AprilMarin KEEPS IT SIMPLE AND MAKES IT FIT
by Anita Sarko
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| MARIN MILIO & APRIL BUKOFSER. |
| “We really don’t follow trends. We believe in investing in classic clothing pieces that never go out of style.” Declare April Bukofser and Marin Milio, the team behind AprilMarin, Inc. With Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. as their inspirations and muses, April and Marin prefer to focus on designs with clean lines and simple elegance, that are timeless and defy the seasons. However, they also aim to make such items “memorable”: “We like to add contemporary twists, like ruffled sleeves or a Peter Pan collar and use shawls, wraps, scarves and other great accessories to add some trends to your style.” Before you shake your head or fall asleep because you’ve heard this all before, these two young women do have a trick up their well-tailored (sometimes ruffled) sleeves: They offer ready-to-wear, but their real focus is on custom work. “We are fashion designers who are able to tailor our designs to different body types. AprilMarin gives customers the option of submitting all of their measurements, as well as picking their fabric and lining colors. Our customers really enjoy choosing their colors, as it makes the designs fit their individual style. The biggest advantage of custom-made clothing is that you can literally customize every inch of the garment, from the dress length to the sleeve length. It is truly amazing!” |
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| DYLAN JACKET (Available custom and standard sizing) “Feminine and flirty this ruffle jacket is the perfect addition to a chic wardrobe. Let your personality show and make a statement by choosing your fabric and lining.” Lightweight tweed-like material with 3 buttons, a snap at the collar and ruffle trim at bottom hem. (Cotton/Poly Blend. Lining: Satin. Dry Clean Only. $275.00) |
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LIBERTY CAPE (Standard sizing only) “Warm up in style with this cashmere blended chic Liberty Cape. Whether you're dressed in leggings, trousers or a dress, you can throw on this striking cape whenever it's not cold enough for a heavy winter coat.” Featuring a classic vintage button, silk lining and additional hidden button underneath the collar. (Wool/Cashmere Blend. Fully Lined. Dry Clean Only. One Size Fits All. $360.00) |
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| CELIA DRESS (Available custom or standard sizing) “Look your best this season in this timeless ruffle-sleeve pencil dress. Custom fit to flatter your every curve, this dress is sure to be a favorite.” Button detail at the ruffle sleeve. (Lightweight tweed-like fabric. Cotton/Poly blend. Dry Clean Only. $160.00) |
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CAPRI DRESS (Available custom or standard sizing) This timeless classic figure-flattering 1960’s style cocktail pencil-dress has us wondering how we ever lived without it. Wear it to a cocktail party or wedding or add a cropped jacket or cardigan and wear it to the office.” (Imported Cotton/Poly Blend. Dry Clean Only. $160.00) |
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| CHELSEA DRESS (Available custom or standard sizing) “Classic and cute this figure flattering pencil dress is inspired by an old movie classic.” (Lightweight tweed-like material with satin ruffle sleeve trim. Cotton/Poly Blend. Dry Clean Only. $160.00) |
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JENE DRESS (Available custom or standard sizing) (Cotton/Poly Blend. Dry Clean Only. $160.00) |
| Little wonder that Bukofser and Milio consider passion (and drive) to be the key to their business philosophy and consider themselves to be “two girls with a mission." April and Marin first met in a marketing class at Pace University. April had already studied fashion at University of Rhode Island and worked for Cynthia Rowley, JFOLD and STAR Magazine after graduation. Marin, meanwhile, had worked at MTV Networks, doing marketing and event planning for 4 years. They instantly hit it off and decided that their two backgrounds made a perfect combination. Most importantly, they both agreed on their aforementioned mission: “To give women the chance to look and feel their best with clothing that fits.” |
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| CITY RUFFLE SHAWL “Compliments any outfit and can be worn several different ways.” (Cotton/Viscose. Machine washable. Colors Available: Wine, taupe, purple, black and charcoal. $75) |
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ST. BARTS RUFFLE BAG Lightweight and extremely versatile. Perfect for a day at the beach, the gym, or as an everyday tote.” (100% Cotton. Machine washable. Colors Available: Black and white. $62) |
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| Top left: BOW SCARF “Soft, modern, and chic, this knotted draped bow scarf will keep you stylishly warm.” Features include button closure to adjust length of scarf. (Cotton/Acrylic. Hand wash. Colors Available: Ivory, pink and black. $44) |
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Top right: MYSTIC LEAF LOOP SCARF Above: MYSTIC LEAF LOOP SCARF (Lining) “Functional and fabulous! Beautiful floral cotton lining for guaranteed comfort. Features include a convenient loop in the back making it easy to throw on and comfortable to wear.” (Cotton/Acrylic. Hand wash. Colors Available: Grey and black. $36) |
| Clothing that fits! Seems obvious, but who hasn’t suffered the indignity and frustration of loving a garment, but something just wasn’t quite right once it was off the hanger and on our actual bodies? “As designers and women ourselves, we know that fit is just as important as design. No matter what size you are ... 2 or 22 ... it is difficult to find fashion that fits perfectly. Buying off the rack means a hemline is too short, sleeves are too long, or a skirt is too tight, yet gaps in the back. We no longer live in a one-size-fits-all society. We have heard women all over loud and clear, and we are proud to respond to their needs.” After deciding what their design company’s goal was, these two married moms figured out how to accomplish it: They would offer a few simple basic designs in a number of color choices. As for the materials used, all are made in polyester and cotton “so you have comfort and a little bit of stretch, plus the fabric used rarely wrinkles!” |
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| FLOWER SCARF “Designed to be worn high or low depending on your look. Features include a convenient loop in the back making it easy to throw on and comfortable to wear.” (Acrylic. Hand wash. Colors Available: Ivory, pink and black. $38) |
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| BROOKLYN GRACE CLUTCH A burlap clutch bag that opens up into a canvas tote bag. “A multi-use bag that is perfect to dress up or down, for night and day.” (Cotton/Canvas. Hand wash. Colors Available: Black and white. $34) |
| Their latest foray is into accessories. These are made from a mix of cottons and acrylics, though the scarves are acrylic blends and the bags and shawls are cotton. “You can't go wrong with cotton. We love the fact that our cotton bags are machine washable!” Sound good? Like what you see? Your options are to make an appointment at their showroom space in White Plains or check out their site www.aprilmarin.com for ordering and discovering what boutiques carry their pieces. So far, they are only available in New York shops, but they are in getting ready to expand to other “great boutiques” throughout the country. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Fans of Audrey and Jackie O’s style certainly didn’t have these options back in their heyday. Lucky for us, we do. So much for the “good ol’ days” ... |
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Twitter: ShoppingDiary |
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