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Flaunt Your Style in a Nicole Miller Dress
A Style Icon
Designer Nicole Miller began her life in Texas and was raised in Lenox, Massachusetts. She has come a long way from corduroys and sweaters to the elegant cocktail dresses that made her famous. Her mother was from France and provided inspiration to her daughter. Nicole said that her mother always looked great.
Nicole studied art and design at the Rhode Island School of Design and then spent a year at the L'Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. She claimed that it was an intense experience and she learned so much about fabric manipulation which is one of the hallmarks of her work. She understands dress construction and knows what works and what does not.
Miller did an internship after college with designer Clovis Ruffin and also a couple of stints learning about sportswear. She launched the Nicole Miller clothing line in 1982 first selling through department stores. She said that some of her designs became instant winners.
Nicole's cocktail dresses were her biggest niche. They were black or bold colored and sexy but grown up. She started her own boutique and her sales skyrocketed.
Today you can find the Nicole Miller brand on a wide variety of designs including clothes for all ages, and home collections and accessories which are sold exclusively through Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Nicole's designs sell at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Macy's amongst others.
Nicole has created clothes for Cyndi Lauper, designed Grammy gowns for Sheryl Crow and advised Brooke Shields on wardrobe for her character on Suddenly Susan.
Miller says that patterns liven up a wardrobe and can hide a lot of flaws.
She advises finding colors that look good on you. She feels that muted olives, purples and blues look good with most skin tones.
She encourages women to think before buyings separates and how they relate to one another. It is not good to have volume everywhere on your body.
When in doubt, define the waist with a belt or by tucking in the top and finish the look with one treasured accessory. Always, less is more, she says.
Nicole loves designing for evening and her dresses are flattering and sexy, but also camouflaging. Her dresses hide a lot of sins with the use of draping, tucking and ruching.
She suggests that when you put on a dress, it should speak to you, and the element that frames your face should be magical.
She says that evening attire calls for a small well-designed clutch.
Go to her store at: http://www.nicolemiller.com/