It Starts Today: Help Every Child Succeed in Cincinnati!

This is a reminder that  Isle of Skye Cashmere begins our in-store fundraising week for Every Child Succeeds today, Saturday, December 3. We will continue from Tuesday December 6 to Saturday December 10. Store hours are 10am to 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Saturday, we close at 4pm. 20% of all our store sales during this time will be donated to Every Child Succeeds.

Over the last 5 years, with the help of loyal customers, I have raised over $60,000 for Every Child Succeeds. With the pressure on our state budget this year, ECS needs support from the private community more than ever. I support Every Child Succeeds because I believe that helping to save a child is the best holiday gift that we can give.

Look Good!

Isle of Skye Cashmere specializes in fine Scottish and Italian Cashmere clothing…sweaters, jackets, and scarves. The photo on the left is our Callie Cashmere Cardigan, knit exclusively for us in Scotland. We have other items that make great holiday gifts including Loro Piana Cashmere Blazers, English and Italian hand-finished women’s cotton shirts, women’s slacks and skirts hand-tailored from Italian wool and silk, and JBrand jeans.

Do Good!

20% of all store sales this week goes to Every Child Succeeds, a Children’s Hospital Program that delivers vital services to children of at-risk, first time moms. These moms are typically unmarried, low income, and have no access to prenatal care. Their children are at high risk for poor health, delayed learning and social development, neglect, and abuse.ECS has proved it helps save at-risk children by lowering infant mortality, creating safe and healthy home environments, and delivering normal learning, language and social development for over 90% of the children in the program.

$250 Gift Cards!

We’re giving away two $250 gift cards at the end of the week.  Just stop by the store to register!

Please come by Isle of Skye Cashmere this week, and help in my support of Every Child Succeeds! I hope to see you.

Rita Jones

Isle of Skye Cashmere
7801 Laurel Ave
Cincinnati OH 45243
513-271-2589

Je suis revenue de Paris….

I am just back from a great trip – 2 days in New York and 7 days in Paris. My time in Paris ended in the same place it began – Place Dauphine. Place Dauphine is a small public square on the western end of Isle de la Cite. It was named after “Le Dauphin” (crown prince) Louis XIII, son of Henry IV, and was built in 1609.As you can see in the picture on the left, even when the rest of Paris is bustling with tourists, Place Dauphine is quiet and charming. With cobblestone walks and outdoor cafes surrounding a lovely park with trees and benches, its a perfect place to become re-acquainted with Paris.

I always start my visits to Paris with a glass of Chablis at le Bar du Caveau in Place Dauphine. Tourists hardly ever come into this tiny restaurant with 6 crowded tables – the waitress does not speak English and there is no English menu.  It’s not my favorite restaurant in Paris, but Le Bar du Caveau  is my favorite place to re-immerse myself in the sights and sounds of Paris with a glass of one of the great white wines from Burgundy.

And I always end my visits to Paris with a walk through the Place Dauphine at dusk,  just to create one last memory for myself of what a beautiful and enchanting city this is. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share a few of the special things I discovered in Paris during this trip.

Isle of Skye Cashmere: We’re Back!

It’s hard to believe the summer is coming to an end.  After a wonderful 6 week break, I have re-opened the Isle of Skye Cashmere store. For the month of September, I will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 3pm. We are in our new larger location at 7801 Laurel Ave., where the Laurel House Shops used to be. Please come by to see my lovely new space.

Many of our new sweaters will not be arriving until mid-September, but I have a few great new styles on display. As usual, we have our sweaters knit and hand finished in Scotland by the mill that makes cashmere sweaters for Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Lucien Pellat-Finet. Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs use this mill for their cashmere knitwear because the quality is unmatched.

For our woven cashmere clothing – we love Loro Piana! And, we have our Loro Piana cashmere blazers available in Navy, Black, and Camel….as well as a great Loro Piana cashmere full length overcoat in Navy.

We have other new arrivals for the fall already in the store, including:

• Some beautifully tailored Italian wool stretch pants from a supplier I found in boutiques in Perugia…E.Kollins of Bologna.
• Shirts by Walter Voulaz of Milan.
• Belts and jewelry from 2 small manufacturers I found in Paris – Maison Boinet and Marie-Laure Chamorel
• Handmade leather bags from Buti Pelletiere of Florence.
• Handmade sterling silver buckles and exotic leather belts from Pat Arieas of Carmel.

Finally, I am trying something different to start off this season. I have a selection of summer wear from Manuel Canovas remaining. As a “Thank You” to my loyal customers, I am offering a discount of 50% on all Manuel Canovas clothes for the first 2 weeks of September. I am not advertising this sale, but only letting my customers know through my regular customer letter and blog.  The sale prices on Manuel Canovas will only be available through September 17^th.

I look forward to seeing you at Isle of Skye Cashmere. Please call me at 271-2589 if you have any questions.

Rita

Vintage Chanel Jewelry from Dash Rocks

My friend, Diane Buse, recently returned from Paris  with some beautiful vintage jewelry from Chanel. Many of you are familiar with Diane’s “Dash Rocks” jewelry that we sell in our store. Diane has added a number of vintage Chanel necklaces and earrings to her Dash Rocks line — all are for sale at Isle of Skye Cashmere.

In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld was appointed the couturier for Chanel. Shortly thereafter, he hired Victoire de Castellane as head designer of Chanel costume jewelry, where she remained until 1998. Many of the pieces  in Diane’s Dash Rocks collection  were designed by de Castellane in the late 1980′s and can be authenticated by their oval signature plate with the Chanel logo.

Diane has also included several pieces which use pate de verre (poured glass) from the reknowned Parisian Maison Gripoix. Maison Gripoix creates stunning pieces to accompany the runway collections of Chanel, Balenciaga, Lanvin and Givenchy. Only a handful of people know the technique of melting glass into different shades of color as well as transforming the molten glass into pearls, enamel, and crystals… and each piece of this jewelry can take up to 400 hours to make. All of these beautiful Maison Gripoix pieces are highly prized as collector’s items.

Please stop by Isle of Skye Cashmere to see the Vintage Chanel pieces and all of the Dash Rocks jewelry created by Diane Buse. If you are looking for a personal signature piece that will turn a good look into a great look, this is where you will find it.  I have been wearing my Dash Rocks pearl necklace with all my cashmere sweaters this spring…for me, it brings a little hint of Paris springtime to this dreary cloudy weather we have been having.

Hope to see you soon!

Fatto a Mano in Firenze: The Structured Day Bag

I have been reading in Vogue and Elle that the structured handbag is back in style…in bright colors for spring, and in neutral basics for the fall. Well, in my mind, it never went out of style in the first place.  A great style blog we follow, OnQueStyle offers these comments:

One of the biggest handbag trends for this season is the structured handbag… Structured bags are sophisticated for any work wardrobe and can add class to a casual look, as well. The latest must-have handbags are miracles of efficiency (carries my iPhone and iPad), making the most of their smaller outlines with thoughtful design details and practical, structured frames. This is a far cry from the slouchy, uncooperative bags we’ve become used to, a framed bag makes it easy to keep all our necessities only a hand lengths away instead of placing my entire arm to the bottom of my handbag just to find my ringing cell phone.

When I was in Firenze this past spring, I found a wonderful pelletterie (leather factory) that handmakes beautiful leather structured bags. These artisans make over 100 types of bags, but my favorites are the ones inspired by classic, timeless styles. Here is a picture of one from our store stock, but you can order this bag or any other style they make in a selection of over 20 colors…think orange, red, yellow, green or your personal favorite. If you want the perfect personalized statement bag,  please stop by and check them out.

Avoid GMC at Isle of Skye Cashmere!

This is a short post to let you know that Sue Kim, our Master Tailor,
will be at Isle of Skye Cashmere on Tuesday May 3.

Sue will be available to make custom pants, skirts, dresses, and
tops. We have a great selection of fabrics from Valentino, Oscar de
la Renta, and Loro Piana.

Sue can fit you with classically styled clothes in beautiful  fabrics
that you won’t find anywhere else.  We’ll help you with great alternatives
to GMC (Generic Mall Clothes)!

If you would like an appointment with Sue Kim at Isle of Skye
Cashmere, or if you have any other questions, please call at
513-271-2589.

Rita
Isle of Skye Cashmere
7801 Laurel Ave.
(Across from the Post Office in Madeira)

Store Hours:
Tues-Fri 10am to 5pm
Saturday 10am to 3pm

Christmas shopping made simple: The Statement Cashmere Cardigan.

It takes just 3 simple gifts to look this good. Send your husband, partner, or significant other to Isle of Skye Cashmere with your list for Santa. You may be in for a very Merry Christmas!

1)  The Callie Cashmere Cardigan (knit in Scotland exclusively for Isle of Skye Cashmere).

2)  The Italian Wool Pant by Maria Luisa Barbera.

3)  Shoes by Emma Hope of London.

All available at:

Isle of Skye Cashmere
7006 Center Street
Cincinnati OH 45243
513-271-2589

We are open until 8pm on Thursday night, December 16.

Hope to see you before Christmas!

Rita Jones
Isle of Skye Cashmere

On the First Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

The Fiona Circular Cashmere Cardigan (knit in Scotland exclusively for Isle of Skye Cashmere)

Woven Leather Belt and Sterling Silver Buckle by Pat Areias of Carmel.

Audrey Leggings by JBrand Jeans

All available at Isle of Skye Cashmere. 7006 Center Street in Madeira.

Thursday Night (December 9) is Men’s shopping night at Isle of Skye Cashmere. We’re open until 9pm.

Send your husband, partner, or significant other to Isle of Skye Cashmere with your list for Santa. You may be in for a very Merry Christmas!

Reminder…this week 20% of everything you purchase in our store goes to Every Child Succeeds!

Rita Jones
Isle of Skye Cashmere
Store Phone: 513-271-2589

It Starts Today: Help Every Child Succeed in Cincinnati

Isle of Skye Cashmere store begins our fundraising week for Every Child Succeeds in Cincinnati today, Saturday, December 4. We will continue from Tuesday December 7 to Saturday December 11. Store hours are 10am to 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, we will stay open until 9pm for a special Men’s Shopping Night. And, on Saturday, we close at 3pm. 20% of all our store sales during this time will be donated to Every Child Succeeds.

Over the last 5 years, with the help of loyal customers, I have raised over $50,000 for Every Child Succeeds. With the pressure on our state budget this year, ECS needs support from the private community more than ever. I support Every Child Succeeds because I believe that helping to save a child is the best holiday gift that we can give.
Look Good!
Isle of Skye Cashmere specializes in fine Scottish and Italian Cashmere clothing…sweaters, jackets, and scarves. The photo on the left is our Loro Piana Cashmere Blazer. We have other items that make great holiday gifts including English and Italian hand-finished women’s cotton shirts, women’s slacks and skirts hand-tailored from Italian wool and silk, and JBrand jeans.

Do Good!
20% of all store sales this week goes to Every Child Succeeds, a Children’s Hospital Program that delivers vital services to children of at-risk, first time moms. These moms are typically unmarried, low income, and have no access to prenatal care. Their children are at high risk for poor health, delayed learning and social development, neglect, and abuse. ECS has proved it helps save at-risk children by lowering infant mortality, creating safe and healthy home environments, and delivering normal learning, language and social development for over 90% of the children in the program.

$250 Gift Cards!
We’re giving away two $250 gift cards at the end of the week. No purchase is necessary, just stop by the store to register!

Please come by Isle of Skye Cashmere this week, and help in my support of Every Child Succeeds! I hope to see you.

Rita Jones
Isle of Skye Cashmere
7006 Center St.
Madeira OH 45243
513-271-2589



Advice from Vogue: Be Crisp, Tailored, and Simple

In the November 2010 issue of Vogue (with Anne Hathaway on the cover), Marcia DeSanctis tells us what she learned about style one summer spent on the Cote D’Azur with a French woman named Shirin. Some of my favorite quotes from the article:

Marcia’s observation on Shirin’s closet: “Her clothes hung in geometric simplicity. The pallette was black, tan, and white. There were trim linen blouses and A-line skirts of cotton gabardine, Yves St. Laurent and Courreges, and dresses cut at the the neck to highlight a perfect necklace.”

Marcia remembers Shirin’s style while shopping: “The spangles and crazy prints had tempted me, but something steered me away from all of that clutter. Shirin could not have known that her example had already made her mark: be crisp, tailored, and simple. Never skimp on shoes.”