STORES Magazine - July 2015 - 35
n RETAIL PEOPLE SARTORIAL SARAH by JANET GROEBER W hen Sarah LaFleur was working in finance, her closet was "packed with blah-feeling pantsuits." Determined to rethink the process of shopping and dressing for work, she launched MM.LaFleur in 2013 to share her vision of inspired professional work wear for women. SARAH LAFLEUR Founder and CEO MM.LaFleur New York City Customers receive personalized assistance from staff stylists at the MM.LaFleur Work/ Shop on Broadway and online. Last month LaFleur and co-author Tory Hoen (MM. LeFleur's editor-in-chief) released Wear to Work, a book to guide women through "earlymorning outfit angst." LaFleur previously worked in Paris and New York City managing the luxury goods portfolio of a private equity firm. She also completed a stint at Bain & Co. and spent a year in South Africa working with agricultural entrepreneurs. What's the inspiration behind MM.LaFleur? I spent a number of years working in management consulting and private equity and ... kept wondering, "Why aren't there better clothing options for professional women?" After all, we're discerning women with good taste, and yet it seemed like only a handful of brands were even addressing our demographic. ... Given how much time women spend at their jobs, that seemed wrong. I set out to build the company I had been imagining all along - one that would provide elegant, functional work wear that reflected the sophisticated sensibility of the modern professional woman. What makes MM.LaFleur work wear unique? My goal was to deliver a luxury-quality product at a contemporary price point. I dreamed of being able to offer dresses like [those] from Roland Mouret, Alexander McNRF.COM/STORES Queen and Victoria Beckham, but without the hefty price tag ... . When I met our designer Miyako (Nakamura), who was the head designer at Zac Posen for many years, we clicked instantly. Though she has a high-fashion background, she has an intuitive feel for how to create garments that flatter real women's bodies. ... We source highquality fabrics from Italy, Germany and Japan and manufacture in the same New York City factories employed by luxury brands. We work directly with our factories to achieve excellence in manufacturing. Our quality is top-notch, and I wouldn't sell our clothes otherwise. STORES July 2015 35
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