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"When you think Saint Louis, think Saint Louis Front Page," a weekly publication covering the news and events in the greater St. Louis area.
St. Louis Front Page."
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St. Louis Front Page
P.O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188
Voice: 314-771-0200
Fax: 314-771-0300
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editor@slfp.com
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Mannequin models pose during grand opening celebrations at Westfield West County Center.
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Nordstrom Brings New Shopping Experience to West County Center
by Betty Magrath, SLFP.com
DES PERES, MO (SLFP.com) September 20, 2002 - The Nordstrom experience is all about service, style and value. During the grand opening celebration at the Westfield West County Center, St. Louis shoppers were introduced to the Nordstrom retail culture.
According to Jason Price, store manager of Nordstrom West County, expectations for the continued success of the full-line store are based on customer satisfaction.
"We just want customers to give us a chance," stated Price. "We have hired the best people and will do everything possible to keep our employees happy," stated Price. "The Nordstrom experience is not just a myth. The company opened in 1901 in Seattle as a shoe store and has grown over the years to 138 U.S. stores in 26 states. We now offer a wide variety of fashion apparel, shoes and accessories."
Members of the Neil Goldberg Cirque, of Hollywood, FL, entertained West County Center shoppers during grand opening celebrations.
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Price commented that the experience of shopping in Nordstrom is enhanced with wide aisles and live entertainment. Unique elements include the Café Bistro with seating for 80 people, an eBAR with coffee and sandwiches, an aquarium in the kids department, four 42" plasma screen TVs in the men's department, a perfume fountain in the cosmetics area, shoe-shine and inhouse alterations.
The Nordstrom experience is firmly planted in customer service. The store's complimentary shopping service includes corporate gift-giving, wardrobe consultation and electronic customer profile.
Patricia Willis, midwest regional director for Nordstrom West County, explained how the personal touch program works. "We have specialists to personally assist people with their shopping needs," stated Willis.
"Customers can make an appointment and come in for a free consultation. From an electronic profile, we can assemble outfits in advance, arrange for a private dressing room and spend time explaining the clothes. Also, we can accompany customers through the store and pull clothes from the racks. If a business person needs a shirt for a presentation, we can hand deliver clothes to their office at no extra charge," said Willis.
A former law firm administrator, Willis added that as a customer, she was thrilled with Nordstrom's personalized service. "When I had an opportunity to make a career change into retail services, I immediately headed for Nordstrom."
As one of the nation's largest fashion retailers, Nordstrom's commitment to quality and personalized service has created a loyal customer base. And, according to Price, the store has great expectations for continued growth in the St. Louis market.
"I remember this beautiful, clean scent of the mountains of Norway. That's the essence I wanted to capture in this fragrance," said Geir Ness.
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Norwegian Fragrance Designer Introduces 'Laila' to St. Louis
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
DES PERES, MO (SLFP.com) September 19, 2002 - Fragrance designer Geir Ness, who was born and raised in Oslo, Norway, takes a very personal approach in introducing customers to the first Norwegian perfume, Laila. Prior a guest appearance at the grand opening of the Nordstrom store in St. Louis, Ness shared his design experience in a conversation with Saint Louis Front Page in the Hilton Garden Inn lobby.
"When I arrived in the States, I could speak very little English and needed money to pay my expenses at school. I began helping friends in the fragrance business as a fragrance model on the weekends. People would come up to me and ask where I was from. When I would say Norway, they would ask if there was a Norwegian perfume. I found out we didn't have one," Ness said.
Ness explained that he eventually met a French perfumer who suggested that to create a fragrance, he should find ingredients that he liked.
"The first thing that came to mind was the wild flowers found in the mountains of Norway. When I was a little boy, my mom would take me up into the Norwegian mountains to see the most beautiful flowers and spectacular scenery. I remember this beautiful, clean scent of Norway. That's the essence I wanted to capture in this fragrance," Ness explained.
Over the next five years, the perfumer worked to perfect a natural oil from the flowers and herbs collected by Ness. "Every time he finished a blend, I would walk through the streets and ask people what they thought about the perfume and then take their responses back to the perfumer."
Ness confided that he loved talking personally with people. "I didn't just stand there and hand out samples. I love talking to people and can connect with them very quickly on their level. I think people appreciate that and it puts them at ease," he said exuberantly.
Finally the right formula was created with the addition of one special ingredient. "I added a final touch of watermelon extract and got such a great response from people," Ness said. He noted that the fragrance appealed to women young and old and especially to people with allergies and sensitive skin.
Still needing a name, Ness copied his Mom's signature without her knowledge, silkscreened Laila on a bottle and proudly presented it to her on Mother's Day.
Eventually, Ness convinced a Nordstrom store to sell his perfume. "They were very skeptical as I had no brand name in the industry and no advertising money." Outgoing and with tireless energy, Ness was not deterred. Through a unique promotion, he sold 100 bottles at his first store appearance and had over 30 people on a waiting list.
Little by little, Ness has seen the fragrance become very popular with a special clientele. Laila Parfum was selected to be part of the VIP celebrity gift basket at the recent Grammy Awards. Ness proudly noted that his exclusive fragrance is now worn by famous celebrities.
Today, Laila for women and Geir for men can be found at all major Nordstrom stores around the country. Ness continues to promote his fragrance personally to his customers and travels extensively to do guest appearances. "I enjoy sharing the story of Laila. If you believe in something, you can do it," stated Ness.
Maternity Retail Industry Focuses on Moms-To-Be
Maternity Fall Fashion - (L. to R.) A Pea in the Pod mesh lace dress; Mimi Maternity embroidered suede tunic with jeans; A Pea in the Pod black leather mini skirt with black sleeveless top.
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PHILADELPHIA, (BUSINESS WIRE), Sept. 5, 2002 -
This Fall season is all about enjoying who you are. Whether running out to an executive meeting, shopping in the city on a cool Autumn day, or squeezing in a romantic night with your loved one, there are a wealth of offerings in this Fall's newest great looks.
Almost everything and anything is possible, it's a plethora of decades of delicious looks: hip gypsy, peasant earth mom, urban sophisticate, minimalist mainstream and downtown artist. The looks are limitless in maternity wear. And as for comfort, there are stretch leather pants and underbelly jeans with a designer's stamp, lycra(R) that stretches and embraces that curvaceous belly and cottons that breathe.
"Its no secret. Moms-to-be are out of the closet. No more billowing tent dresses and girlie bows. Pregnancy is now a belly baring, tight fitting fashion statement. And gracing the covers of our fashion mags are sexy and proud stars showing just how incredible pregnant women can look," commented Rebecca Matthias, President of Mother's Work, parent company to A Pea in the Pod(R), Mimi Maternity(R) and Motherhood Maternity(R).
Matthias knows how vibrant and successful the maternity retail industry has become. "When I started designing maternity clothes twenty years ago, it was quite obvious there was a tremendous need in the marketplace for pregnant women to be able to transition into fabulous clothes while maintaining their individual style. We started out small - in my hallway closet - creating fashionable maternity clothes."
Matthias stated that the company has dressed pregnant stars including Elizabeth Hurley and Brandy and have grown to 897 retail stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. "We design for every woman including fashionable basics, trendy and young sportswear up to luxurious designer apparel. It's apparent that today's mom-to-be cares about dressing her new curves fashionably," said Matthias.
Here are just a few Fall fashion insights for this season's pregnant woman:
Weekend Wear and Casual Outings: Bless those easy fitting, ultra - feminine peasant tops with that artsy Bohemian flavor. From caramel colored faux suede tunics to flower embroidered poet blouses with intucking and smocking details. Dress these tops with hip new designer denim or stretch leather jeans or step it up to a dressier look with western panache in a cappuccino colored suede tiered skirt or a very sophisticated black leather mini.
Business Suiting: Boast those new curves with executive stature in a black/white subtle tweed pantsuit or a gorgeous black tunic trimmed in leather with matching cigarette slim pants.
Evening and Holiday: Glow on! Your showing and isn't that just the best. Show off the sparkle at friends and family holiday gatherings in anything that feels right to you. Jeans with a gorgeous georgette poet top, a vintage Victorian knock-out in black and pink lace dress or a black beaded top with a long slinky skirt that hugs your belly.
Lingerie: Lucky woman. Now you can benefit from the newest line of lingerie for the mom-to-be. Check out Mimi Maternity Intimates - the first to offer maternity lingerie including daring lace bras, thongs, camies and bikinis.
Accessories: And don't forget to pull the whole look together with spectacular beaded chokers, ethnic beaded necklaces and bracelets, or dangling exotic earrings.
'Women Rock! Girls & Guitars' at Third Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Concert
LOS ANGELES, (PRNewswire), August 29, 2002 - LIFETIME Television and Marie Claire magazine have once again joined forces to champion the fight against breast cancer with the third annual "Women Rock! Girls & Guitars," which will air on Friday, October 25, 10 PM-12 AM (ET/PT) on the LIFETIME Television Network.
Jennifer Love Hewitt, one of Hollywood's hottest young actors in film and television, will serve as the show's host. In addition, Ken Ehrlich Productions ("The Grammy Awards," "VH1's Divas") has signed on for a third year to produce the concert, which will tape for the first time at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, on October 10.
"We are proud to have the opportunity to bring back 'Women Rock! Girls & Guitars' for its third year, but to also have such talent as Ken Ehrlich on board to produce and Jennifer Love Hewitt to host," said Marian Effinger, Vice-President of Reality Programming. "This year we have some exciting new surprises that will bring the concert to another level. 'Women Rock! Girls & Guitars' not only entertains our viewers with a stellar line-up, but it gives Lifetime the opportunity to inform and support breast cancer research. Everybody is potentially affected by this disease, and we must continue to raise awareness whenever possible."
The signature concert, which each year attracts the music industry's hottest performers, is part of LIFETIME's ongoing, award-winning public awareness campaign, Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Breast Cancer for Life. The two-hour concert will include life-saving messages and benefit the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO), the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) and other leading non-profit groups.
Ken Ehrlich is one of the leading producers of music and event-related programming for television. For over a 24-year history, Ken Ehrlich Productions has consistently delivered quality programming that has not only been among the highest rated in its genre, but has also been critically acclaimed.
Actress, singer Jennifer Love Hewitt captured the hearts of television audiences around the world from her role as Sarah Reeves on the award-winning drama series "Party of Five." Since then, she has gone on to conquer the big screen with numerous box-office hits such as "I Know What You Did Last Summer," it's sequel and "Sister Act 2." She will next be seen in the action/comedy "The Tuxedo," starring opposite Jackie Chan. Prior to this, she starred in "Heartbreakers," with Sigourney Weaver. She also recently completed production on the feature film "The Devil and Daniel Webster," opposite Anthony Hopkins. For television, Hewitt received critical acclaim as the title role in the ABC Original Movie "Audrey Hepburn." In September, she will release her fourth album, Bare Naked, on the Jive label. Hewitt wrote most of the songs on the alternative/pop album, which was produced by Meredith Brooks.
 The Saint Louis Front Page Style St. Louis is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2008 Moore Design Group .
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