Washingtonian Women of Fashion April 2012

Boutique OwnersThe

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Nancy Pearlstein Thanks largely to Pearlstein’s airy Georgetown boutique, Relish,

it’s now commonplace to see lady lawyers, business consultants, and politicos in the edgy yet well-tailored designs of Jil Sander, Dries Van Noten, and Balenciaga. “People are so smart here,” says Pearlstein,

who began her retail career at her family’s shop, Louis Boston. “Customers are particular—they always question things. I like that.”

72 Washingtonian ➳ april 2012

Kelly MuccioIn the past few years, half a dozen men’s boutiques have sprung up

in DC. But Muccio’s Georgetown shop, Lost Boys, was the first of these—opened in 2008. With an eye for pieces that are cool, classic, and a touch rugged, the bombshell blonde is called on by CEOs and college students alike to help them project sartorial confidence. Says Muccio: “My job is to uncover a man’s best self and show on the outside all he is inside.”

Betsy Fisher AlbaughAlbaugh was two years out of Georgetown University and lacking a

place to buy creative, age-appropriate work attire when she opened Betsy Fisher, her shop off Dupont Circle. Some 24 years later, she’s

proud young women still turn to her when they want to stand out at the office: “No woman’s job is to be noticed for what she’s wearing versus

what her role is. That doesn’t mean she has to wear a boring suit.”

in a city that’s not supposed to care all that much about style, some women have done well by helping us with what

we wear—and influencing how we shop. here are some standouts in Washington’s fashion scene. By sarah ZlOtnick

Dress forms courtesy of Everard's Clothing

Photographs by Vincent Ricardel

Makeup and hair by Kim Reyes using Make Up For Ever // Prop styling by Polly Spadavecchia/THE Artist Agency // Studio courtesy of CDIA/BU


talent scout

Elizabeth McDavitt-Centenari

As director of THE Artist Agency, the area’s premier modeling agency, McDavitt-Centenari books most of the faces in local ads, runway shows, and fashion shoots. With partner Lynda Erkiletian, she also manages the careers of hair and makeup artists—many of whom are called upon when movie stars hit town. A 30-plus-

year industry veteran, McDavitt-Centenari has worked to promote good ethics in what can sometimes be a shady industry. She pre-pares her talent—the 500-strong roster has included Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks and sitcom darling Whitney Cummings—with realistic expectations about modeling and says THE profits only when models begin working. “There were so many scams years ago. I want to make a difference in what agencies represent.”

The

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entrepreneurs

Angela Newnam A long career as a consultant prepared Newnam for launch-

ing Knock Out! panties (knockoutpanties.com), a line of stylish, surprisingly high-tech undergarments, in 2010. Her patented No Trace fabric combines moisture-wicking and odor-absorp-tion technology to keep wearers fresh and dry. Her product line, which has expanded to include sports bras, T-shirts, and yoga pants, is sold in 250 locations across the US and Canada. “The

DC community is very supportive of people trying to start a busi-ness,” says Newnam. “They appreciate the start-up.”

Rochelle BehrensHow many people can say their product is one of Oprah Winfrey’s

favorite things? Behrens’s button-down shirt (the-shirt.com) was featured on Oprah’s show in 2011 for a patented dual-button technology that prevents it from gaping at the bust. Behrens says the design, sold in selected Bloomingdale’s and 70 boutiques in North America, was born out of necessity during her days in poli-tics. She knew she couldn’t be the only woman whose ill-fitting shirts kept her from feeling confident on the job. “What more

could you want than helping women perform better?” she says.

The


Christine Brooks-Cropper

It’s hard for a garment industry to take root without government support. As presi-dent of the DC Fashion Foundation, Brooks-

Cropper put in years lobbying the District for the funding to establish the DC Fash-ion Incubator, a work space/small-busi-

ness development program that provides budding design talent with the resources and training to develop clothing lines. The

inaugural Incubator kicked off with four designers—including Gennet Purcell, who designed the red dress Brooks-Cropper is wearing here. But the fast-talking Brooks-Cropper—formerly the Victim of Crime and Violence Against Women administrator for DC—dreams big. Come July, the program

will move into a 16,000-square-foot space in DC’s Anacostia designed to support up to

24 designers plus provide sewing and pattern-making classes so designers can

turn their sketches into reality.

advocateThe

fashion is not just fluff—we’re here to put people back to work.”

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educator

Janice Ellinwood In a metropolitan area where higher education often focuses on public policy and international

affairs, Arlington’s Marymount University offers a unique program: fashion design and merchandis-ing. As department chair since 1987, Ellinwood has

helped students put on highly regarded fashion shows attended by such designers as Oscar de la

Renta and Michael Kors and has worked to shed light on the sometimes harsh labor conditions in over-

seas factories. The best part of her day occurs in the classroom. “When a student creates a visually successful design,” she says, “I feel gratified.”

The


The

Martha Slagle As general manager of the Neiman Marcus in Mazza Gallerie for 18 of the store’s 35 years, Slagle knows that

excellent customer service is what keeps her clients—who include former First Ladies, ambassadors’ wives, and princesses—coming back. The fourth-generation Washingtonian helps maintain Neiman’s posh image by tending to matters big and

small. After working with one Connecticut client for weeks on her holiday gifts, Slagle received a frantic call: The customer’s travel plans had been bumped up, and she needed all of her presents that evening. Slagle got in her car and made the delivery

herself. “That customer calls me her 911,” she says. “No matter where in the world she is, she calls us to get it done.”

retail Powerhouse

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stylists

Lauren A. RothmanThe services of Styleauteur, Rothman’s fashion-consulting firm, are multifac-

eted. One day Pricewaterhouse Coopers might bring her in for a session on corporate style; the next she might work with a soldier adjusting to civilian life on an amputated leg. Between penning a column on political style

for the Huffington Post and dressing govern-ment officials on Capitol Hill, Rothman has found a niche amid Washington’s blend of sophistication and practicality. “I work with

people who are thirsty for a knowledge about why they should care about fashion,” she

says. “And I love getting to educate.”

Deb Waterman Johns An early stint as an assistant editor at Vogue

taught Johns to aim high when it came to cloth-ing. After relocating from New York in 1989, the fashion-focused Johns—besides running Get Dressed, her wardrobe-and-home consulting

company, she organizes a seasonal “pop-up” bou-tique and designs and owns the Scout by Bungalow

bag line—built a Washington clientele by word of mouth. Styling TV personalities and big-time busi-nesswomen eased her initial fears that she couldn’t

build a fashion career in this area. “There’s not a preoccupation with fashion here,” she says, “but

there are a lot of women who want to look fabulous. It’s my job to solve the equation.”

Lisa Crawford Crawford found her forte in personal shop-

ping after relocating to DC from Las Vegas. She spent 14 years at Saks Fifth Avenue, including in the 5th Avenue Club; during that time, she

pushed everyone from newscasters to novelists to take intelligent risks with their style—and, on the side, schooled them in how to pair designer

investments with less expensive chain-store staples. In 2011, the Brooks Brothers in Georgetown brought Crawford on to develop the clientele for its Black Fleece brand, Thom

Browne’s fashion-forward line. The aesthetic is a natural extension of her signature look. “I like a little drama,” she says. “But it’s quiet drama.”

Clothing and accessories by Brooks Brothers and Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons Galleria and Chevy Chase; Rothman’s dress courtesy of RentTheRunway.com

Theretail Powerhouse


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Elizabeth ToddTodd has been infatuated with Alexandria—she lives

six blocks from the Shoe Hive, her Old Town bou-tique—since she relocated from Ohio in 1999. After

discovering that there was no easy way for visitors to learn about the independent shops operating on and around King Street, she worked with the city of Alex-andria and Bloomers owner Kim Putens to found the Old Town Boutique District in 2007. What began as a seven-store affiliation now includes 35 boutiques; they put on everything from a scavenger hunt to an

annual warehouse sale. Todd’s ultimate goal? To make her hometown a shopping destination of national

note: “I want people to get off a plane at National Air-port and think, ‘Do I have time to shop in Old Town?’ ”

The community Builder

Old town is what main street used to be in small towns.”

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Bauble Queens

Dina Mackney Inside a sleepy Reston business park,

Dina Mackney and her 15-person team are turning out glamorous yet versatile gem-

stone jewelry. The line—with its fine-jewelry look at reasonable prices—has caught the eye not just of professional women but of

major retailers—Mackney’s statement pen-dants, bracelets, and rings are selling briskly at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Actress

Téa Leoni is a fan. “Just give me my cowboy boots, a strapless number, and one of Dina’s

pieces and I’m on fire,” she has said. “ I love the drama of Dina’s line.”

Ann HandCommissioned by museums and major

corporations and worn by leading political ladies—from Alma Powell to Hillary Clin-ton to Laura Bush—Ann Hand’s patriotic pins have become a way for Washingto-nians to wear their pride on their lapels.

The native Texan opened her jewelry shop on DC’s MacArthur Boulevard in 2000, and she finds new reasons to fall in love with Washington every day: “I’m continuously

inspired by the people I meet here. They make you think about creating

things that honor big moments.”

The


The

Trunks and suitcases courtesy of Foundry and GoodWood

secondhand Gurus

Inga Guen In the market for this season’s Marni dress for less than $200? Those who say “Impossible!” don’t know Guen. As

owner of Inga’s Once Is Not Enough, a consignment shop in DC’s Palisades, Guen has outfitted Washington’s fund raising

set and diplomatic corps with high-end bags, ball gowns, and skirt suits—at a fraction of retail price—for 18 years. Her

shop, started with pieces from her own Chanel collection, brims with Loro Piana, Akris, and Chado Ralph Rucci. “Wash-

ington women tend to buy quality instead of quantity,” she says. “The secondary retail market gives them the opportunity

to acquire that touch of luxury at a budget price.” Annie Lee

Recognize her glossy hair and smile? You may have seen Lee before: on the

sign at Annie Creamcheese, the George-town vintage shop beloved by visiting Hollywood starlets. Lee—who grew up in Rockville and has a knack for sourc-

ing everything from floor-grazing 1960s hippie skirts to lacquered Hermès ban-

gles—began selling with her former fiancé at the Georgetown Flea Market.

They opened Annie Creamcheese in 2004. She moved on to her own shop in Old Town, Pretty People Vintage, in

March of last year. “I feel blessed to have been so successful with vintage,” Lee

says, “especially since this city has been known to be conservative.”

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Holly Thomas With its round-the-clock coverage of style trends, Internet-based Refinery29 is one of the country’s

most influential fashion-media outlets. As Washington editor, Thomas—a former reporter at the Washington Post—conducts interviews with such style icons as Tory Burch and Narciso Rodriguez, coor-dinates photo shoots with local tastemakers, and publishes five blog posts a day full of seasoned sartorial

know-how. “My daily motivation is to show that people in Washington care about so much more than politics,” she says. “I’ve met contractors and lobbyists in bands. No other city is this creative on the side.”

Documents

Washingtonian Women of Fashion April 2012