Fashion design not limited to the runway

Describe your business.

We are a luxury linen company known for specializing in hand-embroidered and tailored table and bed linens for the retail, special-event and hospitality industries.

Who are your customers?

Some of our Las Vegas clients include Wynn Resorts, The Cosmopolitan, Mandarin Oriental, The Mansion at MGM, Delano, Mandalay Bay, Vdara, The Venetian and Hard Rock Hotel.

We have just completed designing a beautiful collection of custom bed linens for the Villas at the Mirage.

What is your business philosophy?

Customer service is paramount and quality is key. We are committed to providing linens that are as durable as they are beautiful. We strive to maintain a positive and creative work environment, and this is reflected in our designs.

How has your experience in fashion helped you?

I spent many years in the fashion industry while living in New York and abroad, and was fortunate to have worked with some of the great designers of our time, including Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani, Thierry Mugler, Issey Miyake and the late Isaia Rankin. Working for these designers as a model, I was there, up close and personal, while they sketched and dreamed up their latest collections, and I had the opportunity to wear these great pieces of art. I was exposed to high fashion at such an early age, and with that I developed my fashion sensibility and attention to detail. That exposure has had a tremendous influence on what I do now.

Your work was featured at the White House. How did that opportunity come about?

I was asked by one of my catering clients based in the D.C. area to help custom-design place mats for the nuclear summit. I was sent photos of the presidential china, and between myself, the caterer and Hillary Clinton, who was then secretary of state, the place mats were designed. About two years later, the White House requested custom linens from us again, this time for the G8 Summit. We have seen many photos of those place mats used in various dinners at the White House. It is still a thrill every time one of those photos pops up.

What makes your design style unique?

We create high fashion for the table and bed; the difference between us and other linen suppliers is that we custom-design each and every table and bed linen exclusively for a particular property. We collaborate with each property to translate their vision into reality, creating linens that balance aesthetic and budget requirements.

How can Nevada improve its business climate?

Keep it fresh. Continue evolving and pushing the creative envelope. Steve Wynn is the perfect example of just how to do this. He is always revamping and updating his properties to keep them exciting and new.

What have you learned from the recession?

Never put all of your eggs in one basket. You must try and branch out and provide your services and products in other markets. You must be able to offer diversity in terms of product line and at various price points. Finally, we never forgot our retailers and event designers who put us in business 16 years ago and continue to carry our collection to this day.