Attend the Pears & Bears Trunk Show at Gramercy!

This Thursday and Friday, December 2nd and 3rd, Gramercy Boutique invites you to attend a very special trunk show for Pears & Bears! As you are out and about, stop by our location in Eagle Village Shops for adorable clothing for children, toddlers, and newborns!  Check off every special little one on your list with a line that we absolutely adore.  All of the items will deliver before Christmas, so they will be able to wear their outfits throughout the holiday season! We are so excited to see you then! Pears & Bears Trunk Show at Gramercy Boutique Thursday, December 2nd: 10am-5pm Friday, December 3rd: 10am-5pm

Designer Interview: Sheridan French

One of the things that makes Gramercy Boutique so special is our amazing cast of independent designers from around the world.  Owner and buyer Khaki Young spends all of her time combing through fashionistas in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, and everywhere in between!  We are so excited about adding a new category to our blog in which we can feature some of our very favorite designers in interviews!  For our very first interview, we decided to feature a new designer for Gramercy's spring collection--Sheridan French!  Sheridan is an AMAZING designer out of Fort Worth, Texas.  We love her use of color and prints to create fun bright pieces that are chic and casual.  She was wonderful and let us interview her to find out her inspirations and fashion favorites!  After reading about her, we are sure you will fall in love with her too...

Where did you grow up?

Fort Worth, Texas. Yee haw! I moved to Europe for 5 years during and after college, which I absolutely adored, but my whole family is here so I had to come back!

How did you become interested in fashion?  How did you pursue your interest?I have always been interested in fashion from a young age. When I was little I insisted upon dressing myself, and my mom has told me of several occasions when I flat out refused to leave the house without 5 or 6 scarves tied all over me. I was two! I started sewing clothes with my mother and great-grandmother in middle school, and designed my first collections in college for charity fashion shows, also helping with production as well as modeling. I then moved on to the Prada Press Office in London to learn the PR side of the industry, always dreaming of having my own label someday.

Her amazing blog!  Click the pic to see it!

What made you decide to start your own label?  How did you go about it?
A friend of mine from college who did fashion PR in London actually turned in her resignation and moved to Bali to help me source! Can you believe that?! She had always wanted to be on the production side of things, and it was such an amazing opportunity that I would not have otherwise had (my son was only 9 months old at the time) that I had to jump on it and just see what resulted. 

Who are some of your favorite designers?  
Oh goodness. How much space am I allowed for this one??? I adore Oscar de la Renta. ADORE. His pieces are so out-of-this-world fabulous every single time I just can't imagine him ever making a misstep. There will always be a special place in my heart for Prada and Miu Miu given my work experience with the companies. Matthew Williamson for his brights. Theory for its brilliant simplicity. Ralph Lauren for his timelessness. Betsy Johnson for her outrageousness. Lela Rose because she's a fellow Texan! Does J.Crew count? Everyone loves J.Crew!!!

Where do you get your inspiration? 

Amazing fabrics...

Inspiration for the fabrics I select are always color driven; whichever shades and tones feel particularly inspiring or empowering at the moment make the cut. Inspiration for style and cut are purely lifestyle driven. I have to be in clothes that will literally take me from weekday school drop off at 9am, through grocery store shopping, through lunch meetings, playing with dogs, and date nights. Sometimes I don't have the luxury of time to change so whatever I throw on in the morning has to work through dinner if need be. Comfort and chic style are therefore key, and I have designed every single piece to reflect those two components. 

How do you work?  What are some must-haves for your workspace?
During nap times and late at night! I have to be in a quiet environment to work well which is tough with my lifestyle these days. Generally the baby monitor is next to me, my lab is at my feet under the desk, my pit bull is next to my chair, and my cats are on the windowsill. We have a good system going ;) 

Must haves for Fall?Well for me, it is maternity jeans at the moment! Generally though I would say a few fab scarves and some great boots - both heels and flats. I don't care what anyone else says - leggings are always great. Oh and I loooove slouchy loose beanies. I always try to find ways to continue integrating color into my wardrobe during the fall when people so often start to turn to blacks, grays and browns. Keep it fun!

What's your favorite scent?This is going to sound so lame, but my baby's breath is the BEST thing in the world. Oh how I wish I could bottle it! 

How adorable is she?!

What music gets you excited?  Inspired?Anything I can do the robot to. (I'm not telling you if I'm serious or joking...) As far as specific artists, my music taste really spans a huge spectrum of genres. I like everything from Faith Hill to Metallica to The Graham Colton Band to Boston and Bon Jovi to Wham. Ok pretend I did not include that last one. I can't listen to music when I am trying to work though so for me it is when I need a release. Windows down and volume up is the best way! My all time favorite songs are Colorblind by Counting Crows, Desire by Ryan Adams, and Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard :D Bon Jovi is my dream concert though.

What do you look forward to in the morning when you wake up?Seeing my husband next to me - (sappy alert!) his scruffiness in the morning is amazing - and getting a little kiss from him, and then heading upstairs to get my little piglet from his crib. 

Fave accessory?

A smile! Absolutely nothing can beat a real, genuine smile. (I am also yearning for a new double Bugaboo...I have a feeling that will be my favorite accessory. Geez I am SUCH a mom!)

What's the perfect setting for wearing your clothes?I designed them for maximum versatility in a myriad of social settings and situations. Looking cute in the carpool line, put together at a brunch, sophisticated yet fun for a meeting, and chic for cocktails in the evening. Really I think anything goes, but that is the whole idea of my collection and brand.

How do you come up with the prints and colors?I have always been interested in very ethnic and exotic prints and textures. Anything that stands out and does not look like the rest. My mother is an interior designer so growing up watching her pull together different colors and patterns was such a treat and a huge part of why I feel so comfortable when selecting fabric combinations. I can't wait until I have a home line! I also only lean towards things that really make me feel great. That kick up that confidence a notch, you know? 

A collage of some of her amazing pieces...

Thank you SO MUCH Sheridan for granting us the interview!  We love you, your designs, and we cannot WAIT to get them in stock for spring!!

Parker!

No words, just...wow!!

Kitty paired this Parker jacket with a metallic Kenneth Jay Lane necklace and a Tibi top.  This little number is the spotlight of the party!  Or maybe it's just the entire party!!

Holiday GLAM!

Turtlenecks!

It's officially October now, and we're kicking off the month by highlighting some of our amazing new turtlenecks in stock now from Magaschoni and Tibi.  We love the structured look of turtlenecks, especially when paired with a great tailored skirt or pants!  Top them with some chunky jewelry, a fitted coat and some Love Quotes scarves for a warm look all winter long!

Below is a cashmere turtleneck from Magaschoni and with a wooden necklace from Kenneth Jay Lane.  The feel of this top is amazing--you will never want to take it off!  Pair it with some fresh apples from the farmer's market and a warm pumpkin spice latte and you are fall-perfect!



A detail of the Magaschoni.  We love those pleated shoulders and that warm color!

 We also have some amazing turtlenecks from Tibi, pictured below.  They come in mauve, cream, and navy.  We love the detail on the shoulders, especially the way the fabric cascades off of the left!  They are classic and fashion-forward at the same time--a Tibi signature!

New Jewelry Arrivals

The rainy skies might be making these last few days of September a little gloomy, but there's no reason not to add sparkle to your day with your wardrobe!  Gramercy Boutique has been receiving amazing new jewelry items from some of our favorite designers like Miguel Ases, CC Skye, and Kenneth Jay Lane.  They brighten up any outfit, and can be worn formally or casually.  We absolutely love the beadwork and intricacy of these--it's just like wearing a piece of art! 

Below are some close-up pictures of Miguel Ases earrrings.  He is a favorite designer of celebrities and fashion editors alike, and we can certainly see why!

Here is a new pair of earrings by Kenneth Jay Lane.  We love how fun these are!

Below are two pairs of crystal pyramid stud earrings by CC Skye, in silver and gold.  They are gorgeous simple statements.  Classic!

Finally, we have an amazing assortment of rings and necklaces by Kenneth Jay Lane.  We love the sparkle and fun details, like the snakeskin geometrical shaped items or the adorable little starfish!  We also abosuletly love his resin necklaces, pictured below in orange and cream.  Amazing!

Check back on the blog for amazing outfits that we just got in, draped in even more newe jewelry!! 

Minnie Mortimer tops have arrived!

It's truly fall in Pennsylvania right now, and according to the weather reports, it's going to stick around for a while!  That means it's time to fully integrate long sleeves and cardigans into your daily wardrobe.  Thank goodness we've got these amazing staples from Minnie Mortimer in stock now!

Minnie Mortimer is one of our favorite designers for her classic style.  Fresh in the field, she  released her first complete collection in the Fall of 2009. She writes, “I grew up going to all girl private schools in Manhattan and we always had these very cute uniforms but you’d only have so much sway over how to “customize” them.  And when I started designing I found myself referencing those roots.”  All her clothes are made in Los Angeles and sold in exclusive boutiques around the world.  

The designer

We pulled some of her amazing pocketed long sleeve tops for some quick pictures.  They come in grey, navy, cream, and a light blue silk blouse.  Each has a distinctive double-pocket front and a fun red label.  They are closet necessities to pair with skinny jeans, leggings, a skirt, and some boots or patent leather ballet flats!   They feel amazing on and will keep you warm through these next few chilly months!

The grey and navy tops

A close-up of the pocket detail

The cream and sky blue.

We are sure you will want more than one to wear with everything all season long!

The Gramercy Boutique 2-Year Anniversary Party!

On Thursday, September 23rd, Gramercy Boutique hosted its 2-year anniversary party at the shop in Eagle Village in Wayne!  We had an amazing time drinking champagne, eating hors d'oeuvres, and celebrating with our lovely clientele.  Catering was provided by our neighbors, A Taste of Britain.  The weather was spectacular for our indoor/outdoor event.  Ladies perused our fabulous selection of fall clothing, including some amazing new items from Vanessa Fox.  Below are a few snapshots of the event and our gorgeous guests!

Vanessa Fox's display of fantastic dresses, skirts, and tops

Jane Schoenborn of Lilly Pulitzer, Gramercy manager Kitty Smith, Gramercy owner Khaki Young, and Sheridan Doherty

Meredith Watkins, Blaire Stoveld, Maddie Paolantonio

Brian Smaul of Brian Smaul Jewelry, Jennifer Lighthall of Ellie, and Bill Paveletz

Look of the Week: Jodi Arnold

For this week's look of the week, Kitty picked this cashmere Jodi Arnold sweater off the rack and paired it with some dark skinny J Brand Jeans.   Jodi Arnold's fall line is fascinating!  Her inspiration in designing her fall collection was Papunya Aboriginal art.  She writes on her website: "Papunya art is fascinating--its forms and lines and pointelle styles are distinctively modern and echo Abstractionism, yet come from people who were forced into isolation...I imagined a Papunya elder dragging his fingers through the sand, and how each generation builds upon its cultural narrative by adding distinctively modern interpretation." 

We can definitely imagine these styles coming from that inspiration.  The embellishments have an artful and organic style.  This sweater can be worn casually over a blouse and transition perfectly from day to evening.  Dreamy!