10 Questions with Retailer, Lindsay Fork of La Jeune Mariee and Luxe Redux in Columbus, Ohio
Michele Iacovelli
Lindsay Fork
1) Tell us your story, what inspired you? Did you open La Jeune Mariee?
I purchased La Jeune Mariee from the previous owners in 2008. It was a childhood dream to own a bridal boutique one day. I had been infatuated with bridal fashion and made many scrapbooks, the paper version of Pinterest, when I was young. I was exploring other options in the franchising world when the opportunity to purchase LJM became a reality. I knew early on I wanted to grow the location and the business. I come from a background of retailers so working long hours and weekends was not something I was a stranger to. I opened LJM’s sister store, Luxe Redux in 2011 and between both brands, I currently have 8 locations.
We are moving La Jeune Mariee at the end of this summer so the look and feel will be familiar, but elevated. Working with professional designers to bring the look and feel of an updated boutique has been exciting. Every detail was imagined with the utmost care from the bridal suites to the back of house. I pulled inspiration from French boutiques, architecture I love as well as items that are textural in nature. I want this to be a modern version of what our brides have come to know and love.
3) What designers do you carry? What are the price points?
La Jeune Mariee has evolved into a boutique where we truly carry something for every bride but do so with meticulous care. Starting out, boutiques need to fine tune their selection to be careful with cash flow. We did that in the early days, but as we have grown, I have been able to layer in designers I feel offer a more affordable price point but still have attention to detail on style, fit and fabric. We carry Jenny Yoo to Monique Lhuillier. Our price point ranges from $1500-$15,000. Ines di Santo, Netta Ben Shabu, Vera Wang and Rivini amongst other designers all hang pretty in our boutique.
4) Tell us about the concept of Luxe Redux.
Many founder stories seem to start in a basement or a garage and for Luxe Redux it was no different. When La Jeune Mariee was still a baby in 800 sq. ft, I had to put the discontinued and overstocked items in the basement of the old, historic building we occupied to make room for new. Sample sales were never fruitful and that was increasingly frustrating. I heard this from my other bridal besties and so I knew there had to be a better way. Above LJM, there was space available so I took a chance and opened Luxe Redux in even less square footage so I could have a store that was a sample sale all the time. I hired a stylist, and we were off. I knew even back in 2011, I wanted all the gowns to be online and accessible for the bride looking to find her perfect gown at a reduced price. While Luxe started out carrying only LJM samples, it didn’t take long for me to ask my peers if I could help them with their underperforming inventory as well. Luxe Redux offers an amazing experience in store as well as online. While owning an off the rack store wasn’t a revolutionary concept, the experience and look of the stores that existed were usually in line with a less than stellar experience, and I always thought, “that’s just not fair. Why should a bride who actually appreciates luxury and fabric, but on a stricter budget, have a terrible experience with gross carpet, plastic bags and sifting through dresses like it’s a thrift shop?” So, I changed the perception.
After 13 years, we have 7 locations and growing. Our online continues to grow and thrive through direct sales and our Luxe in A Box ship to home program. What I love just as much as growing my business is the assistance, we can provide to other retailers. Cash Flow Management is a very real thing in our industry, and if not done correctly, can break your business. Understanding how to purge and cycle through inventory effectively is one of the biggest lessons in being successful in bridal. This also assists in the relationships you have with designers because it can alleviate stress when it comes to those biannual buys and minimums. This is a part of our industry I am extremely passionate about, and I hope to continue educating bridal shop owners on this matter.
5) How do Luxe Redux brides prefer to shop?
An off the rack bride isn’t always as different as people want to imagine than a special-order bride. Again, I think there is a negative connotation that exists in bridal were people want to attach adjectives like, “cheap, dirty or secondhand” to an off the rack dress. A great example I like to use so people imagine it differently is this, “When you walk into Saks’ shoe department, do you look at the sales associate and ask for a discount on your Louboutin’s because 134 other women may have tried them on and walked across the sales floor while deciding to buy them?” Think on that. You don’t. So why should bridal gowns that have been tried on for typically less than 5-10 minutes at a time be looked at so differently? They are way less trafficked and tried on than most other garments in other stores.
Luxe Redux brides want a lovely experience with a knowledgeable stylist, a pretty boutique, a great dress at a great price and some are 100% set on the aspect of sustainability.
6) What makes your stores stand out? What are the core values?
We have 6 core values which are fiercely followed in our organization which includes La Jeune Mariee + Luxe Redux.
Trustworthy
Hardworking
Respectful
Positive + Energetic
Values Communication
Service Minded with Attention to Detail
I believe where we stand out the most is the training and education my staff receives in providing a great experience for our clients. We are very intentional with how we train our stylists and have a differentiator that we truly have stylists, not salespeople.
7) What’s the most rewarding part of owning your store?
Living in Columbus, Ohio surrounded by many corporate, fashion HQ’s, such as L Brands, Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie, etc., many stylists I had in the early days were using LJM as a launching pad until they were hired by one of the big retail brands as a merchandiser or buyer. It was frustrating, so I vowed early on to grow the business to a point were I too could offer careers, not jobs, to people and make them want to stay and grow with the company. When I was able to offer healthcare benefits, PTO, a 401(k) program, and other exciting benefits, you could see the shift in how the company was retaining employees.
8) How far do customers travel to come to shop?
We see brides from a 5 State radius due to our location, advertising and the variety of designers and price points we carry.
9) What trends are selling in the Columbus, Ohio area?
Clean + Classic is still hot right now. Then it will swing over to full on beading for a bride who wants to put on more of a show. The boho for us has definitely died down and I am not mad about it. What I do love about our brides is that they are not afraid to wear prints and color. I would also say our brides are not label-seekers. They may show us photos of gown inspo but they are simply looking for the style and the price point, not the “name”.
10) TELL US A favorite story of a bride La Jeune Mariee dressed.
What I love most are the families. We have so many families were we have dressed all the sisters throughout the years and then the extended family members. That is special when by the time you get to #3, 4 and 5, they just say and know, “I am only buying my dress from La Jeune Mariee.”