Everywhere in the Texas capital, T-shirts, posters and bumper stickers repeat the mantra “Keep Austin weird.” But rather than being a den of the bizarre, the city is simply cut from a different cloth than the state’s other major hubs, Dallas and Houston. Most Austinites consider their city to be more liberal and laid-back, fueled by the huge live music scene (insiders say it outpaces those of New York and Los Angeles) and the University of Texas at Austin’s diverse student body. Likewise, the local fashion scene reflects this same ideology.
“Houston and Dallas have the debutantes, but we’re funkier, groovy,” says Katy Culmo, who bought the boutique By George in 1979. At her store, where the sleek cement and dark wood of the women’s space opens into the men’s section (managed by her husband, Matthew), looks from Dosa, Rozae Nichols, Nanette Lepore and Rebecca Taylor hang beside artwork from Malcolm Hill, who has also done murals for Barneys New York. As for her merchandise selection, Culmo, known to offer clients honest assessments in the fitting rooms, says she likes to follow her personal preference for muted, deconstructed looks or, as she says, “clothes you can pull out of your closet five years from now that won’t scream spring 2005.” Judging by the healthy foot traffic on a weekday afternoon, including actress-turned-documentarian Rosanna Arquette, it’s an aesthetic that’s speaking to Austin dwellers.
While By George does attract its share of college students, Culmo says the majority of her customers range in age from mid-20s to 60s (Patti Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Dennis Quaid’s wife, Kimberly Buffington, also frequent the store), and they look to her for contemporary collections.
That market works well for two other retailers in town, Patty Hoffpauir at the Garden Room and Kathy Branch, owner of both Fetish and Underwear. Hoffpauir says that when she opened the Garden Room 26 years ago, everyone else in town was carrying high-end designers. She took a chance with the contemporary market. “Suddenly, business was unbelievable,” she says. Since opening, Hoffpauir has cultivated a social atmosphere in the store and on any given day, she might host three generations of a family, all looking to buy the latest from Trina Turk, Sigrid Olsen or Cynthia Steffe.
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Likewise, Steffe is a hot seller at Fetish, a store accented by colorful peacock feathers and a huge chandelier hanging over a circular ottoman that serves as a napping ground for Branch’s giant Bernese mountain dog, Teddy. Along with Steffe, Fetish carries Chaiken, Max Studio, Lisli and Diane von Furstenberg, but it’s the selection of shoes — all arranged by color — that dominates the store. Among the more understated styles of DKNY and Kenneth Cole, Branch offers quirkier looks from Emma Hope, Bettye Muller, Lulu Guinness and Sigerson Morrison, of which, she says, “I sell tons.”
Last fall, Branch opened Underwear around the corner from Fetish. The lingerie-only boutique carries Eberjey, Hanky Panky and Nina Ricci, among others. “I knew there was fabulous lingerie out there that wasn’t in the department stores,” she says. And is there a market for such a dedicated store in Austin? Branch sums up business in two words: “Hallelujah, glory!”
Like the capital building and UT college campus, Garden Room, Fetish and Underwear are situated North of the Colorado River, which cuts a swath through the city. South of the river is the increasingly developed area cabbies refer to as SoCo, named for the city’s South Congress Avenue. This neighborhood is a destination stop for college students flocking to hip boutiques such as Factory People and Therapy, where music is the defining influence.
“Austin is music,” says Le Popov, owner of Factory People, where customers can simultaneously rifle through racks of Development, Habitual and Easel, as well as the latest CD releases. “Everything revolves around bands.” To wit, her store has been a venue for numerous parties where, most recently, the Kings of Convenience played against a backdrop of rock-flavored Sass & Bide tops and jagged Karen Walker jewelry.
Shelby Meade, owner of Fresh and Clean, which reps such artists as Moby and Robbie Williams, is one music type who has become a Factory People fan. “It’s the center of what is amazing about Austin,” she says. “You walk inside and it’s alive, mixing the best in unique design with a rock attitude.”
Just up the street, Therapy carries denim brands such as Miss Sixty, Chip & Pepper and Earl Jean. “I’ve got a lot of customers who are musicians looking for good stage pieces,” says owner Jyl Kutsche, just as singer-songwriter Lisa Germano walks in the door. Kutsche says the musicians are usually drawn to the unique pieces she carries, made by local designers including Stowe Provisions and Modo Designs. (If customers aren’t in need of retail therapy, there’s always the store’s wall of chocolate goodies.)
However, the energy and musical vibe of Austin aren’t lost on designers. “There’s a real pulse in Austin,” notes Steffe. “It’s hip and young.” And Sass & Bide’s Heidi Middleton says she wouldn’t mind a visit to the city herself. “I’ve never been to Austin,” she says, “but I have been very curious about Texas for years.”