Sally LaPointe thinks her customer is still her best muse.
The designer, who has transformed her Atelier — which opened in late 2025 — into a retail-experience-turned-focus-group, said she’s only sharpened her focus on what her client really wants and is getting there in fewer looks than ever.
“I still do everything by hand,” LaPointe said of the Polaroids scribbled with Sharpie mimicking accessories. “It’s a tighter edit and that’s definitely going to be something I’m going to continue to do. It’s being intentional, and I really know who my woman is. It’s easier to show a very sharp, edited, confident collection than these monster collections.”
Among the things her girl goes to her for: “Everyone knows me as the feather queen,” she said. But she’s not confining herself to that expectation. “I have raffia, which is actually quite lightweight,” she said, nodding to a black jacket. “I have Lurex fringe, too, so I was thinking in alternative textures.”
A few of her heavy-hitting styles still made an appearance. “We’re always going to have our classics, like our double-faced satin and long, feathered gowns,” LaPointe said.
“A lot of women are like, ‘I love wearing the dress, but I want a little coverage,’ so I wanted to make a cool one,” LaPointe said of a feathered shawl. It’s that dialogue that she thinks will shape the future of her brand. “Since we moved into the atelier, building the clientele has been the main focus. I find the more curated an experience can be for them, the more loyal they become.”
