What’s in Store: Bijou
October 19th, 2007, 3:59 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Sam Mittelsteadt
Bijou
The Borgata, 6166 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Information: (480) 922-8900 or bijouapparel.com
Bijou means “jewel” in French, and boutique owner Melissa Kingston has filled her intimate boutique at The Borgata with sartorial rare gems indeed. Kingston estimates 85 percent to 90 percent of her stock is brands that can’t be found elsewhere in Arizona. “Most of the stuff I carry is only found in fashion capitals,” she says, and much of the others are from far-flung countries including Thailand and Brazil.
The core customer: Because the store is relatively new — it opened Sept. 1 — the clientele thus far has mostly been people who wandered in from other shops at The Borgata. (Kingston hopes that changes after the store’s grand opening party with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a runway show, which begins 7 p.m. Nov. 9.)
On the mannequin (left): Gray dress by Miss Remenperte, $495. Wrap and tie belt by Elegantly Waisted, $198. Gold necklace by 2 Sisters for $198.
High price point: Black silk dress with a diaphanous sequined rayon overlay by Miss Davenporte, $770. “It’s very unusual and beautiful,” Kingston says, and the designer’s “eye for style is amazing. But it’s definitely on the higher end.”
Low price point (right): “We’ve got some great jersey dresses by Velvet, a basics label that does a lot of T-shirts but also has great dresses and tops,” Kingston says. Prices range from $100 to $300; the sleeveless one pictured is $186.
Top sellers: “I’ve done great 
with little tops and sweaters,” Kingston says — especially the brand American Label (which is, ironically, French). “I had a cap-sleeved sweater that I sold out of in one day.” Of course, that’s made a little easier because Bijou carries only small quantities of each design. “We’re trying to get away from the basic department store feeling: ‘Do you have this in another color?’ We try to keep things rare — one of each size, maybe double up on the smalls. We don’t want people walking around Scottsdale and running into someone else wearing the same thing.”
Local lines: Designers, consider this your opportunity. Kingston says she’s always looking for new styles — but her eye for exclusivity means she probably won’t consider lines already found in other boutiques.
She’s excited about (right): “One of my pieces that I love — and pretty much every customer who’s walked in the door, too — is a dress by Grace Sun” ($389), Kingston says. “It’s more of a cocktail dress, kind of a tank version for the top with a slip underneath, and there’s beading all the way. It’s just really gorgeous and stands out.”
