Q&A with

DANIELLE LANDRY

Q: The Poppy Clothing already has a loyal customer base and more than 3,000 followers on Instagram. What do you credit that success to? Landry: I am such a people person, and I only hire girls who possess that same quality. I want customers to come in and think, ‘These girls are so fun and friendly!’ We have already built relationships with so many customers, and that is the best feeling in the world. We’ve had a lot of customers tell us that the store is so refreshing and different than anything else that we have in Shreveport. It is not a rare occasion to have a customer leave their phone number before they leave, so we can text them about new pieces. Building relationships is what it is all about.

Q: The design of The Poppy Clothing is unique and beautiful. What was your inspiration for the store’s design? Landry: New York is my favorite city to visit. I love the different cultures and lifestyles. But most of all, I love that the city never fails to showcase the best fashions. I go to market in New York, and each time I visit I always check out the different boutiques around the city. Even before I started Poppy Clothing, some of the boutiques in SOHO were my favorite to visit. I couldn’t afford to buy anything in there, but I loved the design of the stores and the merchandising. A lot of my inspiration came from some of those boutiques.

Q: Where does the name Poppy Clothing come from? Landry: I wanted the store to be a place where women felt feminine and beautiful. For me, flowers have always done the trick for making me feel that way. The poppy flower is one of my favorites, and I also loved how catchy it sounded. I went over countless different floral names in my mind, and poppy was the only one that ever felt right.

Q: What does fashion mean to you? Landry: Fashion allows you to express yourself and give the people around you a glimpse of who you are without you having to speak a word. To me, fashion is the most beautiful art that there is. I love looking at fashion from different cultures, fashion through the ages, and modern day fashions. It’s captivating and alluring. Fashion harnesses your individuality and creativity, and to me there is nothing better than that.

Q: What can customers expect from your store? Landry: Customers can expect a highend experience without the high-end price tags. Our store is definitely unique. From the product all the way down to the little details in the design of the store. We’ve had a few customers come in and say, “I feel like I’m in a large city when I shop in here. I didn’t know Shreveport had this!” We’ve also heard a lot of customers say, “I almost didn’t want to come in because it looked so beautiful in here, I thought it would be expensive!” Then they see our price points and don’t believe it. I wanted to give women a place to shop where they could feel like they were shopping on Madison Avenue without having to “break the bank.” It feels good to hear customers tell me that we have created exactly that.

Q: What is your favorite outfit this spring? Landry: I can’t tell you how excited I was to see so much blush at New York market. It is one of my favorite colors. The romantic and feminine look is big this spring, and I am thrilled about it! This trend was one of my favorites from the NYFW runway report. I love the floral prints, delicate details, creams and blush colors, and sheer fabrics. It’s so whimsical and ladylike.

Q: What are you looking forward to the most? Landry: I am most looking forward to opening more stores in different locations throughout the United States. I was already thinking about where to open the second Poppy Clothing location before I even opened the Shreveport store. I am a major planner, so I’m always thinking about the next step.