While my education and career is in healthcare, I am insanely and incessantly attracted to the world of style and fashion, therefore leading to the creation of this blog over three years ago.  Much like many things in life, sometimes one thing leads to another…

Because of business travel, I am a regular at the Amtrak station in Westwood, and a regular in line for a taxi outside of Madison Square Garden.  In all seasons, in all kinds of weather, dressed fashionably and temperature appropriate after checking my IPhone weather app.  In terms of clothing choices, I am equipped for the heat, the cold, the snow, the rain…well, not always the rain.  On mild/warmer days, it is fairly manageable with a variety of coats/jackets, some with hoods, some without.  I find the ones with a hood are most practical when you are handling a suitcase, purse, and laptop bag, avoiding the need for an umbrella. To me, the most challenging weather is when it’s cold rain – not quite cold enough for snow, but raw and chilly nonetheless.  Do you wear your wool coat and carry and umbrella or layer up under a lightweight raincoat? A Burberry trench is chic, but what about your head? A Barbour jacket is also chic, but it’s a look I don’t want every day, especially when dressed up.

If only there was a raincoat that was water resistant, warm, and glamorous. Three simple qualities: water resistant, warm, and glamorous.  If only…hmmmm…

Over the past few years husband Peter has always been saying that it would nice if I had a product associated with my blog.  “How about a scarf or an accessory,” he would suggest, but I was not inspired. There was not a particular item that I felt filled a void, nothing new to create that I was passionate about – UNTIL NOW.   That’s what I’m going to create:  a raincoat – with a hood – that is water resistant, warm, and glamorous!   A CANDY COSTAS raincoat!   Perfect for the woman on the go who does not want to sacrifice style for comfort. 🙂

MY ‘SCHTICK’:   When you are getting dressed for a fancy party or an elegant charity event, and it is pouring rain with temperatures in the forties, you don’t say, “Damn, it’s raining, I have to wear a raincoat.”   No siree.  You say, “Yes! It’s raining! I get to wear my raincoat!!”

Step #1:  The Design.  February of 2016: sitting on my bed at the Courtyard in Midtown, Manhattan, I sketched my idea on the back of a train ticket…

Now what?  What the heck do I do next, knowing absolutely nothing about this industry???  I started by talking to people, asking questions, searching the internet.  After speaking to many, it seemed that the next necessary step would be to have a pattern/sample created.  But WHO would do that?  Must be someone talented, experienced, and detail oriented.  Someone I can learn from. Someone with an appreciation for the world of high end couture. Someone easy to access.

Seek and ye shall find!

Stay tuned…;-)