buyers, Barba says. (Patty and Juan still own and operate the blue Patty’s Closet on Cimarron Road.)
And as though she’s not busy enough, Barba is also set to unveil an all-accessories store called Sparkles by Patty’s Closet. “I’m pretty excited that all I have to do is talk about a new venture to sell people on the idea,” she said.
The new Sparkles concept continues the trademark limited-stock, rapidly-evolving selection in trendy, statement-making pieces ranging from $5 to about $200. Expect to find the same vibrant aesthetic that made Barba’s accessories so popular she dedicated a whole store to them. “I like to pick the big, funky, oversized stuff,” Barba says. “They sell out so quickly. They’re what everyone comes in and picks up.”
For the self-made couple, the ease with which the four-year-old business is hitting its stride now seems unbelievable.
“It was such a struggle to get our first store open,” Barba says. “And now people want to open one in almost every state in the country. It’s surreal.”
[New and notable]
Here come the bride dresses
That line about the bridesmaid dress you can totally wear again? We all have the once-worn (and only once) stash to prove it’s a promise hardly ever kept. But two new bridal collections debut modern dresses with stylish yet timeless details that could save precious closet space from more fairy tale A-lines and pouf.
Tadashi Shoji, champion of the special occasion dress, brought his new bridal line to his boutique in Forum Shops last month, offering a collection that incorporates spring trends — off-the-shoulder and one-shoulder necklines and lacy long sleeves — without losing the essential Shoji-ness that makes the gowns covetable, comfortable classics. The dresses are statuesque and sometimes startling in their simplicity. But Tadashi, who’s drawn inspiration for his spring collection of petal-shaped and colorful skirts from tulips, knows how to arrange a flower. The bride makes the dress and to stunning effect.
Next month, Bebe launches an inaugural bridal line designed by “Project Runway” favorite Rami Kashou, runner-up in season four and contestant in the upcoming “Project Runway: All Stars.” Amid a deliberate effort at broadening the brand’s wearability with a quieter kind of sexy — rather than the live-out-loud, curve-hugging, shorty-short dresses it’s become known for — the collection will initially comprise 10 gowns made in silk taffeta, silk satin, charmeuse, georgette, organza and chiffon, as well as 10 bridesmaid dresses and matching accessories in handbags, jewelry and some rather pretty headwear. Bebe’s bridal collection, priced between $950 and $2500, will be available by appointment at flagship stores in Chicago, New York, and L.A. If you can’t make the trek to Rodeo Drive, the selection will also be sold online, with 60- to 90-day delivery.