Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/460267
This mother-daughter duo has the rare relationship that can weather the storms of professional collabora- tion. They even travel together when seeking inspira- tion for new collections. "People ask me how I do it," Chatfield-Taylor says. "Well, I like my mom!" And there are perks to being related to the chief creative offi- cer. "I can speak to her unlike most people can," she says. "I can say, 'No, I don't like that; that's bad.' We have a good time." The pair's classic, cool-cat style is ref lected in Nic+Zoe. "Our woman wants to come across like she understands what's going on in fashion," says Chatfield-Taylor. "She wants to look like she's cur- rent. But we make the product so that it fits her. It's not fitting a 15 -year-old who's shopping at Forever 21." Indeed, the line is geared toward the woman who's 35 or older ("Unfortunately, she's not ser- viced enough," Chatfield-Taylor notes), and prices hover around $150 —attainable luxury, so to speak. The brand is known for its well-constructed knits, but recently it expanded into home décor. "When we decided to do home," recalls Lightbown, "all those pieces that came in as sweaters, we said, 'Let's put them on pillows!'" This spring, the company will release a clothing collection called Wanderlust, which features a palette of greens and neutrals. "We thought about a woman So in 2006, after decades of designing knitwear for major brands like The Limited and Sigrid Olsen, Lightbown launched her own collection, aimed at elevating the attire of working women. "We probably started with 15 employees at the most," she recalls. Named for her two children, Nicholas and Zoë, the line has grown to include her signature sweaters as well as tunics, tailored dresses, and much more. Overall, the brand generates millions of dollars in sales to more than 800 stores across the country, including Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor. The com- pany's newest initiative: branching out from wholesale to retail. Last fall Nic+Zoe opened its first brick-and-mortar store, a pop-up in the Prudential Center, which proved so successful it will remain until May. Building on that momentum, the brand plans to launch similar locations this year. Now at 60 employees, the company added another notable working woman about five years ago: Lightbown's daughter, Zoë Chatfield-Taylor. Beginning as a merchandising assistant, she is now director of merchandising, liaising between the sales and design teams to ensure that the company is unified in its approach to customers. "She's involved with the line from concept to final product," says Lightbown. "She's as much a part of it as I am." left: The workspace at Nic+Zoe headquarters in Natick. right: The Nic+Zoe pop-up store at the Prudential Center. in the desert, but she's going to a party and dressed fabulously," explains Chatfield-Taylor. The brand has also gained recognition for the caliber of models in its ad campaigns. Previous seasons were anchored by runway stars such as Arizona Muse and Angela Lindvall, and the Spring 2015 collection features supermodel Karolina Kurkova. "She's a hard worker on set, and she made the product look really great," Chatfield-Taylor says. "We're excited to continue to grow our presence," she adds. "We're expanding our categories and want to become a full lifestyle brand." And of course, a family brand, too. Nordstrom Rack, 497 Boylston St., 857-300-2300; nicandzoe.com BC "Our wOman wants tO cOme acrOss like she understands fashiOn." —zoë chatfield-taylor 36 bostoncommon-magazine.com STYLE Tastemaker