Erik shows how to do a great blow dry all by yourself….

click here to watch

JANIS

My friend Eva – Halloween 2011

Brought such a smile to my face.

Midlife Status Change

This notice went out May 31, 2011:

I want to share the news that I am leaving Gimme Shoes.  I have enjoyed growing the business; I saw inspiring fashion shows and collections, art exhibits, traveled to wonderful places and learned from it all.  Most importantly, I have met really amazing people.  The shops will be in capable hands as I selected each of the staff with a particular purpose in mind. Jared will take over my share of the partnership.

Now that my son is attending university in NYC, I have decided it is the right time to pursue new career options. After designing and building out the new 381 Gimme Shoes location, along with remodeling my apartment, my past experience in the design department at Espirit I have the desire to seek new creative opportunities for my future.

I am grateful for the circumstances that allowed me to become acquainted with many wonderful people over the past two decades. I will miss seeing you, but as often happens our paths may cross again.  Keep in touch, I can now be reached at leigh.stackpole@gmail.com.

Thanks for everything, enjoy the summer and be well,

Leigh

Now, it is nearly 2012 and I am so ready for a new year. I hope with it comes new joy.

For the past year I have been dissolving my business partnership which I suppose is very similar to getting a divorce and all the drama that comes with the process. My personal finances are entangled with the companies and I am financial responsible for a business in which I have no say in the day to day operations. Many people don’t know that I am no longer there. I am embarrassed of the images on the website and content in the emails. My son who is attending University in NYC does not understand the settlement and partner buyout process, truthfully I don’t either. It all has to do with corporate law and majority / minority shares. I leave it now in the hands of my lawyer who has such a pleasant voice and charming manner. He is so smart, attended Harvard. This is actually my second lawyer. The first one was a sweetie and was familiar with the business, he’s a good friend of a good friend of mine. But my soon to be ex-partner made things so complex that it was really beyond his experience. I even still owe him money. In fact, I owe a lot of people money now. It is so strange to grow up, have a baby, raise him as a singe mother, grow a successful business and buy a condo in San Francisco. Then it all came to crash and the bottom fell out from my secure charming life. I had a different vision for the company and it had been 22 years. With my son off and thriving in college, it’s the right time for a change. To put me first now and sort out what I really want to do with my life. I often tell young folks going into college or just starting their careers that I still don’t really know what I want to do. Now is time to start that search.  Since I have been on the subject of marriage and divorce I want to plug my friend Kate Schermerhorn’s movie,
After  Happily Ever After.  At least I can turn you on to someone’s creative product.  Here is a link to her site, you can view a clip:

after happily ever after

Gimme Love

Last week I was in New York and on a plane on Valentines day again.  It reminded me to celebrate two of our employees recent marriages. Congratulations to Robert + Van and Robin + Maurice!

Another goodbye

Today I woke up to a text that Alexander McQueen had died. I felt mostly sad all day but then a smile came to my face when a memory came to me. Stevie B woke up very early to walk me with bags to the Waterloo Station. I felt so guilty for getting him out of bed until we spotted Lee’s muse Isabelle Blow at the station. I rode on the Eurostar with her to Paris. There was such chaos as her assistant pushed all her trunks and got her 4 inch stiletto caught in the escalator. The world also lost Isabella but we need to keep in mind that we are lucky for having friends and family who support us for who we are. I found this lovely tribute so I wanted to share.

another photo

so both al + kristie did not care for the photo of them. Al said he wasn’t doing a pose and kristie said she thought she had a better photo…….she then sent this one:

Take Two

I hope this makes them both happy!

We need your vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7×7 Magazine – The 2009 Style Council: Voting is Now Open!
Who’s the most stylish San Franciscan? Vote for who you think should win a spread in our September fashion issue.

Al & Kristie

Al sent 7by7 a photo of me + Kristie to nominate us for most stylish San Franciscans.  We made it to the finals and now Kristie really wants to win since she was disqualified from the hat competition.

peace, love and thanks…

i really hope Kristie can win this time.

ps…hurry voting ends July 15th

Click here to go to VOTE for #44

MJ

look closely for black armband

as sondra put it …. we cut school to go to our friend’s house and watch the debut of the Thriller video on MTV…….he was just a part of our history..Kelvin the other day was wearing a black armband and I went to Erik’s salon party and wore one Sigerson Morrison silver driving glove on my right hand to pay tribute.

Grandpa

he is sometimes affectionately referred to around here … as he is hoisting himself up the stairs the day after a rough ice hockey game…we just want to give a happy father’s day shout out to gimme’s favorite dad!

Time

 

Maria's Fall 09 show

 I think time can be my enemy.  Has it really been 3 months since I have made an entry?  This year I said I was going to make more of an effort and look what happened.  A few things come to mind since I have been in touch with my blog.  We had a productive buying trips to New York and Milan.  I went to fashion shows again!  For a while I had stopped, why bother when you can see it on line.  I didn’t want to hassle with waiting around, getting from here to there….I was there back in the day….backstage at the John Galliano show in a castle just outside Paris. He presented his show as if it were a tea party…Naomi was there to serve it up.  I had to wait for Kate to get out of the bathroom.  That was before style-dot-com, very behind the music.  This season I really loved Maria Conejo’s show.  There was such love for her and her collection.  I ran into Nanni and Miranda there.  Maria had dressed Michelle Obama for the train ride to DC. Her work is timeless and really well designed.  So last week MAC had a little party for her here in San Francisco.  She is delightful and inspires me to get dressed in the morning.