Boutique Parties!

We recently particpated in an event called the Indie Collection at Oakbrook Center here in Chicago. It was a really fun event for us as we saw so many of our suburban customers, made some new connections and were joined by several other local designers. I personally loved getting to see other designer lines amongst the traditional retailers at Oakbrook. I bought a dress from a new designer, whom I loved - Kate Boggiano, http://www.kateboggiano.com/ Some of her work was also just featured in In Style. I love her unique twist on classic such as button downs and shirt dresses. Check out the collar on the picture attached.

I know I'm not the only one who loves to shop at these kind of events. And, lately we've had an influx of opportunities to showcase our line at area boutiques. We're excited to bring 1154 LILL to customers while shopping at some of their favorite boutiques.

Here are some upcoming dates -We'll be at Holly G Boutique in Baltimore on 10/17, Urban Belly in Des Moines on 10/20, Avant Garden in Milwaukee on 10/22, Splendor in Milwaukee on 10/31 and Poeme in Cincinnati on 11/5. Check out the line and get some of your holiday shopping done - custom ordering available at all events! No appointment necessary.

You can find more info about all of these events on our facebook page or on our calendar of events page:

http://www.facebook.com/1154LillStudio
http://www.1154lill.com/events/default.asp#ongoing

We'd love to bring our line to one of your favorite boutiques as well. If you have suggestions, we're all ears! You can email your ideas to locallill@1154lill.com

Hope to see you at a boutique near you soon!
Best,
Jen Velarde

Spring - A Great Time to Host a Party!

I was anxiously awaiting spring this year - mostly because I was REALLY ready to have my baby, but also because it is such a wonderful time of the year. Full of new beginnings and occassions to get together with friends, I always feel inspired at this time of the year.

Speaking of new beginninngs - I am settling in as a new mother of 3... wheh! I am impressed with all of you who have already accomplished this feat. All kidding aside though, baby Grey is a very sweet little guy. He has been my easiest newborn yet and I'm really enjoying getting to know him. He looks a lot like Joey did as a baby and when wearing some of Joey's old clothes, I flash back 5 years and have remembered lots about Joey that I had forgotten. Pretty fun time. Thank you for all the kind messages after his birth. I've attached a couple new photos of the three, though haven't figured out how to get them all into one picture yet. :-).

We are finally seeing real signs of spring here in Chicago. I hear it may be 70 and sunny on Friday. I hope you are all also experiencing some signs as well. I love this season as it brings about lots of reasons to get together with friends or coworkers to reconnect after months "on the inside." Its the season for showers and weddings, for celebrations of mom and graduations. With all these occassions I find myself looking through my closet and needing something to refresh my wardrobe to match the enthusiasm I feel this time of year.

This year I'm looking to brighten my wardrode with accessories. Its a logical choice given that I still have some baby weight to take off, but also a smart financial choice. With a few added accessories this spring, I can revitalize my wardrobe with something I can wear everyday and feel good about. And what better way to start than to get some friends together to catch up after a long winter and help each other create some versitile spring accessories for all those upcoming occassions.

From exciting style introductions to inspiring new fabrics, LILL has a lot to offer both new and returning customers. I am really pleased with our most recent additions - the Nikki (above on right) and the Brianna (above on left - coming soon!). Nikki is selling very well so far and from the initial reaction by those who have previewed the Brianna, I think she too will do exceptionally well. I am currently pondering fabric for my first Brianna and am looking very forward to regularly sporting it this spring/summer. It will be tough to replace the Charlie I've been carrying for a while, though - I just love it and am not sure if I'll be able to give it up. And, I'm not sure if I can reduce the contents of my purse down to fit in a Nikki yet, but it is a goal. I've tried her out a few times and I love how she feels and looks on my arm.

So many options with our current line and more great things to come.... Its a great time to host a party and check them out yourself!

Happy Spring!

Jen

Founder / President

1154 LILL Studio

Happy New Year and THANK YOU! Thank you for staying tuned into our blog and thank you for being a fan of LILL in general. You are truly the best and we feel so lucky to have such amazing, caring, creative and loyal customers.

All of us here at LILL have so enjoyed and appreciated your stories, comments and feedback - please keep it up! We're using your ideas and input to design new products, choose our fabrics, improve our processes and policies and much more. We look forward to more conversations and idea sharing to come!

We know that 2008 was not an easy year for so many. No getting around it - the economy was tough and will be for a little while longer. We want to thank you for making the decision to support LILL as a local independent business. It means the world to us.

We hope you are able to ring in the New Year with friends and family close by - have fun and stay safe!

Wishing you joy, good health and much success in 2009!

Jen and the entire 1154 LILL Studio Team