 “I don’t think of my things as a fashion, as a fad. I create something a woman can wear 10 years down the road. They’re investment pieces,” she says. “When you wear one of my gowns, people are probably going to notice you—and in a very nice way.”
A Lily of the West creation often begins as an image in Lily’s mind. She doesn’t sketch ideas like other designers. “I work on a garment and it changes; it doesn’t always work as I intended,” she says.
Currently, Lily is working with cherry red French lace on satin silk for a charmeuse-layered, high-waisted halter dress. She drapes the fabric on a mannequin but uses her own size 6-8 frame for reference, where she can see how the dress moves and feels on the body. She uses thin, flexible spiral steel boning to give the dress structure and to help hold it up. “My mom and my grandma used to sew all my clothes. I grew up around that,” she says as she lines a scalloped-edged trimming of lace at the neckline of the mannequin. “I remember crocheting little doll clothes.”
Also crediting her father’s career in engineering and architecture, Lily says her hobby (and necessity—she grew up in California as the oldest of eight children) turned into her passion. “It wasn’t something intentional to start a career in,” she says.
After high school she didn’t go to college, but she didn’t want to marry and become a housewife, which seemed to be the inevitable next step. Instead, Lily found a job doing alterations at an upscale shop, where she was exposed to high-quality clothing construction. “That’s how I really learned techniques, looking at old Chanel dresses and things,” she says.
Lily opened her first retail store in Sedona. She moved around in Arizona and Colorado, where she had a store in Aspen. She first lived in Santa Fe in the ‘70s, then decided to come back for good in 2000. “The reason I chose Santa Fe is it really has a worldwide appeal. And it’s acceptable to dress differently here,” she says.
Her business has been her sole source of income for 20 years. “I feel it almost takes that long to have that confidence and move forward,” she says. “That’s something you have to know if you want to be self-employed.”
Lily specializes in formal occasion clothing and wedding gowns, but carries ready-to-wear staples like basic skirts and sleeveless tops in black and neutral shades. She also carries original pieces of jewelry she buys from collections or estate sales. The boutique also sells belts created by local art ists with whom Lily collaborates. Additionally, two employees assist her, and she currently has nearly a dozen special orders, each of which will take from several months to half a year to complete. “I basically work eight days a week,” Lily says.
Lily is single and does not have children, and as a woman dedicated to her craft, she recognizes the many hardships she has gone through as an independent business owner. “It’s always difficult. You have to know you might hit some very low points,” she says, adding that she realizes couture is not a necessity and that modern consumers desire immediacy, with little interest in craftsmanship.
 Yet, she credits perseverance as one of her keys to success. “No matter how many times you get knocked down, you just have to stand up and know you can get through it,” Lily says. “It’s the energy you put out. That sense of self-assurance-people pick up on it.”
To keep herself inspired, Lily studies vintage textiles and style icons. She also looks to old photographs, Art Nouveau, books, and cutouts from magazines, and she searches for recurring trends. Among her favorite designers are Lanvin, Christian Dior, and Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent. When she isn’t working, Lily enjoys gardening, baking, doing yoga, and going on road trips. She is part of the Self-Realization Fellowship, founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda. She also likes to buy, fix up, and sell houses.
With her experience in fashion, Lily has several pieces of advice for women. “Have more self-confidence,” she says, and: quality over quantity. Look to things that are versatile and timeless. Watch your posture. Watch your diet. She recommends eating healthy, organic, seasonal foods.
“So many women seem to feel like they are victims of their bodies, rather than taking charge and highlighting the positive,” Lily says. “Take care of the temple.”
She also encourages women to look at their bodies as pieces of sculpture. “It’s important to feel comfortable, so if you have arm problems, look to a three-quarters sleeve or something that is sheer.”
Lily also encourages brides-to-be to take the extra effort with their wedding gowns, because marriage is a lifetime investment and should be celebrated accordingly.
As for investing further in her life and business, Lily says she isn’t sure what the future or even 2008 holds. But, she says smiling, “I like the challenge of this job.”
Lily of the West
203 East Palace Ave.
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 982-5402
lilyofwest@cybermesa.com
www.lilyofthewest.com |
