Romy M.
Romy M.
California Market Center, Suite A1083
romy.m@sbcglobal.net
After two years of running a corporate showroom, Rose Marie Migliazzo is back in business as an independent with her Romy M. showroom, and she believes she has an ace up her sleeve: her longevity at the California Market Center.
Migliazzo has been running both corporate and independent showrooms at the same suite at the CMC since 1995. “I feel like an old-fashioned shopkeeper here,” she said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t go anywhere else. It’s my home.”
She ran an independent operation in suite A1083 in the 1990s. The showroom remained her headquarters during her stint with Big Buddha, a division of Steven Madden Ltd., where she rose to the position of vice president of merchandising and sales.
In June, she did not renew her contract with Big Buddha. But she remained in the showroom and worked fast to renew ties with former partners to get her independent operation ready for the Los Angeles Fashion Market Holiday/Resort ’12, which starts Aug. 13.
Some of her previous brands—including Lionel Handbags & Accessories, Fitrou Jewelry, Cynthia H Designs and Flying Lizard Jewelry Design—signed up with her again immediately when she announced her independent status.
Other jewelry and accessories lines joined her showroom in the following weeks. They include Blessing Bracelets, Amica Style, Sorial, Sous Sus, Izzy & Ali Handbags, Calinana and Lavender Girl. Wholesale price points for the Romy M showroom range from $7 to $175.
The lightning-quick transition from corporate showroom to independent showroom was accomplished through a lot of work and the salesperson’s bedrock strategy of building and maintaining relationships. “When you build relationships, your stores will come back to see you again and again,” she said. —Andrew Asch
