Stellashopsnashville: Stella Spotlight: Nashville Boutique

OMG! I am not sure I can express how much Carla & I love love love the Sleeveless accessories. Jessica and Kyah are brilliant people as well as brilliant designers. Sleeveless is one of those boutiques that just feels complete. The space, the decor and the location all work in harmony to perfectly display the exquisite pieces Sleeveless has to offer. We recently spoke with Jessica Maros one half of the Sleeveless team.

Here is what she had to say.

How has Sleeveless evolved since you first started designing the accessories and what does the future look like?

We started a year ago with an idea and a little $100 sewing machine. I sewed all the pieces myself out of my little space in Marathon Village. Within one year, we hired our leather sewer, Tyler, upgraded our sewing machine (thank goodness), opened a mini flagship store and are now selling in about 30 boutiques internationally.

The brand is still evolving as we still have alot to learn. The product can always be better and we want to expand the line to handbags. We decided to do most of our manufacturing in house, but I think slowly we will start outsourcing some of our products. That's another animal we are trying to tackle. All in all, I see the future for SLEEVELESS being a brand that caters to all ages. Great products, bold designs and something for everyone. We want to build an international family.

Which superheroes would shop at Sleeveless?

If Cleopatra wouldn't walk through these doors I'd be a little surprised. Her metal cuffs do need a little update. Rainbow Brite could try to stick to one color. Then my favorite, Shera. We all could use a little princess power!! I would probably try to sell her one of our new metal cuffs we are getting in. Very her!!!! We all have a little superhero in us. I think that's why Kyah and I like the idea of being a cuff brand. We wanted to execute it in a feminine kind of way.

How did you guys meet and start collaborating

on designs?

Kyah was styling a lot at the time and I finished my first clothing collection. She heard about me through someone and decided to drop by Marathon Village to come and pull some pieces for one of her shoots. Turned out she had an incredible eye for style. We hit it off. Met for coffee. I expressed interest in starting a small line that's sold in boutiques, she expressed interest in selling accessories to her customers. The rest was history.

Which Sleeveless piece should every girl have in her closet for Winter? The Amelie. A blazer's dream cuff. A dupioni pleated silk ruffle with a black leather inlay. Usually has a diamond brooch in the middle and it comes in a pair. This cuff is breathtaking under a blazer with the ruffles peaking through or with a sleeveless black dress. Incredible. I melt when I see a confident woman strut away with these beauties.... LOL If Sleeveless were a cocktail, what kind of cocktail would it be? A french 75. Created in 1915. Gin. Champagne. Lemon juice and sugar. This drink was created in Paris in Harry's New York bar. Victorian, sexy, aged and always in style. What are your top three inspirations for Fall/Winter 2010? Our top three inspirations would be South African jewelry, Shabby Chic furniture, Eastern European embroidery. Kyah likes to pull her inspirations from furniture and interiors while I like to pull from textiles and pictures. When we combine our ideas they become intertwined with something new. A collaboration. Once we make our vision, it usually evolves during the execution. That's why I love design so much, it's always evolving into something better.

Your boutique is a co-op. Will you explain how that works and what are the perks? We share the space with Giador Fine Jewelry owned by Lindsay Chapman. She specializes in custom orders but can meet the needs of someone with a $500 budget or a $50,000 budget. It's a great collaboration, because shoppers can find both ends of the jewelry spectrum in one place!

What are five of your favorite places in Nashville? Our five favorite places are City House, Radnor Lake, Cafe Nonna, Tennessee Fairgrounds flea market (RIP :(), Edgehill Cafe (our daily coffee source yum yum) and of course we love hanging out at our store which feels much like our living room. What are some events that Sleeveless has planned for the fall? We started hosting a Smores-on-the-Patio night in October. We will be doing this on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 5-8pm! Come join us for a campfire and smores!!