King of Prussia Mall Features One Holeva Fashion Consultant
Jessie Holeva is punctual.
If she were behind for her appointment at King of Prussia Mall with Aimee, her client for the day, it would be appropriate to call her fashionably late. But instead, she is fashionably on-time. Which makes sense for a fashion consultant and personal shopper.
Holeva's role within the expansive hallways of the largest retail space in the U.S. is to help clients focus. With more than 400 stores at hand, the task of evaluating merchandise, comparing styles and looks and making a purchase decision can be daunting. Holeva, therefore, is a one-on-one guide through the goods, a resource in the racks and an ally in the aisles.
She is a well-equipped personal shopper and fashion consultant. Holeva's communications degree from Cabrini College enables her to connect quickly with clients, discerning their preferences for colors, fabrics, prints and designs. Her training also provides the foundation for her work as a contributor to the Style Setter and Trend Hungry blogs and her television appearances on Fox 29, QVC and The 10 Show. Plus she knows the mall like the back of her hand.
"We're heading first to New York & Company," Holeva says as the pair sets off. "I like to start with a store that a client has shopped in before. We'll go through the racks and pick out some outfits together, so I can see for myself, in addition to the survey responses, what she likes and doesn't like. Then, I'll start suggesting fabrics and prints and combinations that she may not have thought of herself. That's when things really get creative."
Aimee and Jessie wander the racks and enter the dressing room laden with possibilities. I'm left cooling my heels outside the door - a common post for me as a father of three teenaged shopaholic daughters. Holeva emerges as Aimee assembles outfit number one.
"A lot of my clients are women," she explains. "We do mother-daughter sessions and girls' night outings. But I also help men as well. Guys can be tougher than women; they tend to want to grab the first thing they see and say, ‘This is fine. Let's go.' I try to get them to slow down and consider the possibilities. Men tend to ignore proper fit, wanting to wear everything off-the-rack and baggy. I coach them on the importance of the details. A suit sleeve, for instance, should be tailored to fall just shy of the wrist, allowing a bit of the shirt cuff to show."
All of a sudden, I'm a bit conscientious about my wrinkled Oxford and the yellow dog hair clinging to my slacks.
Aimee emerges and bursts into a smile as she stands before the mirror. Holeva moves in to primp, tuck, adjust, shift and smooth. Aimee provides feedback and Holeva is on the hunt again, coming back with other variations and options.
Then it's time to accessorize. Sunglasses. Shoes. Baubles. Bangles. Beads. "Gorge!" Holeva coos.
Aimee returns to the dressing room to try on a different look.
"I like clothes that allow flexibility," Holeva says. "Some basics that can be worn to the office with a blue jacket, for example, and then swapped out for a leather blazer for a night out."
Aimee emerges wearing a blouse over top a pair of pants with a pajama-style cut. She's not sure she likes the look, but Holeva thinks it's adorable: "You look like a genie," she smiles.
After fully exploring the options at New York & Company, we depart for Loft, a store in which Aimee has never shopped. "Taking clients to stores they're unfamiliar opens their thinking to different clothing groupings." Again they browse the racks, perusing polka dots and patterns. "I ask for real opinions when we pull. But I also watch her face for reactions. When I see her face light up, I know we're onto something good," Holeva says.
The dressing room is again a flurry of fabric as the fashionista does her work. Aimee is delighted at the results and ends the spree with not only a different view on what to wear but also a new gal-pal. "I want her to be my new best friend," she says. "She showed me things that I would never have put together for myself but that I loved. She totally nailed it."
The shopping services Holeva provides are free for a two-hour consultation, after which there is a charge. An appointment is required and can be obtained by contacting the King of Prussia Mall Management Offices (610.265.5794, ext. 212).
Holeva's suggestion that her sprees make for a great girls' night out can be extended fully to a girls' escape weekend. After a day's shopping, whether at one of our attractive malls or quaint main streets, get off your feet and recover at a plush hotel. We've got plenty of options listed on our website. And if you're in need of refueling, give a shot to the menu at Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery. The chicken-fried chicken, despite its redundant-sounding name, is absolutely recommendable.
Dan Weckerly, VFCVB Communications Manager, has lived in Montgomery County since 1988 but is still discovering its many treasures, which provides the basis for The Pursuit. He is well-traveled across the U.S. and even lived in London, but more commonly shares his household with a wife of 25 years, three daughters and a boisterous Labrador Retriever.