I love introducing readers to new brands and speaking with successful entrepreneurs – especially inspiring women. I had the opportunity to meet Denise Allen Robinson (a/k/a D.A.R) and to learn the story of her brand Neesh by D.A.R. recently. One admission, this brand is not new, but it was new to me. In fact, Denise started selling clothing in the early 90s. I got to ask her some questions and learn about her twenty year experience in the fashion industry.
Denise started out by explaining to me that she did not set out to start a business, but “she was in the right place at the right time and made things that people wanted.” Lucky? maybe, but Denise is also very talented. Denise was a textiles professor teaching knitwear design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. On the side, she knitted a few chenille sweaters that had unique, vintage inspired adornments. She made one for a friend. That friend kept getting asked where she got it. Then another friend had her knit a few for a Newberry Street boutique and those were purchased as soon as they left the box. And so on and so on… Before she knew it, she had sold $100,000 dollars worth of sweaters. She hired several knitters in Chicago and they made the sweaters by hand in her basement.
In 2002, Denise created Neesh by D.A.R and expanded from knits into a full line of women’s wear. Denise’s staff grew from “1 basement knitter to fourteen women” in a cool 14,000 square foot space in Chicago (where I met her). Denise began producing skirts and tops in 2002 with her signature D.A.R. elements.
I wondered why I had never heard of this brand which grew to a 3 million dollar per year enterprise in 2006. Denise told me that they were always “under the radar.” She caters to hundreds of small boutiques in the US, many of whom have been with her since her start. She credits her success to “keeping current and staying creative.” The feel of the line is young and fresh, but not too young for me (yay!) They say (and I agree) that “Neesh by DAR” is whimsical clothing for the “grown-up-girl”. “Neesh” is also the character that “guides the brand’s whimsy”.
On their website, they describe the line I saw perfectly. They say, “Neesh wants to feel girly and whimsical no matter her age, so our silhouettes are flirty, feminine, and vintage-inspired but with amazing eye for proportions and a woman’s body… Perhaps most importantly, Neesh adores special detail, so we pack every piece with surprising whimsy. Scrunched and gathered fabrics, vintage buttons, exposed seams, grosgrain ribbon trims, flirty peplums, and little tucks make up the true Neesh by D.A.R. look.” For me the looks are feminine, but not “too girly.”
Denise produces her clothes in the USA (except now her sweaters are produced by artisans in Peru). I visited her workshop which has offices, as well as a warehouse, and women making all of the samples. I loved the colors and fabrics and adornments all throughout the unique workspace and her quirky style everywhere in the office. It seemed like a super fun place to work! I loved the styles she showed me. They all could be dressed up or down and were tailored to fit all sizes of women.
In 2007 like many small companies, Denise said the company had some tough times in the economic downturn. Many small boutiques closed up shop and she had to be extremely creative to keep her company going. She moved all operations back to the US and had to raise her prices. She also was forced to cut her staff and she leased space to another cool, small brand called Flax. The good news is that her ingenuity and flexibility paid off and now Neesh by D.A.R. is in growth mode and has launched an online store.
You can find Neesh by D.A.R. clothes at hundreds of boutiques nationwide and through the website which now offers online sales. Check their store finder for a Neesh retailer in your area. They also feature a “Look Book” to help the fashion challenged like me. That said, the tops and jackets can easily be paired with jeans, skirts and pants – even by me! Denise agreed to do a guest post on fashions for fall which I am really excited about.
I am sure once you check out Neesh by DAR, you will find a piece you like. Great news! They are offering a 20% discount to my readers from 8/8 – 8/22 on online purchases with the code EFNEESH01. In September, I will do a follow up story (and style session) with Denise and Shira from Neesh about fall trends. With that post, they are offering a Javert jacket as a giveaway to one lucky reader ($252 value). See a pic of me in it above. It is adorable and so flattering. I am tempted to buy one as I am (sadly) not eligible to win! So stay tuned!
Want to learn more? You can sign up for the Neesh by D.A.R. newsletter on their website for updates and offers, like them on Facebook, follow Neesh on Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram. You can also see more scenes from the office in the recent Chicago Grid post.