Retail Therapy
Revolving doors: Vanessa Riley to close; Coquette debuts new store
The new boutique Coquette has a kicky tribute to Kate Moss.Photo by Clint Shuttlesworth
Designer Vanessa Riley, shown here at the recent Glowarama parade as Ms. Claus,is closing her namesake boutique.Photo by Bill Olive
More Than You Can Imagine is chock-full of very slightly worn designer piecesand brand new gift items and accessories.
The shopping scape has been quite buzzy of late and it has nothing to do with the holidays. New stores have opened and sadly, a few are bidding the city adieu. But don’t fret. There’s still plenty of ways to stimulate the economy.
The recession dampened our enthusiasm for really living in a material world, but the new Material Girls boutique in River Oaks Shopping Center makes it easier to look the part. The shop is heavy on affordable and versatile pieces for day-to-night, exclusive Lisa Freede jewelry, including the celeb favorite Huggie earrings and complimentary personal styling.
Retail "Wonder Twins" El Matha Wilder and Doris Hawila have combined years of retail experience and excellent taste, merging talents and inventory at Wilder’s Etui boutique on West Alabama. The blend means Etui’s refined basics get a boost from Kastafior’s whimsical European pieces.
Vanessa Rileytold friends on her Facebook page that she plans to close her namesake Galleria-area boutique after 14 years in business. She said she will be looking for a job in New York or London. We will miss the free-spirited Riley, but bet she will have a great closing sale. And, Rococo has closed its doors after outfitting many a PYT.
Look for some of the store’s inventory hanging on the racks at the just opened Coquette Boutique and Bistro, nestled in the space previously home to Pixie & Ivy, which closed in October. Coquette’s flirty little touches are everywhere, from an onsite psychic to an in-store bistro (Krafts'men Bistro to be exact), couches and Wi-fi. But don't forget about the clothes. Owner Aries Milan is partial to Australian designers such as Sass & Bide and Alice McCall as well as the modern yet girlie line, Francis by Christian Francis Roth. Tables laden with Dayna Decker candles and accessories dot the space which Milan wants to feel like a chic Parisian hangout during the day and a speakeasy by night.
Vicki Rizzo and the rest of the glam girls at More Than You Can Imagine know that even the most dedicated shoppers need a little help sometimes. Follow the upscale resale store on Twitter and Facebook to get breaking shopping news like, “Just arrived, size 8 silver patent Manolos” complete with a picture. The Westheimer boutique is chock full of very slightly worn designer pieces and brand new gift items and accessories.
Cheeky Vintage is also embracing the wonders of the Web with its new e-commerce site. Peruse Bill Blass cocktail dresses, sumptuous skin bags and gorgeous jewelry with a past on the easy to navigate site. Pictures accompany each item, but you can always get a closer look at the shop on Richmond.
