CelebHomes – It sounds like quality was a key focus for you when creating this collection. Tell us more.
JM: Quality without having to spend a lot of money. It is often believed that to get high quality, you must pay a high price. Quality is found in designers who take the time to make garments that they would wear, and that they would put on for their family. That’s what I tried to do with this collection.
CelebHomes – Was it difficult to make the same quality despite working within budgetary constraints?
JM. To be truthful, just a little. Because I’m Macy’s customer, I have to meet that price point. Macy’s is always where I shop. I shop there because I know that I will have enough money to purchase multiple pieces and not just one. My boucle jacket is one example. Boucle fabric is expensive. It is expensive to produce, even though it looks luxurious. We were able find a boucle that looked elegant and had the same weight as the factory’s. It didn’t break the bank. So it just took a lot more research and honestly, I can’t tell you how many times I sent something back saying, ‘This isn’t it, this isn’t it.’ They were like, ‘Jeannie, we’re scouring everything, what could it be?’ They actually worked with me to find me the one that made my happy, and that’s the entire collection that you see today.