By Sunday afternoon, the day the "Gossip Girl"-inspired Anna Sui for Target collection officially debuted in select stores, sizes were picked over (is everyone a medium?). The quality seems better than some past Target designer collections, which photograph amazingly well but disappoint in person. I was generally impressed by the Sui pieces, other than the sequin feather detailing on a gray dress which looked like something my kids glued on. Swept up in the moment, and pressured by the two girls grabbing dresses around me, I wanted a piece of Sui. I picked a silk sleeveless black wrap dress with white geometric print. Realized when I got to work today and reviewed the Target Look Book, which is divided into four themes, for each of the four main female characters, that my dress is a Jenny. A Jenny! I would have thought I'd want to be a Serena, but feel more appropriate in a Blair. Never even considered the rocker-edged Jenny. It's a whole new me. Assuming I don't decide I'm too old, or too busty to wear the dress and return it.
At a time when Gaviidae Common seems to be losing stores faster than it is gaining (StyledLife, Drama, Jessica McClintock…), Len Druskinis becoming a hero: with Len Druskin Manperforming well, according to CEO Michael Druskin, the company has decided to give customers what they've been asking for: Len Druskin woman. Except the family thought that sounded a little cheesy, so the women's shop will be called LD Len Druskin (dad's going to have to add a few initials to his name if this keeps up). The shop will be similar to the women's selection at the original Galleria store, but with a downtown focus. It is scheduled to open in a separate storefront at Gaviidae by the second week of October (if it flies, look for men's and women's to merge down the road). Meanwhile, a second Len Druskin Outlet will open next door at City Center in downtown Minneapolis later in October.
First to wish me a happy birthday: Anthropologie, with a card in a cute little fabric envelope covered with buttons good for 15 percent off my total store purchase any day this month. Aveda offered me a free product sample. DSW sent $5 off a purchase. Banana Republic did even better: $15 off any purchase this month. Even Macy's remembered my special day with a $10 Wow pass (exclusions apply – even on one's birthday). Still, not bad. It pays to sign up for mailing lists at stores you frequent – the birthday reward is an increasingly popular way to offer regulars an incentive without compromising the retailer's image. Now, if I just had some birthday money to spend…
Every purchase makes a difference. In a surprise turnaround, Il Vostro Boutique will reopen next week in the same location at 50th & France- just a month after going out of business. There's no new business partner – just some loyal customers who owner Stacey Finnegan credits with saving the day. "The came in crying," Finnegan says of her recent closing sale – which she swears was not a ploy to re-energize the business. She had every intention of moving on, but her customers took responsibility. "They literally bought everything. They said 'it's my fault – this is the only place I shop, but I cut back…' It was surreal," Finnegan says. She had already placed her fall orders, and canceled them when she decided to close, so she was able to reinstate the deliveries of fall merchandise, and add some new lines. Doors open Tuesday, Sept. 15 and an e-commerce site will launch next month.
Jon Charles Salon in Uptown is marching its popular Blowdry Bootcamp free styling seminars straight out to Wayzata where a second salonis set to open this weekend next door to Punch Pizza on Wayzata Blvd. It will be a full service salon – with a twist. Marketing master Jon Charles (his "stimulus promotion" is still on, thanks to yet another plug, this time in O magazine – of course, you read it here first) plans to run bootcamps as often as four nights a week. Great way to get new people into the salon and excited about what the stylists can do. The salon also has an abundance of meeting space, which Charles plans to rent out on a daily basis. The vision: Hold your business meeting at the salon, and everyone gets a cut over lunch! "Companies are always looking for ways to bond," Charles says. The staff that gets blowouts together, works better together. Or at least, looks good while working.