Charlie Wagner built her business, in out of her garage, re-caning chairs, repairing valuable wicker & rattan pieces. Her expertise earned her the title of “The Wicker Lady”. She began to buy and sell newly created casual, yet high style quality outdoor furniture and soon grew out of the garage and into an old Victorian home in Needham, Massachusetts. The business did well as she and her interior designer sales people became well-known in the area for more than just outdoor furniture.
Wanting to break out of the type-casting that her nickname and store name gave her business, yet not wanting to give up her current clientele, she turned to me for help. Instead of a name change, as she was willing to consider, I wanted to make “The Wicker Lady” a design icon, an authority on style and give her a personality that could transcend Charlie’s persona. We settled on a look that would remind us of Audrey Hepburn in the classic movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
This icon was used as the authority figure in Wicker Lady ads and in Wicker Lady tips on decorating that were sprinkled around the store, called, The Wicker Lady says… We accomplished the goal of changing the more Spring and Summer seasonal sales to a year round design shop that catered to women of taste by professionals who knew how to decorate their customer’s home tastefully.