Meet Delray’s Fabulous Fashion Designers
We are proud to share with you a little bit about the ten fashion designers based right here in
Downtown Delray Beach. Their lines will be featured throughout Fashion Week and
incorporated into the Finale show on January 24th.
Designer:
Store:
Jules Guaglardi
Roxy LuLu
119 NE 2nd Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: I have had a store in Delray Beach for four and a half years. I chose Delray Beach
because of its California-esque vibe. The city exudes a hippy-glam persona that I can relate
to - laid back, unpretentious, creative, and yet chic with just a touch of glamour.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: I lived in the Caribbean for more than a decade creating luxury lifestyle magazines and
television shows. Luxury travel, beachside glamour, and exceptional cuisine were among my
staple topics, so I spent many years in and out of private island getaways, resorts, villas, and
boutique hotels, shooting, styling, and writing about "la belle vie" all over the world. I had in
fact become a full blown gypsy jetsetter - and still am to a large degree, only unlike many of
the subjects that I have endorsed, my passion is the culture, the people, and what makes it
all tick.
My ROXYLULU collection – clothing, bags, belts, jewelry, and other accessories - is a direct
reflection of my life and can be described as: free spirited, feminine and flowy, boho chic,
and St. Barths inspired. My style is a marriage of European, Moroccan, Indian and high end
resort which continues to evolve with each journey I am fortunate to take and inspiration I
find along the way.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: My mother always looked amazing in the unique and sexy clothes that she made for
herself when I was growing up. She and my father were both artistic, and shared their love of
the arts with me. I was creative from early on with theatre and dance and then with my own
clothes. I either wanted to make my sleeve different, string beads, add fringe, and be crafty.
I still do that today.
Designer:
Store:
Amanda Perna
The House Of Perna Studio
Artists Alley - 350 NE 4th Street, #C
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: We have had our studio in Delray Beach for seven months. While growing up, I loved
coming to Delray to visit my grandparents. When I moved back to Florida from NYC, we
considered Miami, but then found Artist’s Alley. We love the arts district and the locals who
have now become loyal clients.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: I design primarily ready to wear that is bold and fun yet a bit sexy, gowns, and other
Couture one of a kind items. We are also now doing bridal, and have many women coming
to us for gowns and bridesmaid dresses.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: I have been officially working as a fashion designer since 2008. I always loved fashion
growing up but didn't pursue it until I attended The University of Alabama and saw there was
a fashion program. At 19 I started my first business Couture Chaos while in school. My
Junior year I interned for Oscar de la Renta, and then Calvin Klein. This eventually led to my
first job as a dress designer for four years – including a stint on Project Runway, and then my
own business once again.
Designer:
Store:
Stephanie Graniero
Oh My Bod
1128 E Atlantic Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: My first store was in Hollywood, FL. A few of my friends mentioned Delray was
happening and hip. I came to visit and fell in love with the city.We then moved here and
opened my store on Atlantic Avenue in 2004.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: Original and one of a kind fitness wear, dresses and separates for the modern woman.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: I have been a designer for 20 years. In college I majored in accounting in college, but had
loved fashion my whole life. I grew up reading Vogue, bought a sewing machine at the thrift
store for $20. I received my fashion degree in South Florida, worked for a local designer,
and in started my own line in 1998 and opened my first store in Hollywood. I also have a
store in Delray Marketplace, online at www.ohmybod.com and sell to boutiques and fitness
centers throughout the U.S.
Designers:
Store:
Jen Scoz and Hawk Stillwind
House of Zen Dali
424 E Atlantic Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: Our store has been open in Delray for five years. We chose Downtown because it is a
very “happening” place, that has different generations, is a place of transition, and has
people who love unique and original things.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: Our women’s clothing style is for gypsies to jetsetters. We work with natural fibers
including silk and cotton, creating flowy, one-of-a-kind, and handpainted pieces, dresses,
tops, pants, and skirts. Our European inspired men’s line translates perfectly from Ibiza to
New York- and of course Delray Beach, and includes shirts, jackets, pants, vests, and
wallets. We also create one-of-a-kind, spiritually inspired jewelry with natural stones, and
travel the world to find components and work with artists.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: Jen has been designing jewelry for 15 years and was influenced by her dressmaker
grandmother and shop owner mom. She began creating and selling pieces while in college.
Hawk starting designing for bands as a teenager, continued while in art school and then
earnestly in 2008.
Designer:
Store:
Lizzi Lambert
Haystacks
401 E. Atlantic Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: I chose the date of Halloween- October 31, 2014 so it would be memorable! I had lived in
Hypoluxo with my husband and children prior to moving to northern Michigan where I started
my business 10 years ago. We now have seven stores in Michigan and one in Essex, CT,
but from the beginning I had wanted to open a storefront in Delray. I had been in town
visiting and saw that the Mercer building was under construction and knew that is where I
wanted to be.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: Comfortable, packable clothing that makes you feel good about yourself and your body
that can be worn from office to evening. We design and manufacture many variations of
skirts, as well as pants, leggings, tops, dresses, and printed reversible clothing.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer?
A: I grew up making Barbie clothes, had a career in retail management, and my dream was
to open my own store. I knew how to sew, loved fabrics, and simple design, and wanted my
clothing to be functional, comfortable, packable and beautiful. My mother was the inspiration,
and when she passed away I started creating a line from my home. I sold wholesale the first
year and the product was selling out – but I never saw people in it – which is why I opened a
retail store. Our knit fabrics are sourced direct from the manufacturer and then all the
clothing is made in Suttons Bay, Michigan at our cut and sew factory and design studio.
Designer:
Store:
Ronald and Flavie Furst
Furst Handbags
123 NE 2nd Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: Our store has been open in Pineapple Grove since 2006. We had a shop in Paris where
we were living and wanted a U.S. location. Our choices were NYC, Naples, Boca and
Delray. We did our due diligence for the diversity of architecture, age, income, level,
ethnicity, and pedestrian friendliness, and Delray was the perfect match for our lifestyle and
the high end product we create. The clientele mirrors the national trend of athleisure,
carrying a gorgeous bag and wearing fab jewelry – a diverse crowd from the professionals in
town on vacation to the women of Gulfstream, Delray and Boca. Everyone has their look and
we work with them all.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: Fine handbags made of python, sustainable leather, ostrich and linen, with textiles
sourced in Italy and Spain, and fine jewelry with precious and semi-precious stones. We
make all of our product right here in the store.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: I have been a designer since the age of 18 beginning with my Furst & Mooney brand. I
then had a career with major department stores, and married Flavie who had launched
handbags, jewelry, shoes, and accessories for the brand Chloe. We moved to Paris and had
a shop together for Furst Handbags and fine jewelry, before opening in Delray Beach.
Designer:
Store:
Arianne Brown
Ramona LaRue
530 E. Atlantic Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: I have had a boutique in Delray for four months now, and also have stores in Midtown
and Coconut Grove in Miami. We chose Delray because we think our fashion is a perfect fit.
Delray is a thriving town, filled with wonderful people, art, specialty boutiques and
restaurants.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: I design boho-chic glam - dresses, tops, jumpsuits, pants - that are timeless rather than
trendy. I like women to feel my pieces are not limited to a certain era or trend set.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: I started my fashion line nine years ago. Growing up in Coconut Grove I was surrounded
by art and fashion. My mother – Ramona LaRue – was my inspiration and she taught me to
capture the beauty of my surroundings through painting. Each design begins with a one-of-akind silk painting, watercolor, or sketch that I create.
Designer:
Store:
Jelena Lovric
LoveRich Boutique
2 NE 5th Ave
Q: How long have you had a store in Downtown Delray Beach and why?
A: I have had a store in Delray Beach since April 2014. I love the small town feeling here
and fell in love with it while studying at Lynn University in Boca Raton.
Q: Describe your “type” of fashion and what you design:
A: I design a contemporary clothing line for women who are trendsetters with a chic sense of
style. It's all in the details - whether it be lace trim on a skirt or a leather neckline, I like
experimenting with different fabrics and combining them together for the various pieces in my
line.
Q: How long have you been a fashion designer? A little history of how you got started.
A: I started designing my own line about three years ago. Ever since I was a little girl I have
always had a passion for fashion. After studying abroad in Italy and taking some design
courses, I realized that I wanted to design my own clothing line. Slowly but surely I started
meeting the right people in the industry and created my first collection, and have been
creating new ones ever since!
And here is how the ten designers describe fashion of people in Delray Beach – which one
are you?!:
“The people of Delray are a fantastic eclectic mix really....some conservative, some
bohemian, some sexy, elegant, some very Jackie O, etc. and that's one of the things I adore
and appreciate about all of my fellow merchants, “ said Jules Guaglardi, Chairman, Delray’s
Fabulous Fashion Week,“ “the fact that we each cater to a slightly different customer and
friend, affording each of us the opportunity to work cohesively together and to provide the
awesome people and visitors of this town a little piece of who we are.”
Casual, comfortable, beachy, island bohemian, trendy upscale, gypsies to jetsetters, elegant,
world travelers, relaxed, low key, appreciate supporting local artists and designers, free
spirit, beautiful, happy, confident, fashionable, wear color, know what they want, know what
looks good on them, not afraid to try on different styles – adventuresome and confident,
decisive, own style and identity – rocking their own image, eclectic - not one kind of fashion –
looks from classic, jeans and flip flops, to designer clothes.