An interesting article appeared in The Examiner today, shocking, I know. Part of their weekly Power Profile, Whitney Blake spoke with Nina McLemore, of her namesake line for the power elite as well as the founder of Liz Claiborne Accessories in the '80s. And while I am not personally a fan of the line (or many of the women who wear it, but that's a whole other aside), I find her takes on fashion, business and women in both very fascinating.
“I’m very angry at the fashion industry,” she said. The industry has “no respect for accomplished women,” viewing them as “sex objects, not smart and capable.”
Her line, mainly “jacket driven,” also includes pants and blouses for business, casual and evening attire. She targets businesswomen with high net worth, female politicians — most notably Sen. Hillary Clinton — and what McLemore calls “community women” who are involved in philanthropy or who have husbands in powerful positions. ... (Know we know where Hillary found her amazing taste - and her $795 quilted coats!)
... Clinton prefers longer jackets, and her signature colors include blue and coral, which McLemore said brings out the highlights in her hair. ...
McLemore’s clothes come in five fits to accommodate all body shapes, and she designs them herself with natural fabrics primarily made in America. She recommends bold, vibrant colors for women who often appear in public or on television. McLemore picks versatile styles that can be worn anywhere, and she uses wrinkle-free materials to allow for easy traveling. ...
... McLemore has a keen sense of her customers’ tastes. Women in law, government and business “dress more understatedly and conservatively” compared with women in New York. At the same time, Washington women have an international flair and often pick textiles and colors from, say, Southeast Asia and Kenya. ...
To read the entire article, which talks a lot more about the business side, click
here...
– Examiner/Greg Whitesell
