NEW YORK — Marchesa is making the leap from red carpet to retail.
After almost two years of making waves on Hollywood’s red-carpet circuit and selling to clients in the calm of their London atelier, Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman, the designers behind the label, are reaching a wider audience.
Marchesa’s fall collection, which will be presented at the Rainbow Room on Wednesday, will be the duo’s first to be shown in New York. The presentation will serve to further underscore the label’s strategy to build a serious wholesale business and position the brand for future licensing opportunities.
To wit, the English designers, both 29, are launching Marchesa exclusively at Neiman Marcus Group this spring in 21 Neiman’s doors and Bergdorf Goodman. The duo has added a lower-priced diffusion line, called Marchesa Notte, which also will be available at Neiman’s and Bergdorf’s this season. Selfridges in London also will carry both lines this spring.
Started in 2004, Marchesa has been chosen by Renée Zellweger, Cate Blanchett, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger and, at the Golden Globes, actress-of-the-moment Felicity Huffman for some of their red-carpet appearances. The buzz about the label caught the eye of Neiman’s executives.
“When we saw what they were doing, we were overwhelmed with how they were able to translate their couture ideas into a more popular price point,” said Anne Stordahl, senior vice president and general merchandise manager at Neiman Marcus. “They have a distinct look and understand a woman’s body. Their styling can look good on all ages. They already have shipped and we have had some initial selling in the first two days on the floor.”
To better serve the U.S. business with Neiman’s, Craig and Chapman set up an atelier in New York’s Meatpacking District in December. For spring, the duo has widened the line’s scope by adding more evening separates, and launched the Marchesa Notte collection of dresses, which is priced at wholesale from $450 to $750. By comparison, the signature Marchesa collection wholesales for $1,500 to $4,800.
“With the designer line, the corsetry is more intricate and the embroidery is more elaborate,” Chapman said. “The other line is a little easier to wear. We started on the red carpet and these girls only wear the dresses once. I love the idea of an everyday girl being able to buy a fabulous evening dress without feeling this awful responsibility that they have to wear it again and again. They can have that same feeling as the girl on the red carpet.”
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The duo has made several other strategic moves to help build a significant business, which industry sources estimate could have wholesale sales of $30 million within three to five years. Restaurateur Guiseppe Cipriani and real estate mogul Steven Witkoff are investors in Marchesa, and the designers have retained Robert Burke & Associates to consult on the brand.
Craig and Chapman met studying fashion and textile design at Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. They reunited after Craig went on to study fashion at Brighton Art College, while Chapman studied costume and set design at Wimbledon School of Art.
The duo seems to complement each other well. While Craig designs the textiles, from the embroideries to the prints, Chapman translates her costume design expertise into draped garments. They also share an aesthetic sensibility.
“If you put Georgina and I in a room with 2,000 dresses, shoes or handbags, we would probably pick out the same exact one that we would like,” Craig said. “We have an affinity when it comes to liking the same things.”
The line got its name from Marchesa Luisa Casati, a scandal-ridden aristocrat who died in 1957. According to Marchesacasati.com, the Web site dedicated to her, she wore live snakes instead of jewelry, and took walks in the evenings “naked beneath her furs whilst parading cheetahs on diamond-studded leashes.”
Since its launch, Marchesa has been scrutinized by the press. Much of the coverage focused on Chapman’s personal life — she is dating Harvey Weinstein, who cofounded Miramax Films — and there has been much discussion of whether the relationship has had an impact on Marchesa’s success.
“Retailers like Neiman Marcus are putting Marchesa in their stores because they believe in what Keren and I are doing,” Chapman said. “Harvey is a wonderful, creative man and I value his advice, but he is not involved in our business.”
Besides, Chapman has her own Hollywood connections. She also acts, and has recently been in such movies as “Derailed,” “Match Point” and “Bride & Prejudice.” Chapman and Zellweger have the same Hollywood publicist, Nancy Ryder, and it was through her that the Marchesa dress ended up on the star.
The duo is fully aware of the power of the red carpet. “It was just the most amazing experience, waking up the next morning, going to the news agent and thinking, ‘There might be a picture’ — and she was on the cover of just about every single newspaper,” Craig said.
Chapman added, “It’s an easy way to get to be a household name and for people to feel comfortable with the name, as well.”
As for the future, the duo hopes to build the business with Neiman’s before venturing into new categories. “We would love to do accessories,” Chapman said. “We would love to have the total Marchesa look. It would be great if someone could be Marchesa head to toe. That would be the ultimate.”