Georgetown Women of Style
A morning of coffee and conversation at SCOUT.
Whether it’s fashion or spaces, we often forget there’s a person, a creative visionary bringing it to life.
Last Thursday morning was a great reminder at the ”Women in Style” panel discussion held at SCOUT Flagship Store in Georgetown. The event was moderated by Elizabeth Miller, whom SCOUT Founder and host, Deb Waterman Johns introduced as “an iconic fashionista, a sponge for everything creative.”
The five dazzling and formative business leaders:
Zoe Feldman, Zoe Feldman Design
Jessica Glass, Thyme Holdings
Deb Waterman Johns, SCOUT Bags
Sissy Yates, Sissy Yates Designs
LouLou Baker, Peeps Paper Products
As the one hundred plus very lucky guests settled in with their coffee and croissants, Elizabeth began by asking about their fashion icons.
For Jessica, raised in New Mexico by artist parents, "Georgia O’Keefe."
"My grandmother," said Zoe, "because my dad grew up in a mid century, artfully designed modern home."
"I’d say Lauren Bacall. She embodied this masculine yet sexy, sweet, timeless style," responded Sissy.
Deb admired how Iris Apfel lived so boldly. Quoting her: "Why would I have a face lift? My hands are going to tell my age always. She walked into Loehmann’s for the first time and Mrs. Loehmann used to sit front of the store. Ya know, you’re not pretty. You have something more valuable. You have STYLE."
"I’m going to say Lee Radziwell. And I love Lauren Santo Domingo," said LouLou.
Turning to their moderator, "Baroness Elsa von Schraeder in The Sound of Music, answered Elizabeth.
From there, to fashion…
Deb: "Authenticity is critical. Establish a wardrobe that goes with you through the day, gives you confidence. I have a really simple formula: black tops, black jacket, same jeans black tee shirt. Great shoes, great shoes are really important. You invest in the jacket, you invest in the shoes.
My signature is my knot (headband). Been wearing it for 34 years. I wear it every single day of my life. Hands free, my Prada fanny pack discovered in ’84 when Bergdorf couldn’t get rid of the merchandise. If you wear a certain color palette all the time and you bust out and do something different, guess who gets credit for the grand entrance? It works every time. You’re gonna get noticed."
Zoe: "I think I kind of dress the way I design. I’m sort of known for color. known for blending classicism and modern."
... to a favorite piece or feature in your home or wardrobe
Deb: "I was invited to Buckingham Palace for dinner. And my friend gave me a Disney crown and said you need to wear this. At the end of the evening, Prince Edward came over and I said I need to show you something. I said I really should have worn this to the dinner. Oh my dear it’s fabulous! That piece sits on a bust on my dresser."
Jessica: "As I mentioned, my mom is an artist. As a child I was very anti-art. What kind of people decide to do art?? I’m gonna go work for Microsoft! We’ve been working on this project and I had an opportunity to put a piece of her art in a house and this moment, this felt like we were collaborating in a creative space. This feels good!"
LouLou: "I definitely dabbled into some crazy fashion. This was made of zippers everywhere. And then layers of fabric and I wore it when I was 20 and it made me look fully pregnant… and I framed it. It’s a piece of art and it means something to me."
... to what style trends you are most excited about
LouLou: "I love the ethereal. I’ve loved fashion for a very long time. I worked in fashion in New York. Interned for Narciso Rodriguez and then got hired at Moschino. I worked in their showroom and everything I learned from those three years has taught me how to run my business and I've kept in the fashion world. I got to do a custom deck of playing cards for Moda Operandi and Vogue and Saks."
... to that moment
Sissy: "The first moment that really hit me was being on Oprah’s Favorite Things. I remember being out to dinner and that was a moment that stands out."
…. to the future
Zoe: "After covid, there’s a shift to warm design: russets and camels. The difference with interiors is that the trends are much longer than with fashion. More jewel tones in an organic sort of way, not glamorous, mixed with rich woods and natural materials."
Sissy: "Jewel tones. My first love has always been gem stones. I think big jewelry is coming back. Gemstones are coming back."
Deb: "Bringing organic into design by paying tribute to the colors that come from nature. Pink and red at Christmas, a celebratory feeling with an energy, a fire behind it. We’re more thoughtful in the way we consume, thinking about the impact. When I walk the beaches, I’m happy to see as many old patterns as I do new because people hold onto their bags. It really has to with paying attention to what the world is feeling."
Jessica: "I’m not a designer but I have a lot of input on the spaces we create. We’ve taken a block of Georgetown on 33rd Street. Nine building in the process of creating what we’re calling a neighborhood hangout, a place to be human. We need places to go, to laugh. Create places that people want to come to and be together."
Indeed.
