We have so many different types of customers—from edgy and editorial to more feminine and classic. What’s true for both: Silhouettes are changing. People are still loving denim from us, but trends in it are like mayhem [laughs]: It’s not everyone in a skinny leg, or everyone in a wide cropped leg; there’s a bunch of fun things happening, a definite liking for novelty and color and print.
Fashion is what we crave before something or after something—by which I mean world events—and there’s a—I know everyone is tired of calling them ’90s silhouettes, but—a desire to wear an all-black tonal look, or an all-gray tonal look, in narrower shapes and modern fabrics. There’s a real sporty thing going on: The zippers, the fabrications, the utilitarian details, the pockets—and a preppie revival with loafers, stripes, and khakis.
As for evening, we’re a more casual store because Austin is a more casual town. You can go to any big event—a wedding, say—and the guys will all be in cowboy boots. When I opened my second store, in Houston, I was like, “Oh, it’s more dressed up here!” [laughs] My core value system is that you have to be comfortable, be it day, night, whatever. We do amazing evening which women will feel comfortable in, like Zero + Maria Cornejo—her designs stand out as true originals—along with Mantu and Louiza Babouryan, while Rachel Comey, Proenza Schouler, Toteme, and Rosetta Getty do interesting evening that we are happy to carry. New designer Heirlome has some pretty evening dresses as well. Events are back, charity dinners are back, people are getting dressed up again—and no one is blinking twice about twice about whether they can or should.
Also, every shoe I buy is comfortable, whether it is for an event or not. When I buy super-high shoes, my customers are like… no [laughs]. What they do love: flats, an adorable Proenza Schouler studded boot that has a little heel; and anything in leopard print. Tennis shoes are being worn with everything. For fall, tall boots came back, and we’ve been selling small to medium-sized cross-body bags.
Dries Van Noten works really well for us—it’s artful and easy and comfortable and pro-women; Cordera, a Spanish brand you don’t see everywhere, we also do well with, along with Issey Miyake; and Dusan—a well tailored, impeccable fabrics brand. All of these labels are about creating personal style. R13 is our top denim brand, and we are carrying a new Italian denim line, Haikure, that’s also fun. I also picked up Molli, a great heritage sweater label, terrific quality, and a beautiful Brazilian heritage jewelry company that has been around since the early 1900s called Sauer, and Bougeotte, a new loafer brand.