HOMEY FASHION
Lavish on Dresses
The boutique is called Lavish, but owner Nicole Bald strives to give it a welcoming, “homey” feel rather than the luxurious ambiance suggested by its name.
Located at 508 Hayes St. in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood, the boutique’s best-selling fashions are dresses, and many of Lavish’s best-selling dresses are designed in Southern California. Top sellers include the “Cara” dress by Los Angeles–based Corey, formerly the Corey Lynn Calter label, and tailored dresses by the Eva Franco label, also headquartered in Los Angeles.
“Eva Franco is more expensive; it retails from $200 to $400,” Bald said. “But Eva Franco tailors the dresses so immaculately, [women] will have them in their closets forever.”
At Lavish, a wide range of women, from ages 25 to 60, buy Eva Franco dresses. The Corey label is mostly embraced by a woman aged 20 to 40, and they favor the label’s “Cara” dress lately. “It’s a boxy, floral dress,” Bald said. “It looks like spring in a nutshell.” It retails for $176 at Lavish.
Bald also name checked a Northern California label. Modaspia’s “Fiji” dress has been a big seller since Lavish started stocking the dress in 2009. Core retail price points range from $150 to $250 for the popular dress, which comes in many styles.
“Her silhouettes are very simple; they are good for any body type,” Bald said of the sleeveless “Fiji” dress, with a ruched waistline.
