Have Boutique-Will Travel
In a crowded market for specialty boutiques, retailers are always scouting for a new niche that will make them stand out. Maggie Wachsberger is gambling that her travel bug will give jaded Los Angeles consumers a fashion alternative.
Her boutique, Malgosia, debuted on Los Angeles’ stylish West Third Street in September 2006. Wachsberger hopes that her business will be one of the first spots where people go to find emerging designers, like many other stores on West Third Street. But shoppers would have to rack up thousands of frequent-flyer miles to find the designers offered in Malgosia. Fortunately for Malgosia’s customers, Wachsberger lives to do the legwork for them.
The Polish-born Wachsberger made a trip to Lakme India Fashion Week in Mumbai last year, where she bought several pieces from the collection of emerging designer Rajesh Pratap Singh. Other journeys netted international labels, including Fly Now from Thailand and Miriam Ocariz from Bilbao, Spain.
Malgosia’s most popular designer originally hails from Macedonia in southeastern Europe. Macedonian designer Risto Bimbiloski produces an embroidered hand-crocheted tank top constructed from silk and bamboo, which retails for $390.
“They’re not so cheap,” Wachsberger said. “But there won’t be 20 of them on your street. You’ll be one of three in your city to wear them.”—Andrew Asch
