Designer Spotlight: joie de vivre

Kathleen Buchanan’s business started when the mother of two designed ‘50s-chic clothing for her daughters, both of whom appear on the website of her clothing line, joie de vivre—Palina, 8, who is more reserved, and Caledonia, 6, who is the handful of the two with the model sneer. Out of motherhood, then, was borne the motivation and inspiration for what has become a day-to-day business. While Buchanan possesses no formal education or training, and no prior experience, her businesses is blooming and expanding, based on a simple principle. “You can be chic and sassy without showing off your navel, ” Buchanan quips.

Dresses with names like “Giddy” and “Sparkle” sound like an exciting notion for any mom but Buchanan is fully aware that her market is a “niche of a niche of a niche.” Charging designer prices in a listless economy for clothing that children will be outgrowing in a matter of months certainly poses a challenge, but while her customer-base is growing (in more ways than one), Buchanan is keeping her operations modest. She has no interest in the joie de vivre label appearing in Macy’s or in Nordstrom. She likes her clientele small.