Inspiration can often come from unlikely places. In the case of Helene Kidary, the inspiration for her signature label came from The Wall Street Journal and more than a decade of working in the corporate world.
It was a Journal article on teens’ insatiable appetite for denim that gave Kidary the idea of using denim as the basis for her own line. But having spent more than 10 years working in the telecommunications industry, she gravitated toward designing for a market that required going beyond traditional casual jeans, skirts and jackets.
“I saw that there was no denim designer currently focused on design and no high-end designer focused on denim,” said Kidary.
More importantly, she felt denim had come into its own.
“[Denim] has proven its tenure in the world of fabrics as far as I’m concerned,” said Kidary.
In October 2005, Kidary started moving forward with her line, focusing on marrying high-end designs and materials with denim and targeting professional women between the ages of 35 and 65.
“Corporate wear, that’s my primary consumer,” said Kidary, who is still working in telecommunications. “I’m looking to women who travel, who have to go from corporate to cocktail at the end of the day. It’s catering to women who are escalating through the ranks of business and society.”
Last November, she hired Daniel Sanchez, a then-22-year-old recent graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York with a background in bridal, to serve as the line’s designer. The debut collection consists of more than 60 pieces, including dresses, skirts, suits, vests and topcoats. An item notably absent is denim jeans.
“There’s enough out there, and I think in the market you need to find uniqueness,” said Sever Garcia, the line’s sales manager.
The line, which is designed and manufactured in New York using a mix of European denim, will begin selling in high-end boutiques in January. Wholesale prices range from $125 to $135 for pants and skirts, and up to $300 for jackets.