A Meeting with Rachel Roy

Rachel Roy (pictured right)

Maybe it’s the fact that she started as an intern, or that she’s a full-time mom and designer, that women all over the nation are inspired. Or perhaps it’s her elegant height and dignified beauty that turned heads last night. Whatever the reason, Rachel Roy certainly left an impression on the crowd of Chicago fans at Nordstrom on Michigan Avenue, as she showed her fall 2008 collection.

Roy was stunning, dressed in a metallic-olive taffeta dress of her own design, as she conversed with fans and press throughout the evening. Models on the center floor showed off her Native American-inspired collection of figure-hugging cream dresses, ornate necklines of feather and stones, and peep-toe booties.

Shoppers spent the evening sipping champagne and trying on crisp white blouses, feminine slacks and Chanel-esque jackets. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

“I love everything about it. She uses such exquisite details,” said shopper Nina Barreiro, whose favorite piece was a burnished-orange dress with belted waist and feathered collar.

The key to Roy’s success is her ability to cater to the real woman – a woman with curves, a woman who favors simplicity, yet carries a soft spot for luxury – and her attention to cut and detail speaks volumes of her popularity.

“The great thing about a woman designing for women, is that she knows what they want,” said Stefanie Zien, Director of Sales and Marketing for Roy.

The commitment to effortless elegance is most clearly demonstrated through her blouse-skirt dresses, which give the illusion of two-pieces, and require just a single zipper. A crowd favorite was the Sioux Printed Dress, with a black-tan silk print top and a red-black woven skirt.

“This is what I call an ‘updated basic,’” said the fashionable Carrie Lannon, President of Lannon Communications. “It’s got a basic cut, but completely different textures. I love the colors and the versatility.”

Lannon also admired Roy’s Stasia Flounce Back Dress from the pre-spring 2009 collection. “For me, it’s hard to make a black dress unique,” she said. “This would stand out, and still look appropriate, and look good coming or going because of the detailing on the back.”

As Lannon admired the clothes, she spotted Roy nearby, engaged in conversation with a fan, and admired her statuesque beauty. “I love that she’s a woman! She’s substantial.”
-Grace Bahk

Stay tuned for our video interview with Rachel Roy!

Photos by Alyssa Blanchard