NEW YORK — On a recent Thursday afternoon, Lucy Sykes darted around her West Village apartment tending to a model, advising an assistant and offering a photographer some friendly advice. Standard fare for the British blonde, who established herself styling for Marie Claire. But on this occasion she was styling her debut collection of women’s wear — for herself.
Lucy Sykes New York is designed to appeal to fashion-conscious working women who may have taken on the additional role of motherhood and are not about to break the bank for stylish attire. “That’s a killer outfit, that one there,” Sykes said approvingly as a model posed nearby.
Sykes, who already has a burgeoning children’s wear business, normally works out of a showroom a few floors below at 95 Horatio Street. In a sense, that space reflects how the London native’s life has changed during her eight years in the U.S. What is now her showroom was her first New York apartment, which she passed on a few years ago to her sister Alice, who handles sales and marketing for both brands. Tired of working from the dining room table in the upstairs apartment she shares with her husband and 18-month-old son, Heathcliff, Sykes decided to turn the second-floor space into an office when the children’s wear business picked up steam 18 months ago.
But Sykes’ upstairs apartment provides the occasional retreat, which was the case during this month’s visit when a Henri Bendel buying team was being taken care of downstairs. As Alice Sykes’ toddler daughter, Scarlet, crawled on the floor and played with an intern-momentarily-turned-nanny, she described the collections as “sophisticated and young, but fun, with prices that are affordable for everyone.”
Serving as director of sales and marketing is not a sisterly favor for Alice, who previously covered those areas for Hollywould and Lulu Guinness. She has already lined up about 12 stores to carry the Lucy Sykes New York label and expects to more than double that figure before it ships this spring. She aims to have 50 by this time next year.
The children’s line is made in China, but the pair prefer to keep production for the women’s line here where they are only a cab ride away from their factory should anything be out of order. The facility they use also makes clothes for Mayle and Peter Som, Lucy Sykes said. And there have been a few hiccups along the way.
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“Accidentally, our production person ordered so much Liberty of London [fabric] that I could have died. I wondered why they were rolling out the red carpet when I went to see them,” she said.
Apparently, a $40,000 Liberty order will do that.
“I thought, ‘What is going on? Am I going to be the Liberty agent of the West Village?'” Sykes laughed.
There have been other, more promising, signs. After Lucy Sykes tipped off Penélope Cruz to her latest venture, the actress placed an order for her store Amarcord in Madrid the following day. Kate Beckinsale phoned Sykes to find out where the clothes would be sold after hearing about the women’s collection.
The 20-piece group wholesales from $125 for a top to $180 for a dress and includes pants with stretch, a flow-y blouse and sequined and embroidered cardigans.
Aimed at women much like herself and her sister, Lucy Sykes said, “The clothes are flattering, but it’s not a collection for 14-year-olds because …”
“They can wear anything they want to,” added Alice Sykes, finishing her sister’s thought as they often do. Their connection to fashion extends beyond their sister Plum, a contributing editor at Vogue and author of “Bergdorf Blondes.” Their mother, Valerie Goad, has a well-established children’s and women’s wear business based in the U.K. and they turn to her for tips. Mention of their mother prompted Lucy Sykes to ask, “Is she taking some of our Liberty?”
Since the Liberty of London overflow seems to be taken care of, the Sykes are focused on the fall collection, which will include coats and a Pologeorgis-made fur.
“We have to celebrate every little thing because it’s so hard. The fashion industry is really tough,” Lucy Sykes said.