Watching local customers walk the runway at the opening of her Phipps Plaza boutique, designer Nicole Miller noted that the Atlanta woman epitomizes her design vision. "The Nicole Miller customer is, well, she's much like the Atlanta girl. Look at these women walking the runway. They're self-confident, strong-minded girls. There's not a timid one in the bunch. She's a girl on the go with a busy life."
Since opening her fashion line in 1982, Nicole Miller surfed the fashion trends while still keeping her eye on her brand. "You have to evolve with the trends and I look at my clothes from the 1980s with the huge shoulder pads and lots of fabric, that's all gone. I think people were less body aware than they are now," she said. "I've made my fair share of weird things but in the end it doesn't sell. You can't be oblivious to trends, but you don't want it so you can't tell one brand from another. You have to forge your own path."
Miller, who studied at L'cole de la Chamber Syndicale de la Couture in Paris (her mother is French) is known for her form-fitting, European tinged classic style that often involves draping unusual or futuristic fabrics. Her line ranges from sportswear to wedding dresses.
Edra Matthews has owned the Nicole Miller boutique for 19 years. She recently moved the store from Lenox Square to Phipps Plaza. "I think Phipps better reflects my customer base," she said.
The store's look, done by Amy Morris Interiors, is different from other Nicole Miller boutiques. Matthews wanted a haven where customers — and their significant others — can relax and have a good time. "There's so much hustle and bustle that I wanted a pleasant environment where people want to hang out. We want you to feel like you're walking into our family room or kitchen."
Anchoring the 1,462-square-foot store is a large island where customers can bring their purchases while store necessities such as bags, tissue paper and boxes are stored in the drawers underneath, just like a kitchen. There is no cash register as sales associates use tablets. Similar to the open concept in today's homes, the "family room" part features comfortable chairs and a fireplace. Water and wine will be offered. "The fireplace was really important to me," Matthews said. "There is so much online shopping today. I wanted to give shoppers an experience where they want to come in and shop."
Miller is excited about the design even though the store had to follow a few brand parameters such as white walls, a modern aesthetic and the same clothes hangers. "I think it's charming, especially the fireplace. I want all my stores to look different, not cookie-cutter," she said. "I don't like going to the same looking store at the mall. I think what Edra did is an interesting concept and quite possibly a way for us to go in the future."
Miller segments her retail market as well as her customers. Women in Atlanta "like a lot of color, which is why my clothes are great for them. The Atlanta customer likes to look good, feminine and never dresses wrong. She doesn't dress like she just walked out of the fashion pages. She likes her clothes to follow her silhouette. It doesn't have to be skin tight, but body conscious."
Chicago women favor black, very avant garde, edgy styles. "You would never see that in New York. Everything thinks New Yorkers wear black, but that's Chicago. New Yorkers wear black but also color. New Yorkers wear gold and silver jewelry but gold is better for Atlanta. Areas respond differently to color."
But no matter what city, Miller's clothes only go up to size 12. "At one point we were making size 14s and they didn't sell. I gave up on that market. They weren't interested in what I had to offer. I tried."
She does sell a size 14 in her Nicole by Nicole Miller line at J.C. Penney. "The lines are clearly two different looks. I pick my prints for J.C. Penny with a specific look and customer in mind and I stick with that. It's very separate and it's doing well."
She also has 20 brick and mortar stores worldwide, a large online presence and collections in department stores such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Dillard's. "We have great stuff online and it's a good way to test things. Of course our brick and mortar stores have their own web presence. Our department store customer tends to be a bit safe in their choices while our boutique customer likes stepping out in our more fashion-forward options."
Her wedding dress collection is growing. "They're uncomplicated, not fussy. They do well in Atlanta for destination weddings rather than the large dress at the country club."
Miller is excited about her current line including the Wear With Denim, a collection of blouses that look good when paired with denim as well as long skirts and dress pants. "There's been a real surge in the blouse category and we're offering great prints and solids to dress up or down."
Miller's ability to offer clothes with a timeless quality that is still modern is one of the keys to her success, said Matthews. Miller added that her clothes are perfect for the woman who "isn't doing 100 sit-ups a day and has had a couple of kids with a little tummy. They're not skinny but they're fit. My clothes are a little more forgiving."
She isn't especially impressed with today's younger designers nor with European designers' affection for paying celebrities to wear their clothes. "A lot of what I see doesn't look wearable. They also make you look old. I think everyone should want to look young; a lot of the clothes I see are too mature for me."
The mother of a 20-year-old also resisted what many of her contemporaries, such as Donna Karan, Gloria Vanderbilt and Jil Sander have done, which is to sell to mega brand luxury conglomerates or private investment funds. "We've had many offers but it never seemed like the right situation," she said. "I enjoy the business too much and I don't want to answer to other people. A lot of people sold out and had bad experiences. They lost control and were fired. They tell you that you'll have design control and you really don't."
When she's not at work, Miller enjoys outdoor sports such as skiing and wake boarding as well as cooking. Her specialties include French dishes such as lamb stew, as well as Vietnamese and Spanish cuisines. Wherever she travels, she buys cookbooks. "That's why I love to come to Atlanta and the South," she said. "Every time I come south people give me Junior League cookbooks. I'm obsessed with them and found all these great dishes such as Coca-Cola cake, crab and cheese dip and cheese straws."
Nicole Miller Store
http://nicolemilleratlanta.com
404-261-0201
Phipps Plaza
3500 Peachtree Rd.
Atlanta, Ga. 30326
Store Hours: Monday- Saturday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sunday: noon - 5:30 p.m.
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