Behind the Design: East Bay Fashion All-Stars

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These three savvy designers and boutique owners are changing the face of fashion. With an eye for innovation, a finger on the pulse of what’s trending, and the brains to build a business, these three designers and boutique owners are redefining fashion from the East Bay: Candice Cuoco, Erica Tanov and Sherri McMullen.

Talking Shop With Sherri
From the runway to real life, one Oakland boutique owner continues to redefine high fashion.

Edited by Kristen Haney for Diablo Magazine

Continent hopping is all in a normal day’s work in the stylish life of Sherri McMullen, Oakland resident and owner of haute couture Piedmont boutique McMullen. She flies to Europe five times a year, culling inspiration from foreign runway shows and designers who have an adventurous side that you won’t find in the States. “In London and Paris, they experiment more,” she says. “The risks they take with lines, patterns, and silhouettes help infuse my inventory with a unique perspective.”

After the shows—trend notes taken, favorite pieces committed to memory, and iPhone photos shot—she’s off to designer showroom appointments to curate her store’s collection while chatting up the glamorazzi’s best and brightest. Here, business meets the pleasure of fashion, and McMullen hits her well-heeled stride.

Image: Photography by Marc Olivier Le Blanc

Read The Complete Story at Diablo Magazine