Chic Sophisticated Clothing for the Curvaceous Woman

There's a charming, quite new boutique that's been drawing quite a following since its opening on August 1, 2007. PHAZE is the market name for this trendy store that offers plus sized clothing in a vastly new and different venue.

PHAZE is located at 153 Bala Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania 19004, just two blocks north off of City Avenue and two blocks south of Montgomery Avenue in Philadelphia's fabled Main Line. Store hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 A.M. to 6:30 P.M., Fridays from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., and Saturdays, 12 noon to 6:00 P.M. (The boutique is closed on Sundays and Mondays.) The shop accepts MasterCard, Visa and Discover as well as other forms of payment, and also offers gift cards to lucky recipients.

Owner Danielle has worked very hard to make shopping for plus sized clothing as exciting as it should be. "The name PHAZE actualy came up when a frind and I were brainstorming for business names many years ago, 1999 to be exact. Somehow, we came up with this name which had no real significance at the time, but now, to me, is a sense of entering a new stage, a new phase, if you will, of accommodating the clothing needs of a significant portion of American women."

"I came up with a red 'Z' just to make the logo stand out more; plus, I also love the combination of red, black and white together - both as a logo and a stylish fashion statement as well!"

The 35 year old owner has been curvy all of her life, finding it challenging to find stylish, chic clothing for herself. "I came up with the concept of a plus sizes only boutique which would cater to a woman who is proud of her curves and wants to be in on the latest trends. I worked at Nordstroms for three years and also at Neiman Marcus for an additional three years prior to opening up my own shop. I worked in the cosmetics department at both stores, and Nordstroms really groomed me very well for customer service, as their customer service is legendary and second to none. At Neimans, I had the opportunity to get to know great merchandise and just as importantly, how a store should look visually. It's true that a first impression is indeed a lasting one. Both opportunities at these stores taught me how to manage a business as well, since I was a counter manager of cosmetic lines at both. Those years were very valuable learning tools in developing my own business plan and concept of how I wanted to proceed with my own vision."

PHAZE is approximately 700 square feet of retail space, with an additional 700 square feet of currently unusued basement space. "I endeavor to keep the look of the store very chic, decorating it with zebra skin rugs, large floor mirrors, lots of chrome mixed with wood and modern, clean-line furnishings. I did come up with the design of the store myself, and chose this decor because I felt that curvy women deserve to shop in a chic atmosphere, to feel like they've just come out of a New York City boutique atmosphere. I wanted to be in a location that was easily accessible to people in the city of Philadelphia, its suburbs, and New Jersey as well, which is why I chose the location that I did. It's very convenient and accessible."

The boutique held its Opening Gala in September, 2007; somewhat to owner Danielle's surprise, the evening was "truly magical!" Over 120 people were on hand, together with vendors, a band, plus sized models, and servers offering butlered goodies. "So many people were there that I didn't even know, people who are so supportive of what I'm doing and what the store is all about. I always have customers come in and say that they almost got into an accident because they could not stop staring at my sign - a plus sized boutique! I always get compliments on the merchandise that I carry and I always follow up with each and every customer by way of a hand-written thank-you note."

Most of the ideas that Danielle has developed since last summer come from keeping up with the trends. Sorting through fashion magazines such as Harpers Bazaar, InStyle and the Fashion Channel are just some of the ways that she keeps tabs on the latest stylings. The most popular brands carried at PHAZE include Kiyonna, Svoboda, sizeappeal, bandlu and, thankfully, SPANX. (SPANX products can knock five to ten pounds off of one's appearance. The line includes panties, camisoles, body suits, and the 21st century version of "girdles". All of their products are silky smooth and literally erase those dreaded 'panty lines' as well as tucking it in for a much more svelte figure overall.) "I do all of my own buying", Danielle continued. "Most of the other brands are brands that I located at trade shows and offered the looks that I want in my store: stylish and of excellent quality."

"As far as what brands I carry, I would say that I look at what a vendor has to offer and whether it's a look that I would not only want in my store but would also be something that I would wear myself. I am very careful not to carry clothing that looks either too matronly or too young; my target age group is 25 to 45. It's a shame that more designers really aren't designing plus lines; designing my own line is something that I am definitely interested in doing in the future."

PHAZE carries clothing literally for all occasions: special occasion dresses, casual dresses, party dresses, jeans, edgy tops, coats and jackets. Danielle also has an exclusive cosmetic line called T.E.A. Skincare. "I wanted to offer one-stop shopping for my customers. The creative director of this line is also an aesthetician and gives private facials as well as makeovers for any event. We also carry an exclusive line of jewelry by local designer Anne Freda. Freda handcrafts designer-inspired jewelry along the lines of Barry Kieselstein, Lagos, Ann King, Lee Angel and others, using all vintage jewelry for a very modern, one of a kind look. She also designs one-of-a-kind handbags using fabric and trim from vintage bags as well."

One of the store's most popular items is an ultra long denim skirt, both slimming, functional and practical. Also selling very well are its trendy tops. "Right now, the trend is mini's, so I bought many tunic tops this past fall and featured them as mini dresses, and they sold so well!", Danielle noted. "Our Svoboda jeans also do very well because they are specifically made to fit a curvy woman's body, so they look absolutely great when you wear them."

Great styles at great prices - and PHAZE offers more as well. "Personal shopping is definitely a service that I offer my customers. Either if they are too busy with their own careers and families to shop for themselves, or are just trying to pull together a look that works for them - that's my area of expertise. I also specialize in dressing specific body types: clothing that works really well on pear-shaped or apple-shaped figures. Really, it's one of the most fulfilling and gratifying parts of my career. The woman who is truly comfortable with her body exudes that sense of self-confidence when she's well dressed and making a statement through her choice of clothing."

Not near the Main Line of Philadelphia? Not to worry - you may contact Danielle at her boutique at 510/664-2520, or visit their charmingly designed web site, www.phazeboutique.com, online to see what PHAZE can do for you!