To think, it all started with a bag.
When French designer Jean-Pierre Klifa dropped his first design, it took the fashion world by force, making his iconic bucket bag the highest-selling handbag in the United States for three years straight. It was obvious there was something in his continental style that resonated on this side of the pond, so it wasn’t long before he made his way stateside.
Klifa’s iconic bucket bag was the best-selling bag in the United States for three years straight.
The ladies enjoyed meeting Jean-Pierre Klifa and toasted to a fun evening of shopping in Coligny: Valerie Mathijsen Palay, Catherine Builder, Laura Lemenze, Jean-Pierre Klifa, Chelsea Barbee, Mindie deVeer, Leslie Richardson
Colorful pants on display at Jean-Pierre Klifa in Coligny Plaza.
That first boutique in Key West helped establish the Jean-Pierre Klifa brand – elegant, colorful, and evocative of a more sophisticated take on resort wear. It was an immediate hit, and soon Klifa found his footing at a host of high-end resort towns from Charleston to Naples, Florida. It was only a matter of time before this wave crested on our own sophisticated paradise.
Catherine Builder
“I came to Hilton Head after opening a store in Charleston because I wanted to expand in South Carolina,” he told CH2 when his shop first opened. “I always felt that the South Carolina woman was a great representation of my customer – affluent, educated, and stylishly elegant with a strong sense of confidence.”
Chelsea Barbee
The local ladies you see here know a little bit about that.
Bold colors accent the store in apparel raging from beautifully patterned dresses to wardrobe basics like t-shirts and pants.
“The beautiful thing about his clothes is that everything in his store lets you look like you just walked off the catwalk, like he’s designed it just for you,” said Leslie Richardson, owner of Coligny Plaza along with husband JR. “And he has all this really glamorous athletic wear you can wear on the golf course or around town. And just like Hilton Head is all about color, so are his designs.”
Leslie Richardson models a beautiful red dress paired with Klifa’s classic bucket bag.
Gathering up her friends for a day of shopping at Jean-Pierre Klifa’s Coligny boutique, there was one guest that Richardson knew she had to bring along. Mindie DeVeer is not only a dear friend, but she was one of the first to buy Jean-Pierre Klifa’s famous bucket bag when it came out.
Valerie Mathijsen Palay
“I love the colors in his line. I’m a very pastel person. In fact, my husband, who loves clothes as well and has great taste, gifted me one of his dresses, then took me back and bought me two new tops and a dress,” DeVeer said.
She’s not only a fan of the fashion, she’s a fan of the designer.
“I worked in the fashion industry on the corporate level and I’ve known a few designers who are all attitude, and Jean-Pierre is anything but,” she said.
That’s just par for the course in Coligny.
Mindie DeVeer
“It’s just a whole different aura in Coligny. When you walk in, the shopkeeper wants to know about you. They want to know what they can do to help you,” Richardson said. “I went in a couple months ago and knew right away that all my friends really need to know about this shop.”