Silk and Leather, Sequins and Feathers: Adding Unexpected Sparkle to Your Holiday Style.
We just returned home from a three day in-store event in Branson, Missouri, where the J.Mullin Apparel brand was featured as the guest designer at the Branson Fashion House boutique. It started out with a V.I.P invitation-only event for a group of about 50 of the Fashion House's best customers, and continued over the next two days as an Open House event for the public.
Our impromptu fashion show featuring the boutique's employees, and even a couple of customers, was a lot of fun for all involved -- whether a volunteer model or just observing as a guest. By simply combining the boutique's latest fashions with the one-of-a-kind jackets and robes from the J. Mullin Apparel collection, some amazing outfits were created that brought out the distinctive beauty and personal style of each woman.
Here I am, acting as the commentator for the runway show along with the boutique owner, Anette Tuxen. We both are wearing J. Mulllin Apparel looks.
A picture can be intriguing, but there's nothing more convincing than experiencing a woman's instant transformation in person. Our talented stylist, Amani Skalacki, dressed each volunteer runway model, bringing out her unique personal style and playing up her best features.
Here is Amani: wearing one of our one-of-a-kind holiday scarves with a luscious evergreen faux fur coat - a stunning combination.
It is kind of exciting to see what happens to a woman's demeanor when she puts something on that brings out her best features. Once in the spotlight, her true talent for carrying herself with poise and elegance just naturally reveals itself.
I love to see a woman's reaction when she slips into one of our elegant robes or jackets and she experiences the sleek movement of the garment and sees herself as beautiful and confident. When she looks in the mirror and sees how the garment moves with her and flatters her every move, she just lights up. I've seen it over and over. And, truthfully, it's why I started making these pieces in the first place. I wanted to feel better about how I looked. I wanted to wear things that brought out my confidence and made me feel more like myself.
And now our company makes those ensembles, each one with its own story and aesthetic. Some are quiet and plain; others are bold and attention-getting. Each piece has a name and a personality. Our customers love to try on several pieces. It doesn't take much time at all for them to zero in on their favorite looks. And then, we go to work to show them how to create numerous new looks by combining the J.Mullin Apparel pieces with their existing wardrobe.
One of the Branson Fashion House customers, Jan Fox, was a great model for our fashion show. She looked fabulous in everything, and purchased a long kimono robe and two scarves. She is shown below wearing one of our handmade scarves as a belt. She and I had a long conversation about why we think it is important to dress with intention and take the time needed to prepare yourself for whatever the day holds.
"I dress up and do my hair and makeup every day, " she said. "Even if I don't have to be anywhere, I still want to feel good about how I look, and be ready for anything." We both agreed that putting a little effort into how you present yourself to the world is totally worth the trouble because it changes how you see yourself. You actually become more of who you aspire to be. "Besides, you never know who you might run into," she said.
The process of refining our patterns and producing this new line of raw silk garments has taken about two years. We are still perfecting our palazzo and barrel pants. As we finish out the Holiday season with a few more pop-up events, we'll be starting on our new line of light and breezy prints for Spring.
Now that we've seen our new garments on real women in all shapes and sizes, in a wide variety of lifestyles and with diverse tastes and aesthetics, I am so pleased to see how our customers are reacting to these pieces, especially when they realize that they absolutely love how they look and feel when they wear them.
As we move into a new season, we are dedicated to making garments that are flattering and comfortable; that pair well with a woman's existing wardrobe, and, ultimately, become the cohesive factor that pulls her looks together, adapting to her multi-dimensional lifestyle.
Amani and I enjoyed getting to know the Branson Fashion House team. Here we are with Anette Tuxen, the owner of the boutique. She did purchase one of our kimono tunic length jackets and two scarves, and has invited us back for another in-store event next April.
What we continue to learn is that helping a woman zero in on her iconic personal style is not about adding more, or overcomplicating her look. What it IS about is helping her see herself as the person she wants to be and show her how to create a simple, adaptable wardrobe, freeing her up to be at her best in any situation.
A big Thank You to the entire team at Branson Fashion House! We look forward to our next event in April.
In the meantime, if you'd like to stay up to date on what we are getting ready to release, and where we might be doing an event, follow us on Instagram: @jmullinapparel. And, sign up to receive our E-mails at www.jmullin.com and get a 15% discount on your first order.
To visit the Branson Fashion House website, go to www.bransonfashionhouse.com.
To shop at J.Mullin Apparel's on-line store, go to www.jmullin.com.
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