"Authentically Preppy" in Georgetown

At Elizabeth McKay we owe much of our success to our partnerships with over 250 high-end shops across the country. From the beginning, these stores have given us valuable distribution and aided our grass roots marketing campaign. Part of the purpose of this blog is to give thanks to the customers and store owners who helped Elizabeth McKay along the way. There are countless stores to thank, but today we will begin with Sherman Pickey in the beautiful Georgetown section of Washington, DC.

Ethan and Elizabeth (please excuse the Sunday morning casual dress!)

A wedding in the nation’s capital this weekend presented us with the opportunity to drop in on one of our favorite couples, Lindsay and Ethan Drath, the owners of Sherman Pickey. For those of you outside of the DC area, walking into Sherman Pickey is like walking into a shop on Martha's Vineyard. Similar to North River Outfitters in Boston and Edgartown, the store is located on a beautiful tree-lined street and looks more like a home you’d want to visit than a store hiding an incredible selection of “authentically preppy” clothing.

Pink and Green abound!

Founded 7 years ago, the store is named after one owner’s dog’s name and another’s cat’s name, both rescued animals. From the water bowl on the steps to the dog treats at the counter, Ethan and his staff dote on customer’s animals with the same attention and charisma that they supplied to the endless stream of customers we encountered at the store yesterday.

Pickey and Sherman

While we were there, we witnessed Ethan shower his unabashed attention on a Gentleman customer purchasing sports coats (carefully selected in advance) and then assist a young lady interested in the latest in summer dresses. Ethan’s sense of style permeates the store and his collections definitely reflect his preppy bent and affinity for Palm Beach. Jane, who walked us through some of the newer collections throughout the store, was also equally comfortable discussing Barbour jackets and Vilebrequin bathing suits as she was the latest tunic or dress. This nexus of fashion, function, and personal attention to detail makes for a great partnership with Elizabeth McKay.

The Scotland Ruffle Wrap Dress at Sherman Pickey

With warmer weather upon us, May is the perfect time to visit the nation’s capitol. So if you find yourself in Washington, D.C. anytime soon, be sure to stop in and say, “hi” to our friends at Sherman Pickey located at 1647 Wisconsin Avenue.

- Elizabeth

Two Safari-inspired prints (from the Vault)

At Elizabeth McKay, the only thing we love more than color is pairing it with the big, bold prints we dream up! 

With the exception of the Elephant Brigade print, we've never re-released a print after it's been issued (really!).  Why do we do this?  Because we LOVE coming up with NEW ones!  For every print that makes it through the design process, there are probably three or four that didn't make the cut.  A member of my design team pointed this out the other day and sparked a contest to see how many of our old prints we could name and how many were hiding in the vault, never to be seen again.  After we threw our hands up (we're creative types, not mathematicians), I started thinking about all of the great prints we've had through the seasons and the inspiration for each of them. 

For this post, I wanted to talk about two of my favorites - "Giraffes on the Ark" and "Elephant Brigade." 

When I dreamed up these two prints, I was on my honeymoon fulfilling one of my lifelong dreams - Safari.  I had always dreamed of going on a Safari and have a bookcase full of Fodors and Frommer's travel guides and a stack of Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler magazines to prove it.  

We started our trip in South Africa in Sabi Sands on a private reserve at one of the most exotic resorts I have ever been to.  We saw giraffes, hyenas, hippos, leopards, and of course - my coveted elephants.  I was so overwhelmed with ideas that I had to buy another journal to scribble in at the local market.  As you can see below, the Fall 2010 Elizabeth McKay line took shape with two of my favorite prints - inspired by the surreal sights and animals.

I loved this Giraffe so much....

that it was the inspiration for this print, "Giraffes on the Ark."

Have I said it once or twice?  I'm OBSESSED with Elephants!

The inspiration for "Elephant Brigade"

Still dreaming of my trip back... What do you think? Maybe Fall 2012 needs to be Safari-inspired?

Cheers! 

- Elizabeth

Two Safari-inspired prints (from the Vault)

At Elizabeth McKay, the only thing we love more than color is pairing it with the big, bold prints we dream up! 

With the exception of the Elephant Brigade print, we've never re-released a print after it's been issued (really!).  Why do we do this?  Because we LOVE coming up with NEW ones!  For every print that makes it through the design process, there are probably three or four that didn't make the cut.  A member of my design team pointed this out the other day and sparked a contest to see how many of our old prints we could name and how many were hiding in the vault, never to be seen again.  After we threw our hands up (we're creative types, not mathematicians), I started thinking about all of the great prints we've had through the seasons and the inspiration for each of them. 

For this post, I wanted to talk about two of my favorites - "Giraffes on the Ark" and "Elephant Brigade." 

When I dreamed up these two prints, I was on my honeymoon fulfilling one of my lifelong dreams - Safari.  I had always dreamed of going on a Safari and have a bookcase full of Fodors and Frommer's travel guides and a stack of Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler magazines to prove it.  

We started our trip in South Africa in Sabi Sands on a private reserve at one of the most exotic resorts I have ever been to.  We saw giraffes, hyenas, hippos, leopards, and of course - my coveted elephants.  I was so overwhelmed with ideas that I had to buy another journal to scribble in at the local market.  As you can see below, the Fall 2010 Elizabeth McKay line took shape with two of my favorite prints - inspired by the surreal sights and animals.

I loved this Giraffe so much....

that it was the inspiration for this print, "Giraffes on the Ark."

Have I said it once or twice?  I'm OBSESSED with Elephants!

The inspiration for "Elephant Brigade"

Still dreaming of my trip back... What do you think? Maybe Fall 2012 needs to be Safari-inspired?

Cheers! 

- Elizabeth

Launching 2.15.11!

Q&A with Elizabeth

For our next post, we wanted to find out what made our boss and mentor Elizabeth  "tick."  Here are some answers to the questions we asked when she sat down with us...

Best, The EMcKay Team

Elizabeth, how did you find yourself in the fashion industry?

From a young age, fashion seemed to work its way into my life. I guess I started with “accessories” as I became enthralled with my nanny who made potholders and oven mitts. Greatly intrigued by my questions, she taught me her hobby and I began sewing skirts for my older sister.  After making a piece, I’d present it to my sister who would just kind of look at it and say, “Um. Thanks?”  Although they were not works of art and most likely never left her closet, I developed my taste and designs over time and it provided me with the ultimate escape during my summer travels to a new vacation community where I knew no one. I spent my early summers in Watch Hill, RI carrying around a stuffed animal and sewing jackets for him.

Meanwhile, my grandparents, who lived in Tarboro, NC, were extremely adamant that we maintain a certain conservative attire, and therefore, we adopted two wardrobes- one sophisticated wardrobe for New York and one for the traditional Southern environment of our grandparents. As I grew older, I struggled to find my niche in academia but found my calling in fashion while attending Parsons School of Design.  

What inspired you to create your own line?

I have always loved all things vintage. My friends always joke with me that vintage finds were all I wore and they constantly raided my closet. In fact, the first time my husband and I met, he asked me what kind of dress I was wearing.  I dismissed him with the comment, “It’s vintage.”  Struggling to find items that had the same level of refinement and timeless appeal, I decided to launch my own line. I wanted to bring a line that would be the ultimate solution for a woman at any age and could compete with the likes of the gems I had acquired over time. Having traveled a great deal, I try to incorporate ideas and themes from the different locations I had been and give them my own twist.

What pieces do you think every woman must have in her closet?

I think every woman must have certain classic basics in her closet, but those essential pieces should be anything other than simple. I strive to create items like the Elizabeth shirt and Scotland dress that can be mixed and matched with different accessories so you can wear them over and over again and still receive endless compliments! I love accessories and incorporate little details into my line that express my passion, but also allow you to individualize each concept with your own treasures.  I love the Scotland Dress and ship it with two different belts so, that people can see how easy it is to change the look.  My favorites to customize are the Elizabeth Shirts and the new Elizabeth Dress.  My husband has a massive cufflink collection and I love to dress up the Elizabeth Shirt and Dress with them!

Elizabeth loved Elephants from an early age....

Elizabeth McKay | Fall 2010 is up and so are we!

It’s official… The Elizabeth McKay Blog is up and I wanted to take the time to write a big “thank you” to everyone who made it possible! I’m excited to get to know everyone who stops by a little better and I hope that you get to know some of the people behind the scenes at Elizabeth McKay as well.

This has been a crazy week here.  After three busy days at the Coterie Show in New York, we're making last minute preparations for this weekend's Spring/ Summer 2011 shoot. I'm really proud of the new line and can't wait to see it on our model.  As I write, she's heading up to Watch Hill, RI from Southern Florida to help us bring the new collection to life. Also, this season we were lucky enough to discover New York/ Watch Hill native Read McKendree to shoot everything with us. Read has worked with the likes of Tina Barney and Bruce Weber and we couldn't be more excited about collaborating with him. 

In the meantime, please check out the new Fall collection which we think is our best realization yet on our mantra over here...  "Classic. Preppy. Vintage."

All the best,

Elizabeth