ValStyle Loves Bilingual!

Bilingual loves you, too, baby.

We discovered your love for Jacqueline Floro's fabulous designs during the course of our Shop & Mingle events last Spring. Was quite amazed at how quickly (though understandably so) pieces flew out of stock in a matter of mere months.

Designer Floro's story is one we can relate to. One of aspiration.

'She began her career at a lingerie design company, Natori, and went on to Polo Ralph Lauren and New York & Company where she held positions in sales, merchandising/buying, public relations and production. An opportunity at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter presented itself where she further developed her business, analytical and language skills. Upon leaving the firm, Floro set off with a backpack to explore her roots in South East Asia.

After months of being alone in the rice fields of Indonesia, exploring the flea markets in Thailand, and getting lost in silk farms in Cambodia, the richness of color, elements of textile, and fascination of design, instantly inspired her. Floro knew she belonged back in the fashion industry where her career began. In time, Bilingual was born. '

We aren't the only ones in love -- Halle Berry gave her cell phone # to a Los Angeles Boutique and asked that they "call when more comes in from this designer" and Paris Hilton made the layered peacock dress famous in a red carpet moment captured by In Touch Weekly. (My top version was, indeed, a hit at the 2006 MTV Networks' Employee Holiday Party).

This racy crochet dress has turned up in an HBS classroom.

And - a certain off shoulder silk number has made quite a few appearances in the past year: In March, my Shop & Mingle co-host scooped one of the two Navy versions before doors even opened, and minutes after hitting the event market, a popular Fashion Blogger snatched up the other. Her readers can't contain themselves whenever they catch a glimpse of her fashion statement for the day. Apparently, we couldn't deliver 'em fast enough. DailyCandy was also on it: http://www.dailycandy.com/atlanta/article/31146/Talk+Shirty+to+Me

And, Delta Sky Magazine loves too. (If you were ballin' on Delta this month you probably peeped us on the cover.

If not, catch us on the next one!)

We re-connected with Floro recently and made some brilliant discoveries -- Not only has The ValStyle Closet acquired the very last of this dress in a bodacious teal (!), Floro 's been hard at work at a "plus size" collection called INES. (I use quotations, not really believing in the term, but rather clothing that fits!) We are delighted to inform you, a gorgeous replica of Bilingual hits ValStyle racks this June at the return of Shop & Mingle.

Til then, plug in to ValStyle. Your off-shoulder beauty lands in a couple of weeks.

xoxoxo

ps- had the lovely fortune of visiting the Murakami exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum Friday afternoon. An absolute must-see!