It’s that time again, ladies.  Our Summer Sale starts Friday, July 3rd, with discounts of 30-50% off Spring merchandise from VPL, Araks, Elle MacPherson Boudoir, Stella McCartney, Wundervoll and The Lake and Stars.  We will be closed on Saturday, July 4th for the holiday, but will reopen on Sunday, with the sale going strong all month long!  This First Friday art exhibit showcases embroidered work by local designer Emily Katz.  Most of you know Emily from her eponymous sustainable clothing line, which has been featured in countless local fashion shows and is sold at stylish boutiques nationwide.  If you haven’t yet seen her artwork, you are in for a treat.  Her sweet freehand embroidery features woodland creatures embracing and other tender moments that are sure to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.  Stop by between 7-9pm to check out the work and get a jump on the sale.

I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make the Forecast show such a huge success - from the talented hair and make-up stylists to the hard-working production staff, and of course all of our tireless models - as a designer, I was incredibly grateful for all the supportive smiles and helping hands backstage.  For those of you who were able to join us for the show, thank you for doing your part to support the local fashion scene!  The simple fact that it sold out is a testament to Portland’s unique sense of community and overwhelming “shop local” mentality.  I was honored to show the Gatsby collection alongside so many incredible designers and very impressed by the overall quality of the garments presented.  We’ll be posting photos and video of the show on the site soon, but for now, here’s a little teaser of backstage photos, courtesy of Tatiana Sakurai of Hubris & Sophrosyne, who was responsible for the gorgeous accessories that adorned the Gatsby girls… (more…)

Just a reminder that this Saturday is Lille’s Birthday Party, and you, dear reader, are cordially invited to join us for the festivities!  We will kick off the evening at 7pm with sparkling wine from Kir Wine Bar and handmade gourmet chocolate from Xocolatl de David.  There will be a free prize drawing for anyone who makes a purchase (over $50) with Gift Certificates from Lille Boutique and other Lower East End businesses, as well as many other goodies.  Stop by to admire the artwork from “Anthology,” check out the new exclusive styles from Hoff by Hoff, shop the 50% off sale rack, and show your love for our little shop.  Without you, we wouldn’t be here!

Just wanted to remind you about the big sale this weekend - starting on Saturday, we’ll be offering Buy 2 Get 1 Half Off for every non-sale item in the store.  The deal continues through Monday, and anyone who makes a purchase (over $50) is automatically entered into our Free Prize Drawing that will be held at the party on the 18th (must be present to win.)  This even includes the brand new styles from Hoff by Hoff, Only Hearts and Keep Me, so it’s a great opportunity to snag your size at a discount before it sells out.  Hope to see you then!

As I mentioned the other day, this month’s First Friday art show, “Anthology,” will be a compilation of new work by some of our favorite local artists, including “Someday, Someday, Same Day II,” the self-portrait by Sarah LaBarre pictured above.  I find LaBarre’s work particulary fascinating since I do some of my own machine-embroidering on lingerie, and I know how complicated and time-consuming it can be.  In a brief conversation about the work, Sarah mentioned that she put at least 50 hours into this piece, and it shows.  Many modern artists are working in fibers and embroidery these days, but few to such an advanced degree.  I can’t think of another piece that incorporates fine-art techniques like shading and layering to capture emotion quite like this one, and I applaud the execution wholeheartedly.  Join us for a glass of wine and converse with some of our absolute favorite local artists while admiring the new styles from VPL, Araks, Malia Mills, and the very exciting new Danish line, Hoff by Hoff, for which Lille is proud to be the exclusive US retailer! (Here’s hoping it arrives in time- fingers crossed.)  Hope to see you then…

Can you believe it has been almost two years since Lille’s grand opening?  It’s gone by so fast!  As a way of saying thank you to all of our loyal patrons, we are honoring the two-year anniversary with “April in Lille,” a full month of sales, events and parties.  We will kick off the celebration with an opening reception for our First Friday art show on April 3rd from 6-9 pm showcasing select works by local favorites Sarah LaBarre, Ryan Jacob Smith, Emily Katz, Seth Neefus, The Christopher Twins and Carla McHattie.  The festivities continue through the weekend (4/4-4/6) with a sample sale of high-end European lingerie on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  The following weekend (4/11-4/13), Lille will be holding a Buy Two, Get One Half-Off Sale on all non-sale items in the store.  The big event of the month will be the Two-Year Anniversary Party, to be held on Saturday, April 18th from 7-9 pm.  Anyone who makes a purchase (over $50) between April 1st-18th will be entered into a drawing to be held that night (must be present to win, please RSVP) for a variety of free prizes, including gift certificates and merchandise from Lower East End businesses.  And finally, to wrap up this glorious month of pantymonium, please join us at the Portland Mercury’s 5th Annual Fashion Show, where Sarah Wizemann’s new Gatsby collection will be unveiled alongside such venerable local designers as Adam Arnold, Elizabeth Dye, Kate Towers and Holly Stalder, to name a few.  If you’re not among the lucky Portland residents who can visit the shop in person, don’t worry.  We haven’t forgotten about you.  Each day in April, we will choose a different item in the store to be featured on the webstore for a 24 hour sale - once it’s gone, it’s gone, so check back often!

In honor of Valentine’s Day and the lesser known, but equally important, Singles Appreciation Day, we are pushing back the First Friday Art Opening by one week.  Please join us next Friday, February 13th from 6pm to 9pm for “Be Your Own Valentine,” and treat yourself to an evening of lingerie, wine, chocolate and entertainment.  (more…)

Attention brides to be! First off, congratulations on your impending nuptials. Perhaps your sweetie popped the question over the holidays, or maybe you’re finally getting around to planning the wedding after months of putting it off. Regardless of your timeline, next Thursday you will have a prime opportunity to check out the best independent vendors in town at The Art of Weddings boutique bridal event. Lille will be there alongside The English Dept., so if you’re in the market for a unique wedding dress or some gorgeous honeymoon lingerie, you won’t want to miss this!

We are open today! In honor of Arctic Blast ‘08, we are offering 30% off storewide, today only. Just print out a copy of this blog post and bring it in for 30% off your entire purchase, including sale items (up to 70% off) and a free gift with any purchase (minimum $20.) Lille feels a bit like that frozen rose up there, (image courtesy of Alan Wizemann) encased in ice, but toasty warm and full of lovely things. We hope to see you soon!

For those of you who may be reading this blog from Seattle, wistfully dreaming of your next trip to Lille Boutique, you will be thrilled to hear about Trainsetters, an exciting holiday program organized by the Ace Hotel in partnership with The Stranger, Travel Portland and Amtrak Cascades.  Here’s the deal:

• Amtrak is giving a half-price companion fare on tickets for the Cascades line when a full fare adult ticket is purchased. (Other conditions also apply.)
• Show your Amtrak Cascades ticket stub when checking in at Ace Hotel and get 10% off your room and a free breakfast for two.
• Get 20% off your total purchase when you show your Amtrak Cascades ticket stub or Ace Hotel room at select stores. (Lille Boutique is among them!)
• Plus, Oregon has no sales tax. Ever.

What are you waiting for?  Book your ticket now and become a trainsetter today.