LaRoque

hello spring.

2011-12-16T11:57:00.015-05:00

here's a look behind the scenes at the spring photo shoot, the old village in charleston.

here's a secret... this dress may be featured in the Southern Living edition on new stands in january.

all the red and green have you feeling blue? no fear spring is around the corner. in fact, here at LaRoque, spring is in full swing. i am so excited to announce our spring wholesale collection. now you can find LaRoque in over 40 boutiques along the east coast. preppy frocks that say your ready for a horse race and a mint julep. here is a sneak peek at what's ahead. coral, lime and aqua when all the red and green is done.

last frame of the day...

many thanks to the very talented virgil bunao for the photography.

and sayde claxton for modeling.

see more of virgil's work at virgilbunao.com

wondering where to find LaRoque?

Locations:
Flagship Shop:
LaRoque
2700 devine street
columbia, sc 29205
(803) 765-6062

Alabama
The Shopt For Pappagallo
2803 Cahaba Road
Birmingham, AL 35223
(205) 870-0470

Holiday
4513 Old Shell Road
Mobile, AL 36608
(251) 342-4911

Florida
Snappy Turtle
1100 E. Atlantic Ave.
Delray Beach, FL 33445
(561) 276-8088

Eye of the Needle
313 ½ Worth Avenue, C-2
Palm Beach, FL 33480
(561) 833-4533

Joy of Palm Beach
233 Royal Poinciana Way
Palm Beach, FL 33804
(561) 833-4569

Tululah's Boutique
2101 Indian River Boulevard
Building #109
Vero Beach, FL 32960
(772) 226-5340

Georgia
Ginger Howard Selections
3164 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 869-0115

Soho
435 Highland Ave.
Augusta, GA 30909
(706) 738-6884

The Blue Door
6501 Whitesville Rd #400
Columbus, GA 31904
(706) 596-0139

Magnolia Hill
2521 Airport Thruway # 100-B
Columbus, GA 31904
(706) 507-4415

Crimson and Clover
205 S. 7th Street
Cordele, GA 31015
(229) 273-7555

Threads on Mulberry
124 Savannah Avenue
Suite G-1
Statesboro, GA 30458
(912) 489-5189

Kevin's of Thomasville
111 South Broad Street
Thomasville, GA 31792
(229) 226-7766

Only Options
1421 Gornto Road
Valdosta, GA 31602
(229) 244-1807

Kentucky
Alma Hall Inc. Pappagallo
600 US 31W Byp Ste 8
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 781-6831

The Cotton Patch
3367 Tates Creek Road
Lexington, KY 40502
(859) 269-8839

Monkees of Lexington
116 Clay Avenue
Lexington, KY 40502
(859) 253-0427

Blossoms
805 Frederica Street
Owensboro, KY 42301
(270) 689-2229

Louisiana
Town and Country
1514 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-7027

Massachusetts
Island Outfitters
21 Wianno Avenue
Osterville, MA 02655
(508) 428-2355

North Carolina
Monkee’s of Biltmore
7 All Souls Cres
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 277-6002

Sandi's Beachwear
417 West Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
(252) 726-4812

Finley House Couture
1121 Main Street
Bowling Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-6373

Francie Hargrove
25 Burn Street
Cashiers, NC 28717
(828) 743-9700

Preppy Poodle
113 Wall Street
Clinton, NC 28328
(910) 592-3959

The Julia
7220 Wrightsville Ave
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 256-1175

M Christopher's
111 Reynolda Vlg, #B
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
(336) 722-4520

Rhode Island
Pink Pineapple
380 Thames Street
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 849-

South Carolina
Warren on King
154 King Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-9144

Page 6 Boutique
936 Market Street
Fort Mill, SC 29708
(803) 548-0559

Miss. Lizzie
819 Front Street
Georgetown, SC 29440
(843) 546-0495

Sugar Boutique
203 Waller Street
Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 229-6322

Minnie's Giftique
142 E Carolina Avenue
Hartsville, SC 29550
(843) 383-6380

The Cabbage Patch
311 North Long Street
Kingstree, SC 29556
(843) 355-8473

Jessica’s
316 Mill Street
Manning, SC 29102
(803) 433-5555

Taylor’s
11412 Ocean Hwy #B
Pawleys Island, SC 29585
(843) 237-9500

Three Sisters
146A E. Main Street
Spartanburg, SC 29306
(864) 582-7750

Sally Bette's
9492 Ayscough Road
Summerville, SC 29485
(843) 937-6211

Tennessee
The Cotton Mill
Grace’s Plaza
4009 Hillsboro Rd. Suite 105
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 866-2734
(615) 866-2188

Virginia
Kiskadee
2205 Mount Vernon Ave
Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 549-0813

Monkee's of Fredericksburg
827 Caroline Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(540) 368-2111

Janice Cain Stationary
316 Brown Street
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 638-3282

Antigua
Lipstick
P.O. Box W1923
St. John's, Antigua
(268) 562-

USC Homecoming and the Outstanding Alumni Award

2011-11-14T13:34:00.012-05:00

i always knew i would attend USC. my dad was a graduate and after he passed away when i was 5 i thought he would be proud if i carried on the family tradition, and so i did. in 2001 i was initiated into Kappa Delta sorority on the horse shoe. i met my met my best friend there, studied for tests there and learned my grandmother had passed away while walking the brick path to class. the horseshoe at USC holds memories that cover a litany of emotions.

what a honor it was to be awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award for 2011 and even more rewarding to receive the award at Rutledge Chapel on the horse shoe. i never felt like an outstanding student, but i did feel like a hard worker. my mom says that runs in our family and when i am discouraged she reminds me of how proud my dad must be. many of you know that i named my "kitchen table endeavor" LaRoque, to honor him.

homecoming at USC brings back a flood of emotions. the theme of homecoming my freshman year in 2001 was "a family tradition." aptly so, homecoming always makes me think of my family. although my dad was not at the award ceremony i knew he was there "in spirit".

USC has taught me many things both as a student and a graduate. most importantly i have learned that you can make a living off of your life. what an honor to be a part of a University that allows me to give back and be apart of traditions that will always be nostalgic. i am grateful to have a career that is fueled and supported by a university that my father was apart of.

for me, homecoming at USC will always be a family tradition.

Photo shoot with Palmetto Health, George Fulton and wondering what defines something as extraordinary.

2011-11-06T20:25:00.017-05:00

webster define extraordinary as "very unusual or remarkable."

i have been asked to be apart of a lot of really extraordinary things over the last few years.

i have seen a glimpse into worlds that without laroque i never would have.

i have seen the unglamorous side of bridal world.

the reality of the fashion industry.

the stress of retail.

the joys and struggles of a small business.

i have seen what the pageant world is really like.

i have judged garments made out of trash in the name of recycling.

have bought buttons in foreign places where the clerk and i spook the different languages.

i have been apart of the happiest times in my clients lives.

seen that it is possible to make a living off of your life.

i have met famous designers and up and coming artist.

i have seen why manufacturing in america is worth the extra cost.

i have experienced what it really takes to put on a fashion show.

i have been criticized and praised for being a young woman and an entrepreneur.

i have made dresses for colon cancer survivors out of ties and scarves of cobalt blue.

i know what its like to have people both love and dislike you and they don't even know you.

the fabric of my life has been weaved in an extraordinary way over the last five years.

last week came another humbling opportunity to be apart of a great cause. what an honor it was to be asked to be a representative for Palmetto's Health's extraordinary woman's campaign. the term "extraordinary" is an interesting label. yes, i have had an interesting path paved along the way by exceptionally wonderful and sometimes bazar events but i know that i had little to do with making those events life changing. it was, rather, the sum of everyone involved made those events extraordinary.

severing woman in the midlands is a large part of what makes Palmetto Health a great hospital and resource for south carolina. for each decade in life a woman in south carolina was chosen to represent woman in our state. what an honor. to sweeten the pot i was photographed by George Fulton for the promotional material for the campaign. i have always admired his work. his advertising and editorial work has been seen on many national campaigns. what a privilege to sit on the other side of his lens.

here is the view from his crew.

and the view from my prospective...

Palmetto Health is the health sponsor for the columbia women's show, to be held in feb. 2012 at the convention center. these photos, as well as the others from the five woman chosen will be on display to tell the story of a woman's health throughout her lifetime.

here, again, i believe that it will be the sum of all the parts that will work together to make the extraordinary woman campaign "extraordinary."

International interior design fashion show!

2011-11-06T19:23:00.010-05:00

unique combinations of textiles and interior design materials took the stage in rare form on saturday night. fabric swatches, carpet remnants, and wall paper normally used for interior design projects walked the runway in garment form. uniquely designed and creatively assembled teams from the International Interior Design Association gathered to designed futuristic frocks. of all the events i have been asked to judge, each year this event tops the list.

{with the other judges}

giving a nod to florence knoll, who was the first to address the needs of commercial spaces came the inspiration for garment below. the design of this garment and use of textile textures in woven fabrics, this "iconic orange" frock was a sight to see.

right brian? left brain? the measure of a truly great designer is the ability to use and balance both sides of the brain. to creatively think of a design and to use logic and reason for assembly to insure practicality in function. this dress demonstrated how both sides of the brain must be balanced. one side of the dress was colorful and whimsical while the other classic and practical.

taking a twist on the word "bespoke" commonly used to describe made to measure by way of mens suiting this dress was custom draped and lazar cut in places to fit the model.

and, of course, love the exaggerated bow detail.

using a table leg as a staff and arm rest for a shield this modern warrior princess creatively combined elements of every day commercial design in a futurist manner. the strong liner lines of the skirt mimicked the theme.

madonna inspired details combined with unique accessories made this arc-con inspired entry another favorite. love this skirt... maybe she will donate it to my closet? love the tailored look with exaggerated ruffle hem.

another creative use of material. work binder, wall covering and tape turn into the modern briefcase. love that concept.

hello spring 2012

2011-10-24T19:21:00.016-04:00

here is a sneak peak at spring 2012.

this is our third wholesale collection. we are busy here, organizing orders and ordering fabric. we just hit 40 stores to carry our wholesale line. now you can find LaRoque from maine to florida. i remember the first label was a monogramed ribbon. the lady made me order 50 and i was thinking, "how will i ever use all theses?" this spring we will construct over 600 pieces for the wholesale collection. where we will store 600 dresses from production to the ship date? maybe my dinning room will be a mini storage for a few months. the fall orders numbered around 200 pieces and that seemed like a lot.

its overwhelming to think about, but i am so greatfull for all the support and interest.

below is a picture from market in atlanta:

me, along with michael perry and his staff who run the show room that reps my line. couldn't do it without them!

the sunday dress

there are several new styles that i am very excited about. the long sunday skirt, the picnic dress, the sunday dress and the new tunic style dress to name a few. the spring collection consist of three lines perfect for pool side, porch front or pew side. you will find mod prints and classic strips in lime, aqua and coral.

i hope you will like all the new pieces! we will be posting the pictures from the photo shoot very soon. stay tuned.

xoxo,

annabelle

wondering where you can find us? here is the link

{we will be adding the new store very soon so check back}

http://www.shoplaroque.com/locations.html

we love the gamecocks and dressing for a game!

2011-10-10T20:08:00.006-04:00

it's that time of year. the weather gets cooler, the days get shorter and saturdays are spent at the tailgate. each year we design a game day collection. pieces perfect to cheer on the team yet classic enough to wear on a date or a fall wedding without screaming... " here i am in my game day outfit"

here are some pictures from the last game where i spotted some LaRoque frocks, tops, shorts and sashes. and before you non gamecock fans worry, yes these looks are available in other colors so, you too, can sport game day fancy at your next tailgate.

the shop from a fathers prospective....

2011-09-15T22:04:00.005-04:00

one of the things i love most about my work is the relationships i have formed over the last five years. i will never forget many of my clients who have become friends. an older lady, a college student.. a neighbor. rarely do i make a connection with the father of my clients. they often are unseen supporters, sometimes not by choice and only recognizable by the name on the amex card.

one family in columbia is different. dad always brings the girls to shop for special events. i like that. dad being apart of something that can make a daughter feel beautiful, special and unique. i never had this having grown up with out my father and always wondered what it would have been like. one day, in a far away time, id like to have a family with someone who would interact with our daughters this way.

larry sent me one of my favorite emails i have ever received:

his experience with laroque spanning the last few years.

i wanted to share it with you.

A Place Called LaRoque

I first came to meet Annabelle, the proprietor, fashion designer, seamstress, marketing department, floor manager for sales, and chief cook and bottle washer for LaRoque on a rainy spring afternoon in 2008.

We had fished the entire pond of Columbia’s spring fashion offerings and were driving home disappointed and empty handed, our moods as grey as the overcast sky when we spotted a baby blue and white striped seersucker sundress in the rain streaked window of a place called LaRoque on a street called Devine.

“I’ve never noticed that boutique before,” my fifteen year old daughter commented from the passenger seat.

“Me either. Want to give it a try?” said yes in a voice tinged with despair. We were shopping for a party dress that she could wear to the high school graduation celebration of her older sister and we were running out of time.

we parked around back and hugged the building for shelter against the May shower until we got to the front door which we pushed open only to find ourselves standing in the entrance of an upscale women’s intimate apparel shop. My daughter and I exchanged questioning glances before spotting what was either a large closet or a small shop off to our right and in its plate glass window the dress we had seen from the street.

“Hi. Welcome to LaRoque,” a petite, pretty, young woman greeted us from what I would come to understand was not a closet but a studio. My recollection is that the young woman, who introduced herself as Annabelle, was simultaneously smiling and talking around the pins she was holding in her mouth while expertly guiding a pair of seamstress’ shears through some richly colored patterned material on its way to becoming a fashion statement. Several hand tailored dresses crowded the walls in competition for space in the confined area allotted to LaRoque. And that, as they say, was the beginning. She tried on the seersucker dress. Annabelle fitted it for a slight alteration and when She walked into the graduation party a few days later wearing her LaRoque original there was no shortage of compliments on her dress.

Time passed and when the need came for something to wear for my oldest to go to sorority rush we found ourselves back in the studio shop on Devine. On another occasion, when the question was a little black dress, the answer was Annabelle’s, as I had come to think of it. And over time LaRoque outgrew its corner window closet space and occupied the entirety of the building.

It was only natural then that when, three years later, when my youngest was preparing for her sorority rush we, along with sister as her fashion consultant, sought out the Queen of Southern haute couture. By this time, Annabelle’s designs had spread far beyond Devine Street, past the city limits of Columbia, over the borders of South Carolina and even to the venerable pages of the New York Times. It was nice to think we could say “we knew her when”.

it was mid-afternoon in mid-August when I found a parking space in front of Annabelle’s business neighbor, a Greek restaurant called Devine Foods. Once inside Laroque, there was Annabelle dressed in a pair of black runway shorts and coordinated top. I have always thought Annabelle is easily the best advertisement for her clothing line. Reprising the role in which my daughter and I had first seen her, Annabelle welcomed us while deftly brandishing a sewing needle loaded with thread that she was using to make final alterations to a garment. It occurred to me that Annabelle is a perpetual motion, multi-tasking machine.

Adorning the interior walls of the boutique were the results of the creative side of the proprietor’s brain in the form of dresses, skirts and blouses clustered on display hangars like small groups of friends flocking together in girl talk. In the studio birthplace area of LaRoque, Annabelle stood among a scattering of hounds tooth, black and white checked skirts that she was packaging for shipping and that would soon enough adorn the comely waists of fashion conscience women and girls at college football games on Saturdays and church on Sundays during the autumn season ahead.

A visit to LaRoque is more than a shopping trip. It is a social outing. While my daughters poured over the new styles, I took a place on a love seat across a coffee table from a young woman Annabelle introduced as Mama April who, although it would turn out was pregnant, had been dubbed “Mama” long before by Annabelle in that peculiar way Southerners have of adopting close friends as family by referring to them as Aunt so-and-so or Uncle this or that. It is a term of endearment. My children were ten and twelve before they discovered the wives of my best friends whom I always referred to as Aunt Gail and Aunt Karen had no branch on our family tree which explained why my girls never saw them at family reunions.

From a speaker somewhere above and behind me a Dylan tune caught my attention.

“Who’s the Bob Dylan fan?” I asked. No one in the shop but me could have possibly remembered that Sixties poet and icon.

I like Bob Dylan,” Annabelle owned up. “In college I dated a guy who would take me to a perch with a beautiful vista near Capstone dorm at USC and we would get drunk on cheesecake and Dylan.”

“I would love to be a fly on the wall in this place,” I said.

“I’m telling you. It’s like a beauty shop in here sometimes,” Annabelle confessed.

By this time, my daughter had tried on a dress, a skirt and the runway shorts and sister had joined me on the love seat. She liked the dress.

You know what I bet would look good on you? Annabelle said it more as a statement than a question. “We could make that dress out of this material,” she suggested producing a fabric from a recent buyer’s trip to Mood’s in New York. “This is Milly.”

I had no idea who or what Milly is or was but my daughters and Mama April seemed duly impressed so I didn’t ask.

“I love it,” my youngest cut her blue eyes in the direction of sister who gave her a nodding approval.

“Great. Let’s take your measurements,” Annabelle said grabbing pad, pen and tape measure.

“Annabelle,” Mama April said, switching subjects, “you remember the dress I bought off of your back? I was going out of town and needed something to wear,” she said, directing the story toward me. “I came in here and liked what Annabelle was wearing so I bought it and took it with me. I wore it until I got tired of hearing the compliments.”

“And I gave you a previously worn discount,” Annabelle, always the entrepreneur, reminded.

“Alright,” Annabelle said, finishing the measurements. “When do you need this?” Sorority rush would be in late September and a final fitting would be required. They worked out a “due date” for the dress and I traded the swipe of a plastic card for the promise of a future LaRoque original and we said our goodbyes to Annabelle and Mama April.

As we were leaving, two other young women arrived, no doubt shopping for that “look” that would define them. They had come to the right place. On the way home, it occurred to me that when my daughters reflect back on some of the most important social occasions of their early years, they are going to remember that a place called LaRoque was part of it.

the fall line in a boutique near you!

2011-09-13T20:32:00.019-04:00

we have been busy at LaRoque! the fall wholesale line is in full swing.

hang tags tied. hooks, eyes and buttons on skirts and fancy fall frocks.

garments pressed, everything in a hanging bag and they are off to a boutique near you!

some of our favorite looks for fall....

the trudy one shoulder in hounds tooth

eleanor wrap dress in gold

hartley backless shift with coral sash

annie ruffle top and laura pleat skirt

caroline bow top and brittan skirt

annie ruffle top and jodi bow skirt

very pleased and excited to announce that our fall line is now in available in the following boutiques along the east coast. to see the complete collection visit our website

http://www.shoplaroque.com/collection.html

Locations:

Flagship Shop:

LaRoque

2700 devine street

columbia, sc 29205

(803) 765-6062

Antigua

Lipstick

P.O. Box W1923

St. John's, Antigua

(268) 562-1130

Alabama

The Shopt For Pappagallo

2803 Cahaba Road

Birmingham, AL 35223

(205) 870-0470

Holiday

4513 Old Shell Road

Mobile, AL 36608

(251) 342-4911

Florida

Snappy Turtle

1100 E. Atlantic Ave.

Delray Beach, FL 33445

(561) 276-8088

Joy of Palm Beach

233 Royal Poinciana Way

Palm Beach, FL 33804

(561) 833-4569

Georgia

Ginger Howard Selections

3164 Peachtree Road NE

Atlanta, GA 30305

(404) 869-0115

Soho

435 Highland Ave.

Augusta, GA 30909

(706) 738-6884

The Blue Door

6501 Whitesville Rd #400

Columbus, GA 31904

(706) 596-0139

Magnolia Hill

2521 Airport Thruway # 100-B

Columbus, GA 31904

(706) 507-4415

Crimson and Clover

205 S. 7th Street

Cordele, GA 31015

(229) 273-7555

Threads on Mulberry

124 Savannah Avenue

Suite G-1

Statesboro, GA 30458

(912) 489-5189

Only Options

1421 Gornto Road

Valdosta, GA 31602

(229) 244-1807

Kentucky

Alma Hall Inc. Pappagallo

600 US 31W Byp Ste 8

Bowling Green, KY 42101

(270) 781-6831

The Cotton Patch

3367 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, KY 40502

(859) 269-8839

Blossoms

805 Frederica Street

Owensboro, KY 42301

(270) 689-2229

Louisiana

Town and Country

1514 St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 523-7027

North Carolina

Monkee’s of Biltmore

7 All Souls Cres

Asheville, NC 28803

(828) 277-6002

M Christopher's

111 Reynolda Vlg, #B

Winston-Salem, NC 27106

(336) 722-4520

South Carolina

Warren on King

154 King Street

Charleston, SC 29401

Miss. Lizzie

819 Front Street

Georgetown, SC 29440

(843) 546-0495

Sugar Boutique

203 Waller Street

Greenwood, SC 29646

(864) 229-6322

Minnie's Giftique

142 E Carolina Avenue

Hartsville, SC 29550

(843) 383-6380

Jessica’s

316 Mill Street

Manning, SC 29102

(803) 433-5555

Taylor’s

11412 Ocean Hwy #B

Pawleys Island, SC 29585

(843) 237-9500

Three Sisters

146A E. Main Street

Spartanburg, SC 29306

(864) 582-7750

Sally Bette's

9492 Ayscough Road

Summerville, SC 29485

(843) 937-6211

Tennessee

The Cotton Mill

Grace’s Plaza

4009 Hillsboro Rd. Suite 105

Nashville, TN 37215

(615) 866-2734

(615) 866-2188

Virginia

Kiskadee

2205 Mount Vernon Ave

Alexandria, VA 22301

(703) 549-0813

Monkee's of Fredericksburg

827 Caroline Street

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

(540) 368-2111

Janice Cain Stationary

316 Brown Street

Martinsville, VA 24112

(276) 638-3282

LaRoque in the New York Times!

2011-08-17T20:50:00.001-04:00

i can not tell you what it felt like to open the New York Times on sunday and read the sunday styles section. to be apart of an article that undoubtable rings true for so many americans is very gratifying.

do you consider yourself "successful now?" my mom asked on sunday as we both read.

this is what i told her:

success for me is making someone feel beautiful on an important day. finding beautiful fabric to turn into a fancy birthday frock... going to a place everyday that feels more like a living room than a retail space and cultivating relationships. even on the slow days, i do not question my choice to "abandon the cubical." the press along the way, especial this article, has been a priceless intrinsic reward. a small sign telling me not to give up my dream. when the rest of the world says hang up your hat and do something that offers a retirement plan and the like. i look back on articles that i have been featured in and i think, ive been an inspiration to someone. when the thought, was i in fact "crazy" to give up all that the corporate world has to offer crosses my mind, i always tell myself, its better to make a living off your own dream than than someone else. alex williams, the writer for the Times, put it best, "the dream job is a job and much as it is a dream." owning you own business is not always easy or fun.

this is my dream and weather i succeed or not i have gone against the odds, out on a limb, and tried. there is no company car or corporate 401k that would feel better than someone choosing to wear my piece of art. what an honor to share these pages with others like me who have taken a chance despite the odds. few things more rewarding than being able to make a living off of your life. and although,

there have been many times when i have had oatmeal for dinner and grey goose for desert, contemplating these questions and my bank account i have yet to regret my leap of faith.

meeting tory burch and other highlights from new york.

2011-08-12T23:09:00.007-04:00

i love so many things about new york. one of the best things about new york is that every trip can be different... so much to see and do. here are a few of the high lights from my last trip. i try to see at least a hand full of my favorite places each time i'm in the city. there is always a surprise waiting for you in new york... i had no idea meeting one of my favorite designers would be it.

#1 mood fabric

#2 vintage sewing machines on display in soho

#3 ties at bergdorf goodmans. love love love the silks.

#4 handmade shoes by katheryn amberleigh on mott. see more at

www.kathrynamberleigh.com

#5 central park.

#6 FAO Schwarz

# 7 subway music

#8 icecream on prince

#9.

i have to tell you that last time i was in new york i met tory burch. have you heard of the pierre hotel? its is wonderful. tory burch and her children live there. one night in the hotel and you would want to live there too. it is beautiful.

coming home from dinner one night, there she was in the lobby. pony tail, tunic and garment bag over her arm. she was as nice as she could be. i was reluctant to tell her about laroque as im am sure aspiring designers attack her all the time with questions craving advice...( i didn't want her to think i was one of them). with the persistence from the friend i was with, i told her i had the smallest clothing line in the world. it was nice to share a walk down the hall way and an elevator ride with her. to be able to tell her in person how much i admired her work really meant the world to me. we talked about sourcing fabric and the changes that she is making to her retail stores. have you seen the purple that she is incorporating in her boutiques? love it with the orange and green.

the elevator operator opened the door and there i was on the 6th floor, it seems we had arrived sooner than the last time, always seems that way when you are having a nice conversation.

she said good luck with your line, and i told her the same.

introducing: the picnic dress

2011-08-05T11:24:00.000-04:00

what makes the perfect transition dress?

a dress with sleeves.

now with sandals and later with boots.

introducing the picnic dress.

who doesn't want to go on a picnic wearing this dress? i do. yes, it is a silk dress and yes, you'll be sitting on a blanket {on the grass} with your beau. isn't that what living is about? wearing a fancy dress during the day and picnicking with your grandmothers china? life is far too short for paper plates and gym clothes out side of the gym. {if you ask me}

here was the ruff draft.

the hem too long, the the sleeves too short. neckline not quite right. we need contrast but not a sash. insert yellow waist band s'il vous plait.

this is what its like: the making of the dress while we are still perfecting the pattern. we make a sample. and then snip, nip, cut and alter until at last it "fits" perfectly.

voici que vous allez! jolie robe!

i am very excited about the new picnic dress.

and i hope you are too.

available in an array of fall fabrics to suit your fancy very very soon.

stay tuned.

xo.

vintage vogue inspiration:

2011-07-30T12:34:00.000-04:00

i recently acquired a collection of vintage vogue magazines. translation, hours and hours of inspiration. i love pondering the pages. the colors, cuts and photographic composition move me. after cups and cups of ginger peach tea and honey (and etta james on repeat) i concluded that it is the lifestyle that these photographs portray that i am drawn to. these pages are the mecca of the american woman; continually pulled to them for nostalgic inspiration. timeless yet modern. tailored and whimsical.

i remember my grandmother... she didn't have to compromise style to be bake an exceptional apple pie. under her apron she dressed. really dressed. like she was going somewhere. (and sometimes it was only to the "fancy" dinning room to serve sweet tea and fried chicken)

how do i make these inspirations my own? what to take from these photos that will translate into our next collection? sophisticated, whimsical and timeless. moms shift dress with a more tailored cut or a mini skirt out of a bright yellow wool paying homage to my alma mater.

a shift dress with sleeves adorn with oversized buttons... i think we are on to something.

look for new fall styles that will make you think of your grandmother with admiration... the older i get the more i realize how cool she really was.

thank you grannie and thank you vogue.

{ here are a few of my favorites. enjoy }

solana beach ca: and driving the pch

2011-07-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

i have always wanted to drive the pacific cost highway. other than the blue ridge parkway, the PHC is one of the most noted drives in the continental united states. mountains on one side, pacific ocean on the other, the winding highway stretches from san diego to seattle. famous artists have sung, written, painted, pontificated life, pondered the universe and been inspired on the PCH. the drive is said to be a right of passage and self discovery.

one of my stops along the PCH was solana beach. what a perfect place to spend the afternoon. open air antique shops and boutiques line a street where locals and tourist mix to plunder the latest in beach house chic decor. my favorite shop was bon bon. i continually asked myself and the shop keeper "can i ship this home?"

next stop, clairs on cedros for lunch. i had the wall street journal and watermelon gazpacho on the porch. ordered a hibiscus sweet tea to sip while i meandered the design district.

it is true what they say, the PHC is more of a mindset than a highway.

there is something about having the windows rolled down and your mind open. i drove without the radio. on the PCH you don't need music to transport your mind; the scenery does it for you. mountains on one side, cliffs jutting out into the ocean on the other, and there you are in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in the world.

i didn't take away any great song lyrics, or an idea for an oil painting or a soon to be famous quote about life as many before me have. i did, however, leave with a feeling of peace that only comes from salt air, an open mind and a good drive.

mood fabric : new york

2011-07-20T22:04:00.000-04:00

for someone who doesn't know what to look for it is easy to miss. small signs hang in a window about 10 stories up after you turn onto 37th street. you enter a small corridor. the elevator operator, larry (who has been the lift attendant for 20 plus years ) pulls the steal doors closed and cranks the elevator to the 14 floor.

the door opens.

my heart starts to beat fast.

where to first?

what to look at?

i think i had a plan but im pulled in every direction....

organized chaos everywhere.

chiffon for skirts, charmeuse for dresses, chanel tweed for a suit...

today is saturday and mood closes at 4.

im in heaven for the next hour.

oscar de la renta, marc jacobs, zac posen, versace, gucci...waiting to be turned into any frock you fancy.

this silk will soon be bow ties for the fall...

don't you love the vintage dinosaur buttons?

feathers waiting to be made into a fascinator...

there is no place like mood fabric.

having excellent customer service and deep roots in the fashion scene, mood has become a sought out destination for european fabrics and italian treads. mood is the mecca of apparel design. silk, gabardine, wool, lace, leather you name it, it's there. it is said that if you don't find it at mood, you wont find it. over 40,000 square feet of notions, fabric, buttons and trim. a novice sewer or master tailor, mood is the place to be inspired and create.

four o'clock seemed to come sooner than an hour as i hurried to make my final selections. most of what i found you will find on the custom rack at the shop. the prints are perfect for your pool side or pew side occasion.

{a few pieces ill save for me... its hard to part with things you fall in love with.}

happy west coast july 4th

2011-07-10T23:14:00.000-04:00

i love the 4th of july, always have. looking back on sailing as a child in the charleston harbor. hair french braided on both sides, preppy posh gap bathing suit, no shoes and sun burned shoulders. boats adorned with red white and blue flags that waved among the nautical flags. watermelon cut, chicken fried, crab dip chilled and we off to morris island.

this was my first 4th on the west coast. i adore san diego, all of southern california speaks to my soul. the lifestyle and the landscape are equal parts refreshing and inviting. i spent this forth of july in a post card of perfect americana. coronado is a dream. each yard exquisitely manicured with draping flags from banisters on a back drop of a crisp blue sky... the day was an outstanding birthday celebration for our country.

we enjoyed the cutest cookout in the back yard of this sweet cottage...

vintage beach cruisers took us to hotel del for afternoon drinks and the hopeful celebrity spotting. built more than 120 years ago, the hotel del coronado has been a beacon of grandeur and refinement among vacation destinations in southern california. the iconic red-shingled roof in contrast to the dazzling azure pacific coastline was the perfect place to enjoy celebratory summer libation.

if not in charleston, i can think of no other place i would have rather been for the 4th. it was hard to say so long to southern california. its one of the few places that you can't help but feel completely alive. my friend hector once said that true happiness comes when you feel truly alive. i believe him more so after a few days in san diego. ill be back soon.

here's to your mom on your big day!

2011-06-21T10:54:00.000-04:00

your tying the knot! yay! what an exciting time. mom helps with the flowers, the vows and the venue. you have your binder... why you're both going; when and where... one million things to do now that you are engaged. the year of all about "you". after all, you are the bride.

It's your big day but what about mom? what should she wear to your parties and the wedding? you look online... are they really showing that 20 something year old model in the "mother of the bride look," that seems as if it's fit more for a runway than an aisle. you keep looking, you you find something the right color but it's too "mom from the 90's." what will she wear that says timeless and classic without looking, well frumpy or that she is trying to steal the show? something tailored with a little flair.

below are a few of our favorite styles for your mom...

afterall, we want you both to be happy on the big day. in this case, if the bride ain't happy, no body is happy.

...and if you haven't liked our new facebook page, click here and check out more of our "for the mom" frocks.

the parachute gown and a beautiful day.

2011-06-13T22:42:00.000-04:00

i never met my grandfather. he was a pilot in ww11.

major richard w. laroque was reported missing in action. a severe shock to my family as they learned the news that he had not returned from the mission on april 10 of 1945.
the mission was over the eastern edge of the "rose pocket,"
near endorf germany; he was the mission leader. he disappeared while strafing the target and failed to answer when other members of the mission noted his absence and called over the radio.
my grandfather had 86 missions, 224:25 hours combat flying, and a total of 2049:55 hours in the air. decorated with the distinguinsted flying cross, air medal and 15 oak leaf clusters, and a purple heart, we are left full of pride.

with liberty, christianity, and common decency in question, my grandfather found it his calling to fight for theses principles. it was before pearl harbor that he enlisted. his brother was the oldest a member of the united states marine corps and he was the youngest in the united states army air corps. it is documented that he performed his duties well as a major in the united states air force.

although i did not know him, i will always think him with affection.

in march of 1945 he sent his parachute home for my grandmother, annabelle hartley to construct a christening gown for my father. in return, my grandmother sent him my dads baby booties to hang in the cockpit of his p-47 thunder bird. granddad couldn't be home for the christening but the gown severed as a reminder that he was there. the following month my grandmother learned that his plane was shot down. he nor his plane were ever found.

this gown is my connection to him.

my grandmother annabelle stored the gown in a mason jar. over the years various woman in our family have repaired the gown in places that time has allowed to deteriorate. i have spent the last month working on the gown. it is worn in the shoulders and on the hem... but beautiful none the less.

37 years after my dad wore the gown, my sister was christened and the following year i was. in between two of our cousins wore the parachute gown.

my dad passed away when i was 5. some of you may know that i named my kitchen table endeavor in his honor. i wanted the laroque name to be carried on. i don't know much about my dad. he didn't know much about his dad. one of the few things that bind us all together is this little tiny dress made from a 68 year old silk parachute.

on sunday, my sisters youngest child, hartley was christened. what a beautiful day. i know my dad and grandfather would have loved to be there, to see her in the parachute, and in so many ways they were.

my dad, richard west laroque

my sisters son, richard west gotbetter

my sister and hartley.

the gown is now safe in the mason jar until the next child in our family is christened. this connection to our past has brought much joy and sorrow. emotions are often this way, the happy times make us sad, the sad times make us thankful. to think of the deep anxiety my grandmother felt, not knowing if my grandfather would return home juxtaposed to how glorious sunday was.

slowing down to stop.

2011-06-09T10:54:00.000-04:00

if i told you everything that happened in may you wouldn't believe me.

what a month.

professionally and personally i felt God telling me to decelerate; to slow down enough to see what is important. sometimes, you just keep going and going because thats what it takes to have a successful life. once someone said that you get rewarded "tending to your own land" no one has ever become successful "looking over the fence" per say. you see someone else in your profession, someone else your age, someone in a relationship or similar situation and you think, what's going on there that isn't going on here? we are taught that success occurs when we stay in our own lane and keep our eyes focused on the prize. a promotion, a raise, a second location, more media attention. you are going so fast that one road block doesn't slow you down, and it shouldn't. after all, life is full of challenges. title waves occur on majestic smooth water all the time. i had several waves on my normally peaceful island; in fact, the month of may was more like a tsunami.

you get fastened on the goal you lose sight of the journey. is this healthy? am i sacrificing my life for my career? what do i love about my life? i am investing in what i value?

after God shouted at me for a month to slow i decided i would listen.

something happens when you sleep in a room like the one below. stone walls, fireplace, birds and sunlight in the morning. what is important to me? i, so often, relish in the hectic hustle. go go go go. its scary to slow down. for me, when i decelerate, God speaks deliberately. truth is, he is speaking clearly all the time, its my habitually hectic life that obscures all the red flags he waves telling me to take a break and breath.

pretty little wedding dress redo

2011-06-08T10:50:00.000-04:00

how sweet is this little girl?

we made this dress for her portrait to me made in....

want to know the best part?

see the lace on the bodice and the bow? its from her mothers wedding gown.

we deconstructed the gown in the picture below...

here is where we started...

ta da!

hello new york

2011-06-01T12:06:00.000-04:00

there is something about new york. the combination of unique parts move my soul. i always leave changed. the street energy, the small eclectic shops ... underground jazz clubs, roof top lounges with star sightings. outdoor french bistros and vintage fabric shops. a street artist with a vibrant canvas inspires a pair of pink silk shorts....

i can be lost and feel at home. there is no place like new york.

we walk by a huge melting clock on spring street in soho. me in my skinny jeans and jess in her cut off jeans, boots and "bangs fresh off the runway" do. my friend, the charleston southern belle, is now a hip lord and taylor buyer. i realize in the grand fashion scheme my skinny jeans aren't that adventurous.

it is infact a salvador dali exhibit! jessica remarks there are always great shows at this ultra hip gallery, in a voice that shows that her years in the city have enhanced her immunity towards such things that excited me, a small towner. she in her hipster boots and me in my seersucker laroque top stroll threw the gallery and although new york has changed us both but in different ways im immensely grateful for her and the day.

we visit the moma and top shop. although i couldn't muster up the courage for the combat boots i did find a few pieces that are more adventurous than the skinny jeans. before long i was off to the airport.

so long new york city lights...

the fall line

2011-06-01T10:30:00.001-04:00

hello blog readers. its june 1st. already 91 outside. where did may go? its been busy here. graduation dresses, bridesmaid dresses, summer frocks for pool parties and sea side soirees. and of course the completion of the fall line! i am so excited about the fall collection... is it too early to wear the little gold skirt now? most of the pieces are perfect for transitioning into fall. im pairing the coral bow top now with white jeans...for market research purposes. i can see it with black skinny pants for holiday too.

here is a sneak peek at the line:

interested in the fall line or want it to be carried at your favorite local boutique? we will be at market june 9th-12th in the michael perry showroom in atlanta.

michaelperryshrm@att.net

Suite 9N 102
Tel: 404-681-1945
Fax: 404-681-1942

many thanks to the very talented virgil bunao for the beautiful photography. you can see more of this work at www.cviphotography.com

bangles and bunnies in palm beach

2011-04-29T22:23:00.001-04:00

strolling south conty road in palm beach i stubbled upon a very unique shop, Sequin.

the window caught my eye. did you know it was the year of the rabbit? see the little bunnies in the front window!

bunnies in the window, beautiful bangles everywhere... i had to explore..

heres the scoop:

if you were born in 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1951, 1939 or 1927 you were born in the year of the rabbit. those born under this sign are affectionate, sensitive, ambitious and compassionate. often conservative as well as seekers peace rabbits make few enemies and enjoy quiet peaceful life.

every year many people abandon the little bunny they thought would be the perfect addition to easter. how sad. petter cotton tail is more work they they thought and instead of caring for the bunny the bunny set free in an unsafe environment or dropped off at a shelter that most likely does not have means to care for rabbits.

in a effort to help save and care for the rabbits Sequin Boutique has teamed up with HARE anorganization to help educate bunny buyers in what it takes to care for a bunny.

the shop donates a potion of the proceeds from every purchase to the organization.

and how could you not want to buy something in this shop?

love these enamel coral bangles.

not planning a trip to palm beach and would love to have one of these bangles? the friendly safe is happy to ship to you! you can also find Sequin at Neimans, Bergdorf, Bendells, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom.

sequin

330 south county road

palm beach fl 33480

561.833.7300

palm beach circa 1950-1980

2011-04-28T21:30:00.000-04:00

palm beach has always been home to the bright and stylish. the leisurely mood of the island demands a lavish colorful frock that looks effortless . lilly and Pucci trendsetters walk the dog and enjoy morning tea at outdoor cafes. even casual wear is given a designer spin as halter dresses and tunic tops look chic.

glam vintage on dixie hwy, home to an extensive collection of wears from the 60's 70's and 80's. looking for the lilly your grandmother wore? you will find it here. some of the first lilly prints produced hang on racks while Pucci and Hermes scarves adorn the walls. pill box hats and oversized pearls make this a must see shop for any "before it was cool" ... im bringing it back conuasoiur.

Pucci and Hermez scarves

across dixie you will find palm beach vintage. the carefully selected collection of only high end designer lines is a must see.

have you ever seen such an extensive collection of pucci? beautiful ...

louis vuitton from the 70's and 80's

prada ... lanvin... bill blass... you name it.

there is vintage thats cool because its vintage designer, the vintage thats cool because its nostalgic and the cool vintage because the style has now come full circle. in any of case its fun to be connected to the past. to own the pucci shorts. the original pucci, when pucci was still finding out who they were and what they wanted to be. and to know that you own a part of their "ah ha" moment. we will look at vintage designers and know that what they were saying then is the same as what they say now. for lilly and pucci- its luxury leisure. and you are sure to find both, and plenty of it, in palm beach. both in and out of the vintage shops.

palm beach antique row

2011-04-27T20:51:00.000-04:00

antique row, the art and design district of west palm beach consist of over 50 antique shops, vintage store and art galleries. shops with a vast selection of pieces from the 17th to 20th century line the charming street. chairs and planters overflow onto the sidewalk as shop keeps stroll in and out to greet clients and mingle with each other. monday was the perfect day to explore antique row.

my taste tends to gravitate to danish mid-century design. i found objects in the loft of particular interest. wade and his staff were friendly and knowledgeable. the lower level is open and show cases a mix of styles from mid-century modern, mission and rattan. dont you love the chair below?

upstairs, the preparations for the palm beach modern auctions were in full swing.

to see more visit www.objectsintheloft.com

a few of my other favorite stops along the way...

coco house is delightfully charming with a mix of english bamboo furnishings and modern designs.

cashmere buffalo had by far the most interesting mix. lighting, furniture, vintage jewelry, buttons, holloware, rugs and vinatge linens filled the space. the carefully edited pieces are displayed in a whimsical way.

can you see the jars of button on the table? they will soon adorn laroque skirts, dresses and shorts.

the row has been acclaimed by media and "a list" designers as the countries best mix of antiques. its a good thing that only the small treasures found fit in the over head compartment on the plane... surely it would be hard to say no to many of these pieces had i only known a way to get them back to columbia.

not so prom, prom dresses...

2011-04-19T22:56:00.001-04:00

did you wear a prom dress in the 90's? i did. looking back, despite the search at every department store for the perfect dress, im asking myself, what was i thinking? the beads... the lace... the color yellow...( found no where in nature, color yellow) one time wear wonders. i would upload a picture but for the sake of you all still trusting me for design advice i think its best you not see the bad choices i made. ill leave it to your imagination.

here are a few not so prom, prom dresses we made this year.

i told all the gals who wore this frocks to prom that if they ever want to trade them in for something else at the shop i would buy them back i love them so much and would wear them anywhere but prom. (not that the dress is not suitable for prom, it is, im not suitable for the prom) dinner? a wedding? a garden party? luncheon? dinner party....

a few from the prom...

what its really like to have a job you love.

2011-04-19T21:32:00.000-04:00

its a strange thing to have a job you like. its a even more peculiar thing to have a job you love. i love my job. the shop... with the grey walls and white furniture.. the clean open pallet to create. the chance to meet new people everyday, the chance to make someone feel beautiful on an important day, the chance to cheer someone up when they are down. i really do think i have one of the best jobs one could ask for. i love going to the shop everyday. strange things happens when you love your job.

1. your friends may not understand.

it is safe to guess that 3 out of 5 of my friends do not love their job. this can be a problem with friendship. sometimes they don't understand while even on days i have off, i want to and need to be at work.

2. you take everything personal.

positive: there is a lot of intrinsic reward in making someone feel beautiful.

negative: i can fit your body but i can not fit your mind. when you are not happy i take it personally.

3. its not about the money.

positive: your work is not soley centered around a pay check

negative: you must always remember that despite love it is a business.

4. personal life and professional life bleed together.

nights are spent emailing... saturdays are spent doing fitting... sundays painting baseboards and mopping...

5. you are always at work (mentally)

this means that i am always thinking about work. fabric orders, bills, clients, taxes, swatches, dresses, bowties... emails, facebook messages im behind on... time to design spring 2012.. . whats going on at the factory? wedding dates of 15 gals all at the same time. all, on average 50 plus, clients i have at a single time, who needs what, when, how ... when is her spring break? maybe a different neckline with her hair cut? on and on and on... yes, i think about you all, all the time.

don't get me wrong i love my job but where does laroque end and annabelle begin? i am sure that this question has been asked my every person in my shoes. at some point everyday i try to turn off " laroque" and turn on " annabelle". thats a hard thing because often im not sure where one ends and the other begins. one time i saw a client at the garden center and she said "what are you doing here?" in a tone that implied i should be sketching the next design.

i do know that when i spend time not related to the shop im better at being creative, and ultimately its creativity that drives my collections. the colors of the ocean while on vacation the way a southern recipe for lemon bars makes me think of my grandmothers vintage dresses...creativity comes from many sources.

as an independent retailer, whole-seller and designer, accountant, maid and counselor i wear a lot of hats... but what hat is truly mine? its not realistic to think that all the hats should fit perfectly. after all, i am in the business of "fit" and know that it can be tricky to take multiple things into consideration at once. still i try very hard to make all the hats fit and balance the act of wearing so many while still feeling that under them all i am me.

LaRoque at the Carolina cup!

2011-04-06T17:50:00.001-04:00

i like when you send me pictures!

here are few of my favorites from the carolina cup!

all of the cup dresses are finished! yay!

2011-04-01T17:06:00.000-04:00

here are a few of my favorite frocks from the 2011 carolina cup collection !

sure does feel good to have all of these dresses complete!

look for pictures from the races soon!

xoxo

tiny boxwood bliss

2011-03-30T21:22:00.008-04:00

you enter a modern metal gate covered in perfectly groomed vines. french music and fresh baked bread filled the air. a sign directs you to place your order, you enter the most beautiful garden your mind can imagine.

last sunday reece and i had brunch at the most amazing place. part french cafe, part nursery, part posh modern garden gift shop. tiny boxwoods in houston texas is tucked away in the middle of downtown.

inside metal beams and concrete floors contrasted with wooden tables and fresh picked hydrangeas.

on the other side of the green lawn the nursery is laid out in a perfect grid pattern. bright yellows and pink line the walkway.

i would love for the inside of my house to decorated this way... maybe after the cup ill make some changes. the small shop in the corner of the nursery was so relaxing...

attention to detail everywhere... love how these wagons are displayed....

onto the rice ucf baseball game then back to columbia to wrap up the cup dresses!

one week and its off to the races....

2011-03-24T19:38:00.000-04:00

this box of serger thread is now empty...

one week from saturday 183 girls will be wearing a frock that we have designed and made especially for her. a dress to match her hair color, favorite sandals, dates bowtie and personality. each one thought about as if it were the last dress they may have to wear for the rest of their lives. it really is unlike just picking a dress for another occasion from another shop. what does that fabric say about who she is? is it modern and classy? fun and vintage? to have a dress made that exactly says "me". we pick the navy ruffle to contrast with olive skin and the skirt with pockets even though we know we wont put anything in them, its just fun, right?

perfectly planned out and constructed with "her" in mind. the KD at carolina, the young newlywed... even had a grandmother making her appearance at the cup for the 26th time. woman of all ages and walks of life in custom dresses. some who save and plan for a year knowing that this is the dress they have to have and other who stubble in by the suggestion of a friend. i have to admit that it is moving when a gal has thought about her custom laroque dress for sometime. i know i always appreciate things more after pinning over them.

17 girls have yet to be fitted. 12 bow ties need hooks and 8 monogram sashes in the works. i know it seems last minute, it feels that way too. we start with cup dresses right after christmas but its hard to think seersucker thoughts with snow on the ground. my team of seamstresses assures me that we are on track but i still worry and can't sit still.

this time next week

numerous bow tying lessons will have been given, dresses will be pressed, hats will be adored with matching bows we will be off to the races!

here is a look behind the scenes...

don't you love this green sewing machine?

we file your order by day. all of the waiting prints where ordered one tuesday in march...

one week of orders pre cup...

back to the ironing board... happy one week before cup!

lindsey and charlie say i do in laroque!

2011-03-19T21:12:00.001-04:00

it is so rewarding to share someone's special day with them. lindsey and charlie were such a great couple to work with and get to know. they share the type of love little girls dream of... you should have seen his face when she walked down the aisle. he was so happy and she was so beautiful. i love how each of the bridesmaid picked out the style that fit her personality best. they looked just lovely.

its occasions like this that make me remember what this is all about... outfitting ladies for real life. making them feel special on days that matter most.

a happy surprise... well really two!

2011-03-10T10:20:00.000-05:00

its nice to have visitors.

its even nicer to have visitors who bring fun surprises!

meet my friends brenton and lauren. brenton is a local artist known for making bottle neck guitar slides from recycled wine bottles. he uses some fancy secretive technique to remove the neck of the bottle in way to preserve the shape of the neck of the bottle. i would imagine that this would be a very complicated venture. have you ever seen a bottle perfectly broken? brenton said if i was real nice and supplied the next afternoon treat he would show me the factory (of sorts) how this process happens. after the neck of the bottle is removed it is then polished to be fabricated into the most beautiful guitar slide you have ever seen. ( not that i have seen that many but ill assure you that these slides are beautiful even to a non-slider.)

did you notice the glasses in the photo above, this is brenton's newest venture, glasses from the bottom of the bottles. he had a order for a slide to be made from the top of the bottle below... so we shared an afternoon libation of an italian sparkling wine. after all, can't just pour out the wine...it was for business purposes of course.

almost makes me want to take a guitar lesson... or is that the wine talking?... remember the blue slide in the above photo? i imagine its made from a similar bottle as the one we shared.

surprise number two!

does this dress look familiar to you? it is one of my all time favorite dresses i made a few years ago for my friend liz! lauren is a local artist who specializes painting dresses.

here we have the original design!

talk about making my day! friends, sparkling wine, and beautiful painting!

happy wednesday for sure! below are a few more examples of lauren's work

i love her style. whimsical but sophisticate.

wouldn't it be fun to have your wedding dress painted? or maybe your birthday dress? maybe a unique gift for a friend? lauren had my mind spinning of all the past designs that i would love to see in oil and charcoal...

to see more of lauren's work:

http://www.laurenspaintpalette.blogspot.com/

to see more of brenton's work:

http://www.mrbsguitarslides.com/

you don't have to have a fancy surprise to come visit me. im just happy to for you to stop by. thats the perk of owning your own place... you can take a break { by break i mean iron in one hand, wine in the other} when needed.

this week at the shop!

2011-03-08T19:44:00.000-05:00

here are a few of my favorite looks from this week...

hope you are having a good day!

xoxo

701 market

2011-03-06T09:40:00.000-05:00

hello saturday!

have you been to the market at 701 whaley on saturday mornings? live music fills the air out on the porch while 25 + local venders sell their goods inside. from local farmers to craftsman, the market offers a unique mix of goods that are produced in south carolina.

breakfast and fresh cut tulips for the shop. love the electric red.

that's right, edible flowers. who knew?

brought home this loaf. no bread after wednesday... im giving it up for lent. are you giving something up? thought my last few slices should be homemade.

three bad seeds! my favorite booth at the market! how cute are these handmade animals? they are constructed with reclaimed apparel. the wool from old sweaters is washed to give it a felt look. each creature is unique.

see more of their work at threebadseeds.com

inside out chocolate!

perfect place to spend saturday morning

fabric shopping in houston !

2011-03-03T21:15:00.000-05:00

after mood in new york i was sure that i had discovered the best place to unique fabrics. that was until i spent monday at fashion fabrics in houston texas. from new designers to old vintage favorites i was in heaven. they say that everything is bigger in texas and this fabric warehouse is no exception.

unlike mood fabrics the fabrics that lined the walls and tables here were perfectly color-coded. love that. silk charmeuse prints perfectly rolled on the wall. the selction of vintage Pucci fabric had my mind spinnging. the print below will be a summer skirt.

luckily i found this normally $125 a yard piece on the remnant table...

millie fabric... how great would this be in a long patio dress? may have to keep this one for me...

cup dress heaven... brought home a few of these prints for the last of the custom cup orders.

japanese ribbon fit for a waist band on a simple skirt

love this ribbon hanging suspended from the branches... thinking we will do this in the windows at the shop for summer.

the selection of bridal lace and trim was extensive and breath taking... if we ever make a turn towards bridal this will be my first stop.

how about these feathers to trim the bottom of a party dress?

sometimes i see a fabric and think... skirt or pillow? this time pillow won. perfect on my favorite chair at home this cobalt silk will soon be filled with feathers.

everyone needs a little time away.... hello austin texas!

2011-03-03T20:11:00.000-05:00

look closely, can you see those two cowboys on horses ridding down the street mixed with the traffic? welcome to austin texas.

an article in the wall street journal heighten my desire to know what all this " getting weird" in austin texas was all about, so reece and i sat out for a weekend adventure.

the slogan for austin is "keep austin weird" and trust me, they are doing it.

you haven't seen austin till you have wondered south congress avenue. known for the cluster of eclectic shops and cluster of food trailers there is something at every turn to amaze your senses. the smell of fresh baked cupcakes mixes with the sound of street musicians to make this street a world renown place for people watching.

even a non antique lover will love uncommon objects. a warehouse of sorts with artfully arranged vintage goods this place has a modern western vibe with a retro twist. from western hand bags to art and artifacts this place has a way of making the clutter seem priceless.

how about that hilton head belt buckle...

one step in lucy in disguise and you will see that any time you want to "get weird" the costume possibilities are endless all year long....

rows and rows of countless colors and styles of cowboy boots. from range ready to $2,500 a pair for two steeping at the local honkeyhonk everyone is sure to find a pair that fits. from the smallest cowgirl to hand tooled goat skin for a rodeo it was a sight to see.

on the hunt for the odd duck on south lamar we found gourdoughs. the home of the original donut creation. from sweet to savory the choices where equally odd and tempting. fried chicken and honey on a donut to bananas and chocolate.... we shared a donut topped with BBQ and potato salad... yep, it sounded strange to us too but it was surprisingly heavenly.

this is the type of "weird " i could get used to. hotel san jose is a retreat. scandinavian design meets modern in this hotel with simple decor and concrete floors. who doesn't want a pair of Toms shoes waiting to great you?

on sunday we kayaked down the lady bird lake river. the weather was perfect. the park on one side of the bank was filled with picnic goers while the other side of the river was lined with city buildings.

can't leave austin with out one more treat. a nutella crepe and we were on our way back to houston...

why am i so tired on a friday night? shouldn't i be out dancing?

2011-02-18T21:02:00.001-05:00

the week end review:

new bridesmaid dress order

3 mothers of the groom/bride

71 cup dresses on order

first wholesale shipment out to del ray beach fl

helped prom goers with bow ties

3 prom dresses

fit a bride for her wedding gown

first skype consolation

new fabric

make new pillows for the shop added to the to do list

friends birthday dinner,

girlie movies rented but not watched

went to denver

traveled 12 hours by plane

late night pizza

spent the night in the loft of an old church converted to condos

vail for a day of skying

tai valentines day lunch with reece and friends

had an elk taco

new respect for professional skiers

jl mclaughlin truck show.. converting a tunic into a dress

meeting with the factory

went without internet for 38 hrs at work

thought of painting my kitchen

started new book

ordered fall fabric

went to bed at 10 on a friday night...

is this a sign im getting old?

kelly and parker tie the knot and a day i wont forget

2011-02-10T16:35:00.000-05:00

i am thankful that every day i go to a place that i love, a place that feels more like a living room than a place of business. a place where friends are made and lives are stitched together as we design and sew. intrinsic validation at its finest, to make a living off of your life. there is no greater reward to see someone happy in a dress i have created.

the days have gone by in the last five years, and i have no idea where they went. seasons bleed together and i can hardly believe this is our 5th spring. there are many days that i do not remember. parker and kelly's wedding day and the time that i spent with them will not be forgotten.

my relationship with kelly began with a top for her engagement pictures... what an honor in itself. a few months later we began to design and construct her wedding gown. simple and elegant with a pleat detail and small bow the dress just fit her personality and style. as we began to work on the bridesmaid dresses, mother of the bride, mother of the groom, flower girl and the soloist dress for the big day i knew this would be an event i wouldn't forget.

something changed in me seeing them. i known that love exist. but something happens when you see it. love that is giving and unselfish. where the other person is put first. i saw this in how kelly and parker talked to each each other, how the each mother worked with her daughters to find the style that best suited them for their bridesmaid dress. how dorothy bragged on and conversed with her grand children... when they were together at the shop, love was there too.

mother of the bride

mother of the groom

the 5th year of custom carolina cup dresses!

2011-02-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

its hard to believe this is the fifth year.

there were a few flyers around campus, my kitchen table, a monogramed ribbon label and a group of girls who were willing the give a custom made carolina cup dress a try.

pick your fabric and your style, one dress per fabric, no two alike.

i remember that first year. my mom and aunt came at the last second to help me sew in the labels and finish the hems of the 78 dresses. i had no idea that five years later laroque would expand the way it has. never imagined we would be here on the 5th year of custom cup dresses and also be selling in shops all over the east coast. God is so good.

i am so grateful for all of you who have supported me over the years. it feels so good when you choose to wear larouqe to the cup ( or to any occasion really...) there are so many talented designers and fashion houses. thank you for choosing laroque. the intrinsic reward and these pictures are priceless.

here are some of my favorite cup photos from over the years....

if you are wondering how to have a custom made dress, here is the process,

1. pick your fabric and your style

2. we take your measurements

3. you decide what color.. do you want a ruffle? a pleat? a monogram on your sash? we will make your dress exactly how you wish.

3. two to three weeks later, you come in for a fitting.

at the point changes can be made and an alterations are noted

4. a week or so later your dress is ready to take home!

5. have a good time at the race and take photos!

we will stop taking orders in a few weeks...

hope to see you soon!

carolina cup! a few of my favorites this year....

2011-02-02T12:46:00.000-05:00

and the fall line is complete!

2011-02-02T12:02:00.000-05:00

well hello there. are there any of you left out there reading?

i know it has been some time. very busy january here at the shop! it has been petal to the metal since christmas...

the fall line will debut this thursday at the atlanta apparel market in the michael perry show room. this will be the second wholesale collection. can you believe its time to start thinking fall? i have just started to hang up the seersucker for spring!

here's where the samples are made...

the curtains and color scheme resemble what we have done for fall.

{ no, this wasn't planned. }

a preview of the new collection...

deep coral, deep aqua, black and white and texture...

the laura pleat skirt

can't wait for you to see this silk velvet dot in person... it is stunning.

our new tinsley dress.

im going to need this in a few prints....

well, you didn't think you were going to get to see everything, did you?

the fall line will be in the shop on devine street in august. {as well as other boutiques}

if you own a shop along the east cost or know someone who does, you can see the entire collection in the Michael Perry show room in the Atlanta Apparel Market this thursday- tuesday.

back to the cup dress....

drum roll please.... the wholesale line!

2010-10-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

i stared at this board for what seemed like years....

what would the spring line be? what was my inspiration? how would the story be told and what would translate to buyers in the south east?

soon, each piece begin to have a life of its own... where would i wear this? and with what? and with who? do i feel... palm beach... st. barts... soho... isle of palms? where did i want to travel next summer and what would i wear?

the story came together after several versions of the concept board below... the modern southern woman and all of her summer plans outfitted by laroque.

night before market in atlanta....

what a relief:

the collection complete.

feels like all my children the night before the first day of school, pressed and ready...

{you get attached}

i was so greatful to have sayde and sandra from charleston fashion week model the spring line, aren't they beautiful? these are a few from the shoot.

and for the look book pictures:

many thanks to travis ... love these photos.

the concept board comes full circle....

press kits for prospective boutiques

reviewing the line with the reps in the micheal perry showroom in atlanta.

so far, 17 boutiques in the south east have ordered for spring. from alexandra va to palm beach and over to mobile alabama.... we have come along way from the kitchen table. many thanks to the boutiques, my friends and my family for believing in me. cant wait for spring.....

last weekend... and nothing to do with dresses

2010-09-29T16:56:00.001-04:00

after spending saturday morning at the shop working on the wholesale line i headed to charleston. the last month has been extremely stressful, exciting, overwhelming and emotional. to say the least i was ready for a mini break. there is nothing like driving into charleston and feeling home.

have you ever seen anything sweeter? last week my older sister, brittan, gave birth to the most precious baby girl. her name is hartley elizabeth. our grandmothers name was annabelle hartley. little hartley and i both share her name.

holding hartley was just what i needed ... she took all the stress of the last month away. just looking at her, how small and perfect and peaceful. God is so cool. being with my family this weekend reminded me that there is more to life than dresses (although it is a huge part of my life) they love me regardless of patterns, prints, styles, fashion week, wholesale or not....they know the rest of me. the before laroque part. i like that. sometime i get so wrapped up in work.... i can't turn it off. when your life, career and hobbies over lap and bleed into each other this happens. sometimes it's nice to escape ... its nice to be home.

the cousins...

they said "take a picture of us" so i did.

and sweet chalsa.. im not sure she's into hartly yet...

back to the spring line...

night before vegas....

2010-09-11T09:26:00.000-04:00

my flight for vegas leaves in 30. i am headed to the international textile show.

what's on my mind:

laroque just had its 3rd birthday... time has flown by.

what will i show for charleston fashion week spring 2011?

spring 2011 line to wholesale?

{no worries the studio on devine st will still be open ...}

its time for a plan. {not my nature at all}

late last night, in hopes of some direction and inspiration marquis and i went to the shop. im sure you didn't miss the line about wholesaling for spring 2011. i have been talking with a rep in atlanta for a year about the possibilities of a wholesale line. i have felt this universal pull to do something more with laroque. don't get the wrong impression i am perfectly happy on devine st. i love the everyday interaction with customers but sometimes feel like what i love the most, fabric and design are lost in the everyday routine.

last night i tried on every garment in the shop. what do i truly love? what do my clients love? what fabric fits my vision? what says "laroque"? what feels right for spring? where have we been ... and were are we headed?

after hours in the studio, marquis painted my nails "waking up in vegas" by debrah lippmann. {seemed fitting } lady gaga is wearing the same shade on this months cover of vanity fair. if it inspires her, maybe it will inspire me. grey and coral for spring 2011? we will see....

jen and jay tie the knot

2010-09-08T22:35:00.000-04:00

what a treat to be apart of jennifer and jay's big day! below are a few picture from the wedding. {compliments of travis}

the garter made from a combination of family laces and fabric.

sweet ring bearer in his little laroque bow tie.

love this shot of the back of the dresses... what beautiful bridesmaids...

one shoulder dress in white silk with embroidered beads.

fashion marketing ... {and we're in a text book}

2010-08-21T13:41:00.000-04:00

ill have to admit when Marianne Bickle, department of retail chair at the University of South Carolina, called to say she wanted to stop by and talk about my marketing strategy for an upcoming project i was a little surprised. marketing strategy? the same feeling overcomes me when someone wants to talk about my business plan. i have never had either. the plan in 2005 was to quit my job and make skirts. that was it. there was no market research or even a conversation with another young "designer" {even calling me a "designer"would have been a huge stretch and still is very flattering}. i did have one professor who said that opening a retail store was an awful idea. he loved my idea and creative energy but said there wasn't any money in retail and very little happiness. {im sure glad i was too stubborn to listen.}

my friends and family were always supportive although, im not sure if they knew how skirts would support me beyond a creative outlet. i didn't know either that you really can make a living off of your life by doing what you love.

when Marianne sat down in the studio we began to talk about facebook marketing. it just seemed logical to post my designs. my shop has always been a different shopping experience. i like to say its intimacy without the intensity. it can be a very personal experience to have your measurements taken for custom tailoring. often times, my customers do become my "friend".

facebook was different than how i expected. almost over night, i had girls wanting to "be my friend" on face book {or be friends with the fun frock in the picture}. who they were, i didn't know. of course i anticipated being "friends" with my clients, but where did these other "friends" come from? the questions and comments came flooding in and still do from dress lovers from all over the country who just happen to see a picture they fancy.

three years later we are close to 5,000 friends. facebook has been a great way to communicate with my clients. its easy to post pictures, alert customers when new fabric is in and share what what is playing on the ipod. i have been overwhelmed by the support, kind words and gratitude from laroque fans via facebook. seeing someone in thier laroque at a function truly makes my day. to think.....this person choose to wear my piece of art for their special occasion.

so here we go! the cover of Fashion Marketing by Marianne Bickle. the book focusses on theory, principles and practices of fashion marketing. the text book will be distributed world wide by Fairchild books for fashion, marketing and retail classes. i am extremely honored to be apart of this book. most, if not all, of my fashion icons are among the pages. to be associated with them in this way is very humbling. many thanks to Marianne Bickle for hearing my disorganized synopsis of a marketing plan. what an honor.

here are a few of my favorite things {for fall}...

2010-08-20T17:07:00.001-04:00

i love the fall...it's my favorite season. the shop switches over from pastels to jewel tones. seersucker takes a backseat to tweed and wool is on the way...

here are a few of my favorite things {for fall}

love these new backless dresses...

new bow skirt

who doesn't need a feather headband for fall?

new bags...

back to school shopping in mind, just feels like it's time for a new makeup/ purse catch all. how cute would these be packed with pencils, small note books and highlighters?