Sister act
Molly and Sara Lloyd hoped to work together one day. Now they do. The sisters are the creative team behind Atlanta-based Mimi and Muff, a colorful and classic line of resort wear.
Background: They grew up in Athens. Sara went to the University of Georgia and majored in fabric design at UGA. Molly majored in apparel and textile design at the University of Alabama. After stints in New York with Claremont Fabrics (Sara) and Trina Turk (Molly), they headed home. They now live in Buckhead.
Claim to fame: Their grandfather is Jack Davis, the famed cartoonist and illustrator, who is known for his magazine covers, movie posters and work with EC Comics and MAD magazine.
The name: Mimi and Muff, which launched in March, evolved from two family names and the love of their grandmother Muffy's style.
Inspiration: Their love for beach attire comes from summer visits with their grandparents at Sea Island and St. Simons Island.
The goods: The 100 percent canvas, coastal carryalls come in two sizes ($115 and $125). Also cotton tank dresses ($125), tunics ($150) and sarongs ($65) in playful prints and colors.
What's hot: The Frederica tunic is a "shore thing," but their favorite is the Cyril tank dress because it is so flattering.
Where to buy: In Atlanta, at Travadavi, 2300 Peachtree Road in Atlanta (travadavi.com), or at the trunk show at Travadavi on July 17. Also at www.mimiandmuff.com.
Say yes to the dress
Growing up in the South, Jolie Bensen Hamilton and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey were accustomed to seeing men in seersucker suits when the season turned hot and humid. Later, they wondered why there were so few seersucker options for women at work and play. So the go-getter gals thought “who better than us” to design a modern yet classic line of Southern-inspired dresses.
Their company: New Orleans-based Jolie and Elizabeth. Since it started in 2009, the company has made 7,900 dresses with a "Made in Louisiana" label.
Background: New Orleans-born Jolie and Sarah Elizabeth (from Dallas) studied Textiles, Apparel and Merchandising at Louisiana State University. The designing duo worked together at fashion giant BCBG in New York before returning to the South to start their dress company.
The inspiration: Seersucker, the lightweight cotton textile and Southern staple.
The goods: Dresses ($99-$268). Known for its seersucker dresses, the company offers other must-have frocks for various occasions (brunch, work, cocktail and bridesmaids) and a choice of fabrics, including silk, chiffon and cotton. There is a choose-your-own-hemline option as well.
Best-sellers: The Kennedy dress ($186). The simple seersucker sheath can go from work to cocktails or other off-duty events. The Birmingham Wrap ($186), a classic A-line wrap dress, is runner-up.
Other favorites: The Bardot party dress ($99) in red and pink is flirty and feminine.
What's new and moving fast: The Rebecca dress ($189) features a scalloped hemline.
Where to buy: www.jolieandelizabeth.com. AJC readers: Add the code JE20 for a 20 percent discount.
Stand-up guys
Jeff Archer and Tom Losee are active and like to be outdoors, especially on the water. After discovering the sport of stand-up paddling (SUP), the friends and water-sports enthusiasts added a new business to their bucket lists and started YOLO Board in Florida’s Panhandle.
The name: With the motto "You Only Live Once" as the company's guiding principle, YOLO Board started in 2007 in Santa Rosa Beach, in Florida's Panhandle. YOLO Board now has a West Coast office in San Diego.
Inspiration: The world-renowned beaches and diverse waterways of northwest Florida's Gulf Coast.
The goods: Recreational boards, touring/race boards, surfboards, fishing boards and inflatable boards ($749-$1,985). Also paddles ($99-$355).
The hits: The YOLO Original, Eclipse and the Coastal Cruiser. The boards are favorites of beginners and first-time paddlers.
What's new: An inflatable stand-up paddleboard ($985) that rolls up to fit into a backpack for easy portability. Also, the Fisher ($1,595), a sturdy 35-inch-wide stand-up fishing board.
Where to buy: In Atlanta, at High Country Outfitters, 3906 Roswell Road (www.highcountryoutfitters.com), or www.yoloboard.com.
Best of the South
Do you have favorite finds from around the South that you give as gifts, buy for your home or rave about to friends? If so, please share them with us. Send your suggestions to: lljerkins@gmail.com. Please include your name and contact number. Also find more Southern-made products, featured in the AJC, at Southernfinds on facebook or on twitter@southernfinds1.
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