Oh the gowns... Died, gone to heaven

[smoothdancer]

Oh my!!!

 

So if any one is following I have recently used my great formal shopping skills and plunged into Ebay.... After doing OK I concluded that if I wanted to continue on I needed to procure wholesale realtionships....So 2 days ago I venture out into NYC and the sample sales.... (pretty much a bomb as I was so uneducated)

 

Well on my way, around 39th street, this shop catches my eye.... I get buzzed in and I begin to look at the gowns.... OMG, OMG, I thought for sure I had died and gone to heaven... Every gown I looked at and touched was more incredible then the next... The detailed work on these gowns made my heart skip a beat, shed a tear, no kidding!!!

 

So, here I am am unemployed CPA and alas I could not handle the prices.... The full lengths were in the 425 range, the cocktail around 3.... I know for certain if I had a job I would of purchased, and a lot...

 

For someone like me who buys formal constantly because of my hobby to be that so much in awe and on top of that ....still thinking about it and cant get it out of my mind 2 days later says something.... Wheels turning, how can I make enough money to buy just one!!!

 

I took the card and the website does not show what I saw.... Wondering if any of our NYC friends knows what I am talking about... Here is the designer...

 

Isabella Fashions, Inc.... Website...

http://WWW.ISABELLAFASHIONSNY.COM

 

Jane, where are you????

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

SmoothDancer, with your background and experience, why don't you start a small retail gown and cocktail dress shop with accessories such as shoes and evening bags, dressy jewelry and wraps?

 

I know this is a tough economy for such types of retail. Also, I don't know if you live in a part of the country that has much demand for such shops. Still, I think you are a natural for that kind of business.

 

Then, you could afford any gown you want because you could get your choice of gowns at wholesale.

 

By the way, I really enjoyed that web site you linked, but those prices are out of my league too. And I do hope you can have the gown of your choice. Post a picture here.

[LParente]

I LOVE this one:

 

http://www.isabellafashionsny.com/assets/pics/catalog/PROD_261_Orig.jpg

Always nice to dream! :)

[smoothdancer]

LOL, wish I could of posted pictures for you ladies of what I saw..... Internet is one thing, but to feel the fabric, the perfect seams is a whole different world!!! The 2 designers were right up my butt as I browsed!!!... I guess my sneakers and shorts attire made them nervous, and there was no way I was going to snap a pic on my phone!!! Could of been handcuffed alone for this!!!

 

It is really funny how life changes.... I have been a consultant for IPO's for the last 20 years which gave me plently of funds to play with gowns for my own personal use.... When the economy tanked and I could not get the clients anymore I began to sell my own gowns which then lead me to new things.... I have a super hubby that said OK....live out your dream, dive in, do it.... If there is one thing I have learned these past 2 months is how little I really know about conture and fashion in general so no I am not quite ready for my own store, but funny you say because that is my goal.... Ahhhh one day!!!

 

Hey when the time comes that I am there, you all will be the first to know!!! For now, we leave for Barcelona in 3 weeks, then on to a seven day cruise in Italy..... LOL, I am packing quite light(is that possible) because I am bringing a suitcase empty that will be full when I return for my EBay store....

 

Thanks for cheering me on!!!

[Happy ks]

I LOVE this one:

 

http://www.isabellafashionsny.com/assets/pics/catalog/PROD_261_Orig.jpg

Always nice to dream! :)

 

I went through all of them and this was the one I liked best as well. One other black one, plus one short black cocktail dress. Most of it is not anything I would wear.

 

Owning a business and admiring dresses are two completely different things. After owning our own business for 16 years, now out of it for about 5 years, I'd never venture there again. Especially if it required hiring employees or appeasing women who want evening gowns and cocktail dresses.

 

Watch a few episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress". Not the part about trying on the dresses, the alterations. That is just a sampling of what you will get trying to deal with public in this type of industry.

 

If I were smoothdancer, I'd stick to the Ebay sales of her no longer wanted dresses ;)

[janniebabe]

LOL, wish I could of posted pictures for you ladies of what I saw..... Internet is one thing, but to feel the fabric, the perfect seams is a whole different world!!! The 2 designers were right up my butt as I browsed!!!... I guess my sneakers and shorts attire made them nervous, and there was no way I was going to snap a pic on my phone!!! Could of been handcuffed alone for this!!!

 

It is really funny how life changes.... I have been a consultant for IPO's for the last 20 years which gave me plently of funds to play with gowns for my own personal use.... When the economy tanked and I could not get the clients anymore I began to sell my own gowns which then lead me to new things.... I have a super hubby that said OK....live out your dream, dive in, do it.... If there is one thing I have learned these past 2 months is how little I really know about conture and fashion in general so no I am not quite ready for my own store, but funny you say because that is my goal.... Ahhhh one day!!!

 

Hey when the time comes that I am there, you all will be the first to know!!! For now, we leave for Barcelona in 3 weeks, then on to a seven day cruise in Italy..... LOL, I am packing quite light(is that possible) because I am bringing a suitcase empty that will be full when I return for my EBay store....

 

Thanks for cheering me on!!!

 

How do we find your Ebay store??

[smoothdancer]

I did hesitate to post the website, looked nothing like the showroom... I was wondering if that is typical... Who knows. Perhaps Jane will come along and tell me.

 

LOL, you are right, Ebay customers are tough!! I long ago sold the gowns I own that I wanted to give up and now and do purchases and resale but it is like someone said not an easy business. Lots of work, little money!! I am not sure yet if we will do an actual storefront, time will tell.

[Jane110]

I did hesitate to post the website, looked nothing like the showroom... I was wondering if that is typical... Who knows. Perhaps Jane will come along and tell me.

 

LOL, you are right, Ebay customers are tough!! I long ago sold the gowns I own that I wanted to give up and now and do purchases and resale but it is like someone said not an easy business. Lots of work, little money!! I am not sure yet if we will do an actual storefront, time will tell.

 

I don't know this store specifically, but there are many like them in the garment center. They sell wholesale and retail and their "showroom" isn't a showroom, but rather a store. These stores tend to be between 5th and Ath Ave's from 36th - 40th Street. There are a few further west, but most are clustered here, along with the ribbon, beading and hat stores.

They don't operate like typical wholesale companies, they sell from stock and rarely sell to dept stores. Their clients are small boutiques and generally non-american. (many South American retailers buy at these shops) I'm guessing that the owners of the the store were middle eastern. Breathing down your neck as you try to shop is part of their "charm". :rolleyes:

 

The dresses are very pretty and the prices are good. When you're really ready to shop, you might want to check out more stores in the area as well.

[Jane110]

SmoothDancer, with your background and experience, why don't you start a small retail gown and cocktail dress shop with accessories such as shoes and evening bags, dressy jewelry and wraps?

 

I know this is a tough economy for such types of retail. Also, I don't know if you live in a part of the country that has much demand for such shops. Still, I think you are a natural for that kind of business.

 

Then, you could afford any gown you want because you could get your choice of gowns at wholesale.

 

.

 

 

This is the funniest post I've read. Thanks for the chuckle! :D:D:D

[smoothdancer]

Thanks Jane, you described to a tee my experience. The shop was at 6th and 39th, and yes while I was in the area also had some fun looking in the fabric stores as well!! Such amazing stuff! I will also tell you that even the sample sales were either out of my price range or just not what I could sell at the margin I want..... but overall as unprepared as I was it turned out to be an educating and very fun day!!

 

So yes we leave for our Med cruise in 3 weeks... Do you know how hard it is to keep telling myself that these are not my dresses, they are my inventory and I cant wear them or pack them!!

[Jane110]

Oh, so you were right next to M&J trimming right and up the block from Lord & Taylor.

I can spend an hour just in the ribbon store!

 

Good luck with your Ebay business and have a fabulous cruise!

[rock the boat]

OMG what eye candy thanks for the link! I couldn't stop drooling looking through the couture collection!!! I wish I had more $ for those kind of dresses and occasions to wear them:o. But it's still fun looking!!!

[Langley Cruisers]

Wow. Why do most mother of the bride dresses look the same? Ugly? :p Ooops, sorry. I just find them so matronly, even these designer gowns. Oh well.

[Hoyaheel]

Well, you know, traditionally, the mother of the bride is a matron. So, that could explain why the dresses are matronly. Oh, but you mean you don't LIKE the dresses. So wear something different:p I hear more women on this board complaining they cannot find modest dresses that cover (name your body part) than I hear women saying they can't find something sexy enough:D:eek: Different strokes for different folks and all that......

[Cruise Arizona]

I was looking at gowns today. We are not sure for sure if my husband can take off the time for our Nov cruise, so it was just window shopping. I was browsing Dillards, and there stuff is nice, mass produced. It sound like you found the Holy Grail of gowns?

 

I am guessing that these were formal gowns and not custom made ballroom gowns? Those ballroom gowns can run in the $1000?

 

When we lived in Dallas the place to go for showroom stuff at discount prices was the Victor Costa outlet, and most of his stuff, back in the 80's were high quality knock-off of couture stuff like Chanel and Oscar De Larenta. Some real finds back in the day. The business went to his exwife in a divoce settlement and she still runs it today but more as a slightly discounted prom, pageant, and ballgown store. Is Victor Costa still around? I'll have to google it.