When Sarah Easley walks in a room, heads turn.
Her undeniable energy and engaging personality are captivating. It’s easy to fall under Sarah’s spell and surrender to the knowledge of luxury fashion and expertise she gathered since co-founding one of the buzziest boutiques in NYC for 20 years, Kirna Zabete, and, currently, reimagining the retail experience with her company MaisonMarché. I sat down with Sarah for this newsletter’s very first Q&A!
Q: Hi, Sarah! Thanks for being my first interview for A Shirt Story’s Newsletter. I have a few questions for you. Here we go! Your concept of MaisonMarché is among the first of its kind in the upscale fashion retail market. Was this an idea that came to you in a dream or is this part of a shift in the industry as you know it? Please describe how MaisonMarché works. What the heck is a fête?
Ha! You know everything sounds better in French … A Fête in this case is a celebration of fashion … aka an elevated shopping event. I love retail. Trying to get ahead of this game and anticipate how the consumer wants to shop is so rewarding. I think she wants to shop a tight edit, chosen for her, in a relaxed setting with professional stylists. Most MaisonMarché events are one day only and held in a private residence. We set up a multi-brand shop selected specifically for the host and her community. Friends come through all day (sometimes twice!) and shop — often together and advising and encouraging each other. It is actually such a supportive, joyful and creative way to engage with each other. MaisonMarché makes a donation to the host’s preferred charity to thank her for welcoming us.
Sarah Easley
Q: I have watched you in action at your MaisonMarché events. Whether you suggest a no-brainer printed dress or gather a mini wardrobe for a client, everyone leaves the homes of the event’s hosts with a shopping bag. Your one on one attention makes a big impact on your guests. What is your superpower?
Thank you for respecting my “superpower,” Sasha!! Honestly, it is always the same: find personalized wardrobe solutions, but make it fashion. We address the real lives of our clients and get quite specific on how and where she is wearing each piece. Our objective is to give her three styling options so she maximizes the investment. Also, we ask her about what she already owns and loves but has not worn. Often buying two or three key pieces unlocks five outfits.
Q: Are your events open to the public? Is there a MaisonMarché shopping site?
Yes! Maisonmarche.com. There are always special collections that are for in-person events only that we do not add to the site. Like my wonderful haul from Marrakech this spring :) But overall we offer a good selection online. Right from the site or here you can email us — bonjour@maisonmarche.com — and request to be invited to an event in your area — or host one. As these are held in private homes, it is usually friends of friends and sisters and cousins and aunts! I promise we will make you feel right at home.
Q: You are very supportive of new talent, specifically Latin American designers. How did this come together?
Latin American brands create beautiful fashion that you can’t find everywhere. At MaisonMarché we aim to introduce our clients to new, special designers that are produced responsibly. I have been a mentor/judge/panelist at the Latin American Fashion Summit since its inception in 2018. Through this meaningful work I have met and worked with some of our best brands.
Thank you for respecting my “superpower,” Sasha!! Honestly, it is always the same: find personalized wardrobe solutions, but make it fashion. We address the real lives of our clients and get quite specific on how and where she is wearing each piece. Our objective is to give her three styling options so she maximizes the investment. Also, we ask her about what she already owns and loves but has not worn. Often buying two or three key pieces unlocks five outfits.
Q: Are your events open to the public? Is there a MaisonMarché shopping site?
Yes! Maisonmarche.com. There are always special collections that are for in-person events only that we do not add to the site. Like my wonderful haul from Marrakech this spring :) But overall we offer a good selection online. Right from the site or here you can email us — bonjour@maisonmarche.com — and request to be invited to an event in your area — or host one. As these are held in private homes, it is usually friends of friends and sisters and cousins and aunts! I promise we will make you feel right at home.
Q: You are very supportive of new talent, specifically Latin American designers. How did this come together?
Latin American brands create beautiful fashion that you can’t find everywhere. At MaisonMarché we aim to introduce our clients to new, special designers that are produced responsibly. I have been a mentor/judge/panelist at the Latin American Fashion Summit since its inception in 2018. Through this meaningful work I have met and worked with some of our best brands.
Totora Dress Debbie Dress Punicana Shirt
Q: Who is the woman you have in mind as you choose collections and designers? Do you have repeat customers?
Over 60% of our clients are repeat, which means we must constantly rotate the fashion to delight her. We have so much fascinating consumer data after six years — this informs a lot of the merchandise selection process. However! There is always that unexpected love at first sight collection worth a risk. Who is the woman? It is you! Or me … I actually do think of real women as my archetype muses. This woman travels, she does not really care about trends or fussy fashion. She is open to our ideas on how she can incorporate newness into her existing wardrobe to evolve her modern style.
Over 60% of our clients are repeat, which means we must constantly rotate the fashion to delight her. We have so much fascinating consumer data after six years — this informs a lot of the merchandise selection process. However! There is always that unexpected love at first sight collection worth a risk. Who is the woman? It is you! Or me … I actually do think of real women as my archetype muses. This woman travels, she does not really care about trends or fussy fashion. She is open to our ideas on how she can incorporate newness into her existing wardrobe to evolve her modern style.
Sarah's current favorite summer dress on her site
Q: For a given date in a town like Richmond, VA, for example, does your selection of clothing and accessories differ from a Santa Barbara, CA, event?
Great question and yes it sure does. In advance of activating in a new market, we speak to our event host about her guests, their lives and what is happening in that community. Then we build a curation around this feedback. It is also really fun to arrive at a home and set up our collections around the home design style. Matching fabrics to art on the wall is kind of a thrill — always done last minute against the clock but we make it work. Sometimes it feels like we are in a Broadway Show!!!
Q: Is the fashion industry’s impact on our climate crisis part of the conversation you have with your designers? If so, what steps have they taken or do they plan to take?
YES. We only choose brands creating sustainable, low-waste fashion. This is not a marketing hook for us. In fact, I feel like we are not making this mission clear enough to our clients … As you know, there are many relevant definitions of sustainability. There is really no reason to support anything else.— upcycling deadstock fabrics or garments (A Shirt Story!) created by hand by artisans in small batches, produced in low waste facilities — this can be a very long answer … We really do support industry-leading brands in this space and do our part as a retailer.
Great question and yes it sure does. In advance of activating in a new market, we speak to our event host about her guests, their lives and what is happening in that community. Then we build a curation around this feedback. It is also really fun to arrive at a home and set up our collections around the home design style. Matching fabrics to art on the wall is kind of a thrill — always done last minute against the clock but we make it work. Sometimes it feels like we are in a Broadway Show!!!
Q: Is the fashion industry’s impact on our climate crisis part of the conversation you have with your designers? If so, what steps have they taken or do they plan to take?
YES. We only choose brands creating sustainable, low-waste fashion. This is not a marketing hook for us. In fact, I feel like we are not making this mission clear enough to our clients … As you know, there are many relevant definitions of sustainability. There is really no reason to support anything else.— upcycling deadstock fabrics or garments (A Shirt Story!) created by hand by artisans in small batches, produced in low waste facilities — this can be a very long answer … We really do support industry-leading brands in this space and do our part as a retailer.
Q: How do my upcycled shirts work into your clients wardrobe?
The MaisonMarché gals like to buy at least 2 A Shirt Story Shirts - one oversized for over swimsuits on vacation and the other in a smaller size to wear untucked and buttoned over to the side with pants for evening. We love how they go from tomboy to glam just with buttons!
Q: Do you have a favorite podcast, TV series or book at the moment? What song have you sung along to or tapped your toe to lately?
Movie: Challengers — absolutely ADORED THIS MOVIE!!! I think you need to know tennis to get all the metaphors here. I played competitive tennis age 9 to 19 and really appreciated the head game at play here. Triggering but a masterpiece!
Book: Alisyn Camerota's Combat Love
Song: I have been listening to a lot of French Retro music lately! I made a MaisonMarché playlist because it is perfect to shop to.
Movie: Challengers — absolutely ADORED THIS MOVIE!!! I think you need to know tennis to get all the metaphors here. I played competitive tennis age 9 to 19 and really appreciated the head game at play here. Triggering but a masterpiece!
Book: Alisyn Camerota's Combat Love
Song: I have been listening to a lot of French Retro music lately! I made a MaisonMarché playlist because it is perfect to shop to.
Q: What is the latest rabbit hole you got lost in?
I love this question! I think it’s so character revealing. After my trip to Marrakech I became inspired to create a Moroccan Lights Fairy Land in our yard. I can pretend we are on a rooftop in Morocco — why not? So … I have spent a lot of time researching little solar lanterns and lights and how to best hang them. It is going
I love this question! I think it’s so character revealing. After my trip to Marrakech I became inspired to create a Moroccan Lights Fairy Land in our yard. I can pretend we are on a rooftop in Morocco — why not? So … I have spent a lot of time researching little solar lanterns and lights and how to best hang them. It is going
pretty well but the birds are nervous.
Lunch at the Berber Lodge in the countryside near Marrakech with my dear friend Jane Green and icon Patti Boyd- best stories over a 3 hour Tagine plus rosé lunch!!!!
Q: Who lives in your house … people, pets, plants?
My husband Greg, my kids Jackson (20) and Cece (18) who are both in college in and out all the time. One border collie, one Australian shepherd and … SO MANY plants including a 20-foot palm tree — she lives in the “disco room,” which obviously has a big disco ball on the ceiling.
Q: Is it true you like to dance?
Yes! I am so happy you know that about me. I am down a new rabbit hole right now looking for appropriate videos or pictures to prove it to you!!!
My husband Greg, my kids Jackson (20) and Cece (18) who are both in college in and out all the time. One border collie, one Australian shepherd and … SO MANY plants including a 20-foot palm tree — she lives in the “disco room,” which obviously has a big disco ball on the ceiling.
Q: Is it true you like to dance?
Yes! I am so happy you know that about me. I am down a new rabbit hole right now looking for appropriate videos or pictures to prove it to you!!!
P.S. Full disclosure, Sarah has been a fan of A Shirt Story since day one – or even earlier! When I was just starting to rework men’s shirts and considering turning it into a business, she encouraged me to order some A Shirt Story labels and go for it! That was February 2020.
xxsasha
xxsasha