……………..Some of you may know that for my last [didn’t know that at the time] spring Linea collection I was planning to do a lemon print group. Many ask where did the inspiration come from…..This time the answer was simple…..Chantal, her husband Mike and their two teenage children were going to Italy on vacation. I gave Chantal Linea summer samples to bring plus lots of accessories [all of the Roman coin jewelry]. I knew that in Venice, Rome and Positano women dressed, not formally, but in beautiful resort clothes, and Chantal would need them. When she returned she brought me presents with a lemon theme…..soaps…and a place mat were two of them……Then I remembered on one of the trips Jac and I took to Positano she bought her mother a short sleeve cotton tee shirt with a botanical print of lemons on it [above]. Did I still have it? I did! An idea was born. I had the place mat print reproduced with some changes. I enlarged it and had the names changed to towns I had visited along the Amalfi coast. Then I had the tee shirt print reproduced. I designed a two tiered pull-on short skirt in a very light weight cotton with stretch and lined the skirt in a very light cotton batiste so it was light and cool. I also designed a pair of zip front Capri pants in the same cotton…..The tee went with both bottoms, or everything could be worn on its’ own…..The samples were made and I have them, but alas QVC dropped the line and never bought the Lemon pieces…….Later on in the year it surprised me to see lemon prints and themes popping up on several lines????!!!!! Had they all gone to Positano? LOL….The next time Chantal goes to Italy she can borrow them!
True story 😉
Good morning, Louis! I love these pieces. There are a lot of lemon-themed prints this season but your design is the prettiest!
I went to QVC’s website to check Linea jewelry today(where HAVE they been keeping all this jewelry???? In coffee cans buried in various backyards??? When I wanted it years ago and they were telling me it was sold out??? ) and briefly saw a live presentation of clothing on the home page. It wasn’t anything I care to wear (shapeless and tattered)….even around the house.
I am mid-fifties and have always loved fashion forward looks, but they are way off the mark at QVC these days. Your jewelry and clothing are the only items I have ordered from them in the last year.
Louis…..you spoiled us! QVC and the fashion industry-at-large will never find another YOU!
Dear sunbluesea…..I was very excited with the lemon prints and the group that went with it, so I was very disappointed that no one would ever get the chance to wear them….that’s the way it goes….I asked the same question. I asked Marty at TCJC WHERE did all of this jewelry come from???? Where was it when we had to tell everyone it was sold out???!!! We have no idea….all I can think of is sloppy housekeeping in the different warehouses. Since the quantities are very very low they probably didn’t pay attention to it, and only after the line ended and it was all consolidated into one warehouse did they realize the amount of styles they had. We are hoping nothing else shows up!!! The good thing is all of the women that wanted these pieces and couldn’t get them now have to opportunity to get what they originally wanted….It’s their last chance. You can NEVER have enough accessories. They will make older clothing look new again.
Your lemon-themed items are BEAUTIFUL!! So sad that us Linea Ladies never got the chance to buy them. I would have been hitting that “order” button immediately! Thanks for putting them on your blog for us to admire, Louuis.