Well... I've finally done it! After 20 or so years working in New York and Los Angeles in the wholesale fashion biz, I've jumped ship and gone "retail." A lot of people have been asking me why I decided to open up a retail boutique after working so many years behind the scenes. Hmm, the first answer is that my husband and I moved up to Seattle about 6 months ago, and, well, there really isn't a wide range of "7th Ave." fashion houses in the area. I found myself at a crossroads. Do I start designing and manufacturing again? No way! Do I try and secure an executive positon at Nordstrom? Union jeans? Columbia clothing? Nope. Can't really see myself jumping back into the corporate scene. What I do know is that I love clothes. Everything about them. The fabrics, the fit, the styles, and construction. From Rick Owens to The Gap, from Jeffrey's in NY to the corner Target. I get a rush out of it all.
I love discovering new designers that understand what the modern woman wants to wear. I hate trendy, over priced, poorly constructed garments by so called "hot" labels. You know the drill, by the time the clothes hit the stores they're already passe' and it's onto the "next big thing." I love the look of effortless sophistication. Classics with a modern edge. So I decided to do what I love. Shop and fill a store with, quite simply, beautiful clothing. And I hoped that the women of Seattle would welcome it. After winning the Best of Citysearch (BOC) Audience Choice award for "women's clothing", I think I may be on the right track.
Merge has been open for about 3 months now and I couldn't be more pleased with how well everything is going. I'd like to thank all of you who have supported me in this endeavor including friends, family, my new neighbors on Ballard Ave., and all the women (and men) who have been shopping at the store.
I've decided to start this blog so that I can keep everyone up to date on the latest Merge happenings like new merchandise arrivals, sales, special events etc... I've never done this blog thing before, so bear with me while I get the hang of it! - Pat Wolfkill
