Almost 25 years ago, Lisa Shapiro opened her flagship Lisa Todd boutique in Boca Raton. Since then, she launched her own clothing line, which is sold in more than 150 shops as far as Canada and at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Shapiro plans on taking her label to Europe next year.
What made you decide to start your own line?
My passion has always been creating product. A great part of the success of the Lisa Todd store has been my point of view in the merchandise, and I’ve had a great influence on the industry over the last 20 something years in helping to create some unique and original product with my vendors.
What kind of style does your line embody?
It’s modern. It’s casual. It’s sophisticated. It fits right into most women’s lifestyle. It’s wearable luxury merchandise.
Where do you draw inspiration for your clothing designs?
Really, from everywhere. I travel extensively. It’s everywhere from the cities and the countries that I travel to, to my love for the arts. It could be a painting, it could be a vase, it could be the coloring on a piece of pottery or a combination I see in a garden. It’s vast, it’s varied, but it all comes down to my core love for color and all the many interpretations and variations that can come from it.
What piece should every woman have in her closet?
That one go-to sweater that you wrap yourself in and it feels delicious, and you know you look fantastic in it.
What do you mean by clothes that make you feel “delicious?”
I want people to take the garment in their hands, and hear them go “ooo, that’s yummy.” And you know you can live in this and it’s the first thing you want to go. So many times the pieces that have that reaction are not necessarily fashion pieces. That was really hard – to blend that comfort and delicious feeling and also give designer fashion.
What’s the most important factor when selecting clothing?
I could get technical about it, but it’s really about how it makes you feel. If you’re wearing something that you feel great in, you project that to the outside. I’d like to say it’s about the fit or the design, but I really think in the end, it’s about how you feel wearing that garment.
Why did you pick Boca Raton as the place to open your flagship store?
I grew up where the headquarters for Federated Department Stores was, and when I graduated from college and wanted to start my retail career, I was pointed to South Florida to work for Burdines – which at the time had one of the best training programs in the country … Boca Raton was their No. 2 market, so I followed the success of Burdines in choosing my location, and Boca Raton has been very kind to me for the last 25 years.
(BLOGGER NOTE: Federated Department Stores is known as Macy’s.)
Do you have any big plans for the 25th anniversary of the Boca Raton Lisa Todd store?
We’ll have much hoopla and a lot of celebration come March 2014.
