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Several clothing businesses offer
women a retailing alternative.

a

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special iv The Jewish News

ail Lichten likes a lot of
personal attention when she
shops for clothes, but that
does not mean style takes
second place to service. Lichten wants
the best of both worlds.
After years of dealing with personal
shoppers at the malls, Lichten learned
another convenient way of finding
outfits she considers fashionable and
fitting. She turns to a retailer who
shows clothing lines out of her own
home.
At least three times a year, Lichten
gets an invitation announcing the days
on which Trudy Foster will display

garments for the upcoming season.
Lichten then calls to make an appoint-
ment, setting a time when she alone
can browse and try on outfits at her
own pace.
"I knew Trudy through her store,
Leotards EtCetera, and I was sent a
flyer when she started to sell clothing
out of her home," Lichten said. "I
liked the personalization and saw that
she had nice things.
"I'm a pants person, and Trudy has
a good selection. She even tells me
when she doesn't like an outfit on
me."
Shopping in a person's home defi-
nitely is not cash and carry It involves
picking out styles, colors and fabrics
and placing an order according to size.

Top: Trudy Foster shows Gail Lichten
new spring styles.

Above: Gail Lichten and Sandi
Millman look at Trudy Foster's
accessories.

The outfits are either sent to cus-
tomers' homes or personally delivered
two to eight weeks later.
Foster got into the business two
years ago, after meeting someone who
was successful at it. She decided that
kind of work fell right in line with her
interests.
"It's a relaxed and private way to
shop," said Foster, who sets up display
grids in her Birmingham entryway,
living room and dining room and

turns her study into a mirrored dress-
ing area for trying on samples.
"Shopping by appointment is good
for people who want to stop by after
regular working hours or activities,
when malls may be crowded or closed.
It's also good for working worrien
because I always have food. If they
come in the morning, they get bagels
and coffee. Evening shoppers have sal-
ads."
Foster, whose business is known as
Bazaar L.L.C., carries garments by
Juliana Collezione and Roberta Pinto
Knits, as well as overcuts from inter-
national designers. Her next show,
which runs Sunday, April 26-Friday,
May 1, will feature vibrant colors —
lemons, aquas, plums and lilacs.
"I had Leotards EtCetera for 14
years, and then the exercise business
was leveling off," Foster said. "I was
encouraged by friends who would take
me shopping simply because they
liked my taste."
Foster, who had given up social
work because she found it emotionally
draining, offers separates — skirts,
pants, sweaters, blouses
— with prices in the
range of $400 for jack-
ets and $250 for knit
tops.
"I increase my cus-
tomer base with each
show," she said.
Phyllis Strome and
Rosemarie Gilman are
two others offering
clothing out of their
homes. They are in busi-
ness together, going
under the name Nine
July, the date of both
women's birthdays.
Although they work
as partners, they focus
on different merchan-
dise. Strome, in Bloomfield Hills,
houses French Rag knits, a custom-
made line, while Gilman, in West
Bloomfield, takes care of Doncaster,
which is ready-to-wear.
"People who buy from us will
not see their outfits all over the place,"
said Strome, who has been building
the business for nearly four years after
moving away from a career that
included being director of a synagogue
and doing teaching and training.
"Outfits we offer can be made in
about 50 different colors, and we have
someone who does alterations out of
our homes."
Strome and Gilman met socially
after Strome had been introduced to