From Saurette's 2008 interview with Tina Barry of www.jamesgirone.com
What prompted the launch of Saurette? I am really passionate about things that I enjoy and believe in and was struggling with finding a balance between my personal and professional lives. I needed to find a way to continue to fulfill my passion for design and product development while freeing up time to devote to my two little boys who are growing up way too fast. I’d gotten a lot of positive feedback over the years when developing women’s collections for department and specialty stores. That coupled with my frustration when shopping for my children led me to wanting to offer something new in the childrenswear market. Based on the market research I did, I thought it was best to launch a girlswear collection first before branching out into boys.
How were you employed before your launch? Did your former job influence your collection? If so, do you see the influence in the designs? The way you do business? I left my position as Director of Product Development at Saks Fifth Avenue-Off 5th in March 2008 with the intention of launching my own collection. I had built a strong network over the years, and that coupled with my personal style and belief that I could offer something different, gave me the confidence to do my own collection. I started my product development career at Federated/Macy’s and attribute my knowledge of importing, product testing and quality to the experiences I received while I was there. I also learned the importance of working closely with buyers to access their specific needs and figure out how I could make product that would be successful to various markets. I valued feedback and was able to take that and use it to create better and better product offerings.
Do you have children? If so, what are their names and ages? I have two boys, Dakota 5 and Ryder 2. It has been an absolute blessing working from home and being able to spend more time with them before and after work. I’ve been able to accompany Dakota who just started kindergarten this year on his first field trip. I wouldn’t have been able to do in my old job.
Please describe the collection: Saurette is a contemporary collection targeted for modern parents that are looking for something different for their children.
What/who inspired the designs in the spring collection? I was inspired by many of the women’s RTW collections. I love the details and fabric mixing at Alberta Feretti, and the large florals at Roberto Cavalli & 6267. Erdem and Jasper Conran had some wonderful Nature prints. Kenzo always has great color. For Saurette, I took that inspiration and designed pieces with floral & tree embroideries and butterfly prints but added something different like metal beading or fabric piecing to make them unique.
Where is the line manufactured? Saurette is currently manufactured in China and India
What is your goal for Saurette? Are you filling a niche in the market that wasn’t there before? My goal is for Saurette to become a respected brand in boutiques and specialty stores. I want to be known for offering contemporary product with great quality. I’d eventually like to expand into boys and womenswear. I had a lot of requests this season to offer some of my pieces in women’s sizing, but I declined. I thought it was best to put women’s on hold until I was able to sufficiently develop and promote the girlswear collection. I want this to be a success, so I don’t want to rush anything.
What are your favorite pieces in the collection? I love the Tree Embroidered Babydoll Blouse (which has been one of my best sellers to stores) and the Cabbage Floral Applique Group. That group is the most interesting with fabric piecing in fun colors.