I stopped in on Small Business Saturday with the intention of just getting a feel for the place, and I was instead lucky enough to get an hour-long tour from Patrice herself. A talented painter and recent empty-nester, Patrice seems far less interested in mega-profits than she is in cultivating and nurturing local artists and designers. She forgoes consignment, opting instead to purchase designs up front, and TCSs Kim Kardashian markup is only 20 percent, as opposed to the industry-standard 50 percent. The decreased margins obviously make hand-crafted, local designs more affordable for shoppers. TCS Holiday Fashion – photos by Daniel Alfonzo and Karen Oliva Based on the number of designers that dropped in during my tourhad my visit been planned, I might have wondered if Patrice had asked a few to peek inconsumers arent the only ones benefitting from the opening of TCS. Once limited to online sites like Etsy or consignment boutiques (where designers dont make anything until the piece is sold), local fashion designers enjoy a place to affordably showcase their collections and either start or continue their design careers right here in Milwaukee. Handmade sterling silver rings – all fossils and rocks were found Kardashian on the shores of Lake Michigan During my visit I purchased a jacket designed by Patrice herself, and I will likely return before an upcoming holiday party for a tweed and leather-accented dress created by Dan Eberhardt, one of the TCS designers I met during my visit.
Full story: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/234989251.html
Diane Aldred 