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New local boutiques, businesses and brands you may not
know—but should.
By Lynne Konstantin
alking down a street in New York
City a couple of years ago, Fran
Broder was stopped by a woman who
wanted to buy her hat right off her head.
She didn't sell it, but she did know she was
on to something.
Last January, based on the prototype
she modeled that day in New York, Broder
launched FauxFurEver, a line of ultra-
luxe faux-fur trapper and cloche hats and
scarves handmade from the silkiest non-fur
a set of fingers could have the pleasure of
running through. She had come across a
fabric called Tissavel, a plush "high faux"fur
made in northern France and snatched up
by Chanel, Prada and other high-fashion
houses. She immediately thought, "Hats!"
"I'm not a risk taker by nature;' says
Broder."But I'm 58 years old. I figured it's
now or never."
Harboring a love of fashion since she was
in junior high school, Broder had put her
passion aside to earn a degree in journalism
at the University of Michigan. "My parents
thought I should do something practical;'
she says. "I also got a teaching certificate,
just in case."
She went into advertising, working as a
copywriter for firms in Detroit and New York
before moving back to Michigan to raise her
son with her husband, Sid, in Birmingham.
She did a little fashion styling, worked for
an animal shelter and did some freelance
public relations. All of which she felt good
about. But she never satisfied the creative
itch that often came around to taunt her.
An idea struck, literally, one night as she
watched her husband and son padding
around the house wrapped in thick fleece
blankets. "They were always cold because
I was always turning the heat down in the
winter," says Broder. She found a super-
cushy fleece, hired a seamstress ("I got a D
W
www.redthreadmagazine.com
on my apron in Home Ec"), who set to work
creating her designs for chic fleece neck-
warmers, and launched her first business,
Nod777.
While nurturing her fleece business, she
made her Tissavel discovery and set to work
creating prototype hats. "Other faux furs
are knitted in China," explains Broder."This
is woven. And, as an animal lover, I was
thrilled to find it. I don't think that people
realize faux fur can be this luxurious. I'm not
a zealot. I wear leather boots. But my goal is
to promote luxury without harm. It's what
drives me."
Broder showed her mouthwatering and
super-stylish prototypes to her friend (and
Huntington Woods native) Lynn Husum,
co-owner of the wildly popular children's
clothing line Appaman.
"Lynn thought they were amazing," says
Broder. Husum called her publicist, Broder
kept tweaking with her seamstresses and
now the line is set to appear in 16 national
publications and has fulfilled international
orders. Her line has been chosen as one of
the "10 Best Winter Hats" by People maga-
zine's Style Watch and has been photo-
graphed topping the heads of Angelina
Jolie, Sarah Jessica Parker and their oft-
emulated kids.
"It's exciting,"says Broder. And though
she's poised for an enormous breakthrough
success, what she's really excited about is
finally satisfying her creative urge.
"All these years I'd felt creatively un-
stimulated. I'd tried painting. I'd gotten into
cooking. I hadn't found how to channel it. I
finally feel gratified."
Open Monday-Saturday
39530 W 14 Mile in the Hiller Shopping Center
Commerce • 248438-6136 • yvvvvv.shopatsway,com
SEMICHIGANSTARTUP.COM/cOmmursimEs
Come to read
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Find FauxFurEver hats and scarves and kids' hats
IsStte km4404114:44 .Nuctint,N,
($146-$212) at Lori Karbal, Birmingham (248-258-1959;
Mediii STARTUP
lorikarbaLcom); Leon & Lulu, Clawson (248-288-3600;
NM=
clumak'
L1241.753!
Latino
7140:7
kilb American
iN
ittiN •
!
■ !:
leonandlulu.com); and online at fauxfurever.com.
RED TD
January 2012 11