Lit up like a Christmas tree on a waning autumn afternoon and located on route to the Bay Bridge, where many commuters pass at that hour, Skylier Wear is a welcome addition to a business corridor that had seen hard times. But it promises to become so much more. Every city needs a visual identity, as well as an avenue of expression for its style-oriented women, and Skylier Wear's bold, colorful look could be just what Oakland needs.
Ms. Blanchard, a West Oakland resident, who is raising her daughter in a tree-shaded Victorian on Peralta Street, likes to dream big. Indeed, she started envisioning her own haute couture establishment in the 1990s when she was designing and sewing for Lilli Ann, a fashion house in San Francisco.
It takes time to evolve the collection and we are ready. BayFair will be our first 'in-store.' We are ready to produce the lines Career, Active Wear, and Ready-to-Wear, and a special custom line of dresses and accessories like the handbag lines."
With a December 18 show at BayFair Center (a mall in San Leandro) on the 2nd Fl next to Macy's, Blanchard is already expanding into other retail options. She will also be collaborating with Macy's on a bridal wear project in February 2012.
"This is an opportunity to grow and take a step forward out of the Oakland area," continued Blanchard.
“It is very important for me to maintain production here in Oakland because of the economy,” she told Examiner.com, a nation-wide website which did a story on her on June 28, “We need to continue to keep jobs and skills developing in our community.”
Ms. Blanchard intends to do as much as possible locally, from sewing to model shoots, even recruiting models from the building complex behind her shop. "For sewing, I use H& S in downtown Oakland owned by Mr. Tam," although when things get rolling, she is ready to do overflow manufacturing in Virginia and India.
"We are private label apparel company," Blanchard explained. "We are producing and manufacturing just like Gap and everyone else. We are packaging our business for investors." Indeed, she is making videos, putting together portfolios and tweaking her website, as well as sending out proposals.
Blanchard also strives to give back to the community, notably teaching local teens and bringing them on as interns. "I am trying to let people know we have opportunities for your kids from 15 to 25," she said. "We are trying to produce in America." After twenty years in the business, Blanchard is familiar with all aspects of the clothing business, from producing model shoots to actually sewing, unlike many of today's clothing designers, making her a wealth of knowledge and experience and an important asset for Oakland.
