…………………..Jan. and Feb. were very small, but March made up for it. Normally April and May are the main months to show Spring, but Linea was relegated to March for its’ main Spring show. As it turned out it was an advantage, because I was able to show my main spring styles earlier than the other brands. This gave my ladies a longer season by the time they were delivered….The bar was set…..Starting at the top was a cotton tunic shirt. The cotton span fabric was developed for Linea and became a signature shirting. The classic men’s collar had collar stays….something you never saw in women’s shirts.It came in navy and white. This shirt became a favorite… and was reordered many times.The next top in rayon and poly jersey was called the “Juliette top”. It had an Empire seam. The neckline had an elastic with a notched V at the center of the scoop neckline. The short raglan sleeve also had elastic at the hem. The colors were latte and black. The next jacket had a swing silhouette and large patch pockets. It had a notch collar and three quarter sleeves with wide turn back cuffs. This unlined cotton.span jacket was in a marvelous abstract animal print. It came in latte and black and white with black….The jacket at the bottom left was a Linea hallmark. No detail was left out. This kind of jacket sort of designs itself. By that I mean the piping demanded to be where it is. If just one inserted piping were left off the jacket, in my eyes, it would not have been complete…..to Elaine’s dismay….LOL. I’m sure she would have chosen to remove half of it. It had a piped narrow shawl collar, front and hem with three poker chip buttons to match the piping All of the seams and body darts were piped, the pocket bands were piped. What looked like a piped cuff was actually a seam with inserted piping. Only the back body darts were not piped….That really would have been overkill….The jacket was fully lined. It came in ivory with red piping, navy with ivory piping and perfectly pink with navy piping. The jacket was sharp, fresh and youthful. It looked great with jeans and the matching crop pant with the piping on the pocket and the side seams….This jacket looks as good today as it did 10 years ago….they all do!…..The next top was the introduction of “Pebble Crepe”. It blew out in coffee bean and black, and continued to be a reorder year after year. At the end we must have done at least 9 to 10 colors…..The sleeveless safari dress/tunic also came in pebble crepe. It had epaulets, two breast pockets with buttoned flaps Slanted lower band pockets, high side slits and a self belt. The colors were sage and natural…..The pebble crepe pull-on crop pant had an easy leg and came in colors to go with all the tops in the group, black, coffee bean, sage and latte. It looked wonderful with both pebble crepe tops, and the swing animal print jacket.
I still wear my Ivory and Red jacket!
Oh the piping on that jacket just makes it. I’m sure Elaine did sigh at having to make all the piping and sew it in! Love the Juliet blouse, so feminine!
I cannot thank you enough for your recent comments on QVC collections. I started buying in bulk in 2010 and it thrills me to see your words and drawings of these pieces. I have it all and it fits to perfection now that I am retired and not all stressed out! I remember wearing the pink jacket and pants to an Easter brunch and getting tons of compliments! It felt like you tailored it just for me, and still does! I have it in all three colors! I feel very fortunate that I held on to these in smaller sizes!
You are lucky to have your correct sizes still. I need mediums now rather than smalls
The BEST TOP EVER! THE ORIGINAL PEBBLE CREPE. The pockets, the weight was year round even in the Sunny South. Great with jeans , matching pants etc. It covers just what needs covering. Have every color, some multiples and would pay double or tripe for another coffee bean top and crops….mine is too small these days. LOL but I keep just in case. Thanks for a closet of beauty and fashion.
Louis, I love the retrospective features you are doing. Memories for sure. But also as the customer, I feel gratified to have spent money on beautiful pieces from your collection which have shown the “test of time”. Still beautiful and still worn. Case in point, the pebble crepe top. Still a “go to” piece in my summer wardrobe. I have several colors and a duplicate in white(never wanted to be without). I am amazed it is 10 years old!!! You were the “Crown Jewel” of QVC’s women clothing and fashion jewelry, IMO.