Boutique Culture Warehouse Sale Coming Dec. 6th

The December 6th Boutique Culture Warehouse Sale at the Hyatt at Olive 8 features more than 20+ local boutiques and premium designers offering up to 80% off all merchandise. Boutique Culture will also debut the online version of its Warehouse Sale, the first online store to feature closeout prices without fussy memberships or invitations! (Yay!) 

Participants in the sale include: 

• A to Z Tees
• Alhambra
• Asher Anson
• BCO
• CMRTYZ
• Deco Modiste
• Katie Kay
• Mapel
• Moksha
• Nuvo Moda
• Plane Jane
• Purely Paige
• Queen Anne Dispatch
• Sabrina Love Handbags
• Stella & Dot
• Suzabelle
• Sureel
• Totokaelo + Impulse
• Zovo Lingerie

What:

The Boutique Culture Holiday Warehouse Sale offers a unique opportunity for shoppers to stock up on new and closeout merchandise, winter/spring must-haves and accessories that give outfits that final, individual touch. This one day shopping event boasts outlet prices in an atmosphere that is anything but. Chic, entertaining and complete with full service cash bar and martini-style lounges, the Boutique Culture Winter Warehouse Sale features designer men’s and women's collections at up to 80% off retail prices.

Locally sponsored by Hyatt at Olive 8, the Boutique Culture Warehouse Sale boasts fashion finds and one-of-a-kind perks, including:

VIP Shopping from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
o $10 prior to event
o Mimosas, gourmet donuts, fresh fruit platters and an additional 10% off all purchases
o A percentage of ticket sales will be donated to a local chapter of Dress for Success

General Admission from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
o Free Admission

Seattle’s first Clothing Swap, sponsored by AlixRose.como Upon entering the BCWS, shoppers can exchange ten of their clean, gently worn designer items for five of someone else’s
o All the rage in New York and Los Angeles, the Clothing Swap is great way to revitalize your closet
o Remaining items will be donated to local men’s, women’s and children’s charities in Seattle
Acceptable clothing for the swap:
o Gently worn, clean, washed, and without holes, tears, marks or stains
o Designer, vintage, new, modern or one of a kind
o Dresses, skirts, tops, blouses, shorts, jackets, hats or shoes
o Any size or fabric
o Not allowed: swimwear, lingerie or accessories

The debut of Boutique Culture’s Online Store
o Sale inventory from boutiques and designers around the globe
o Prices of up to 80% off retail, with most items under $100
o All of the perks of other sale sites, but without the fuss of membership sign-ups or invitations

Why:

Major Savings: The Boutique Culture Warehouse Sale is an all-inclusive, one-stop-shop that connects Seattle's style-savvy bargain hunters with their favorite boutiques and designers. Boutique Culture saves shoppers time and money by organizing all the city’s best boutiques and brands into one easy to navigate event. 

Feel Good:

In addition to feeling chic in new designer duds and satisfied with deeply discounted prices, attendees can feel good about giving back to their community. Boutique Culture will provide a portion of its VIP ticket sales to Dress for Success, a non-profit organization that advances women and their career opportunities by outfitting them with professional attire. Boutique Culture will also donate the remaining fashions from the Clothing Swap to other local Seattle charities.

Where: Hyatt at Olive 8: 1635 8th Ave. Seattle, WA 98101

When: Sunday, December 6th (VIP: 9–11 a.m and General admission 11am-6pm). Clothing swap runs from 11am-4pm.

Who:

Anyone who can appreciate a great deal on designer brands.

Details:

All participating vendors accept cash and many accept all major credit cards. Conveniently-located fitting rooms will be available to shoppers. Street parking on site and in nearby lots. Valet is not included in ticket price.

Style 09 Fashion Show

Look Good, Feel Good and Do Good at this year’s Style 09 Fashion Show on Thursday, April 30th, featuring Carmilia's, Coastal, Canopy Blue, Lululemon, Nuvo Moda, The Finerie, Clutch, Oslo's, Asher Anson and Kick it Boots. "We are so happy to be part of the runway show for the first time this year,"says Kimberly Arrington, owner of Clutch, "In previous years we have been part of the audience." The 7th annual event to benefit Northwest Hope & Healing is designed to provide financial assistance to patients in need, for non-medical support services such as child care, meal service, transportation, and emergency rent. Tickets start at $40 for General Admission and range up to $1000 for VIP. 

Fashion First- Seattle's Best Runway Show

In order to understand boutique fashion, you have to know a little bit about why I’m so into Seattle’s independent boutiques. For the past five year’s I’ve worked as a producer for Fashion First and that is precisely when I fell madly in love with boutiques.

Fashion First started in 2004 by Jared Seegmiller and Joan Kelly. The original goal was to provide much needed exposure to the small, independent boutiques in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle and give them the opportunity to participate in a fabulous runway fashion show. Many of them had great apparel and accessories but just like many small businesses they had very little money to do marketing or promotions. Fashion First helped to fill that void and five years later continues to showcase the best designers and boutiques in the Seattle area.

The first show was held in 2004 at the Bada Lounge on First Avenue. The slogan was "There is only one style that suits you- your own". The lineup consisted of Sway & Cake, Ian, Baby & Co., Endless Knot, Moda Express, Ottica Seattle, Kuhlman, Karan Dannanberg Clothier, Alhambra, Carol McClellan, Maxwelton Aerie Apaca, Nuvo Moda, Mercer & Co., David Lawrence and J.Gilbert Footwear. The show was a huge success and even before the evening concluded guests were inquiring about next year’s showcase and how they could buy tickets in advance.

Tragically, eight months after the first show co-producer Jared Seegmiller passed away from cancer. It was then that Joan Kelly and I made the decision to continue doing the show in his memory as a tribute and also as a benefit event for The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. The 2005 show was bittersweet but it was beautiful. We upgraded the venue from a bar into the Palace Ballroom on Fifth Avenue. We even got to work with a larger lineup of boutiques including Ian, Encanto Barcelona, Alhambra, Nuvo Moda, Betty Blue, Cinti Jewelry, Lizzie Parker, Ottica Seattle, Moda Express, Great Jones home, Endless Knot, Mercer, Planet Lulu, Carol McLellan, Sway & Cake and Butch Blum.

The 2006 show was sold out just like the first two and our scope of boutiques changed from Belltown Businesses and expanded to all over the city including West Seattle and Downtown. Our line up that year included Karan Dannenberg Clothier, Ericce, Blackbird, Canopy Blue, Nuvo Moda, Lizzie Parker, Furla, Carmilia’s, Renee Bassetti, Ottica, Manhattan Boutique, Cintli Jewelry, Moda Express, Alhambra, Derek Andrew, Encanto Barcelona, Promesse, Sway & Cake, Riveted Jeans and a finale set by Mario’s.

By the fourth annual show (Fashion First 2007) it was clear that we were the biggest and best runway show in Seattle and the best part was, we were still having a fabulous time doing it! This was the year we upgraded the venue to Fremont Studios and gave VIP guests a lounge of their very own. The lineup included La Ree, Polite Society, Illi, Posh on Main, The Finerie, Carmilia’s, Ragamoffyn’s, Marqsmen, Lizzie Parker, Tatters, Renee Bassetti, Pine IV Denim, Alhambra, Riveted Jeans, and Sway and Cake. The event also featured a finale with a special final dress by students at The Art Institute of Seattle worn by former first lady of Washington, Mona Locke.

This past year was our fifth annual show (Fashion First 2008) and we’re proud to say it was a completely sold out as expected. We moved the venue to Lake Union and prayed our plan to naturally air condition the building by keeping the windows open all day would work. We had a solid line up including Sway & Cake, Marqsmen, La Ree, Tatters, Opal, Illi, Canopy Blue, Ragamoffyn’s, Rock Star Jewelry, Marilyn Berg, Petaline.net, WCM Belts, Rocco E Dante, Shoefly, Clutch, The Finerie and a final dress by students at The Art Institute of Seattle worn by celebrity model and former Melrose Place Star, Josie Bissett.

Working with the best and brightest boutiques in the city has given me an immense amount of respect for all of their hard work bringing the hottest apparel and accessories to Seattle. It’s truly a labor of love and I’m honored to have been able to spend the past five years working amongst them in order to produce Fashion First.

Since then I've moved on from Fashion First and have been focusing on working in the industry as the Mens Private Label Sourcing & Production Manager for a local apparel company and of course, doing freelance writing for fashion publications in addition to writing for my blog. But with all that being said, Fashion First will always have a special place in my heart!