Volume 4, Issue 22
October 31 - November 13, 2002

Fall & Winter Fashion Preview to the Max

By Blaire Bailey
Photos By Mark Sink

Winter is in the air, the evenings are crisper and the days shorter, it's time to put away last season's clothes and get out the cozy attire. Every year Go-Go features what's hot for the fall/winter season, so if you're wondering how to update your wardrobe, allow us--with a little help from our friend in Cherry Creek--to give you an idea of how to start this season out in style.

Cherry Creek North has been home to the elegant, stylish boutique named Max for 18 years. Located at 3039 E. 3rd Avenue, Max carries the latest fashions from L.A., New York, and Europe. "I love my job more today than I did when I first started, I have the best job in the world," owner Max Martinez said.

The boutique is warm and friendly, full of smiling salespeople eager to help you. Max carries a wide variety of designers and 60 percent of the lines are exclusive. There is something in his boutique for women of any age. The fall line includes long flowery peasant skirts, suede jackets ranging in colors from purple to black, velvet pants, cashmere hoody sweaters, sexy high boots, short stone-washed denim skirts, sheer lacy off-the-shoulder tops, mix-matched fabric hand bags, turquoise jewelry and studded leather belts. Putting the outfits together is the easy part; the hard part is remembering your budget. The clothing is sexy, classy and very feminine. Each rack holds unique designer clothing, which gives the boutique an eclectic display of colors, fabrics and styles.

Before we began our interview, Martinez walked around the boutique, showing a genuine interest in his customers and employees. He chatted with a longtime customer about her new hairstyle and how much he liked it. Then he began a conversation with one of his employees about a yoga class he wanted her to accompany him to. Wearing black pants with white pinstripes, a black sweater and soft black leather ankle boots, Martinez spoke of his boutique, passions, customers and employees:

What sets your boutique apart from the other shops in Cherry Creek and Boulder?

I go to Germany, Milan and Paris twice a year. I visit New York and L.A. at least five times. I basically travel once a month. I am always scouting new lines; my customers know that we will always have what' s available in the major cities. Also, after being opening 18 years, mothers and daughters are shopping together. So not only are we concentrating on building the designer business on the mothers, the young girls are still able to get Marc by Marc Jacobs , Paper Denim & Cloth , Juicy Couture and Seven Jeans . I always want to have the next generation of women shopping at my store, but yet am also concentrating on the women who have been with me for 18 years.

How do you perceive your store?

In one word, modern. My store is for the women who feel sexy in their life. For example, in our fall catalog we featured one of our 70-year-old customers wearing Jean Paul Gaultier and yet we also had 12-year-olds wearing Juicy Couture and Lacoste.

What kind of philosophy do you have about the way you run your business?

My philosophy is making women feel beautiful, and keeping with that philosophy, the women that work in my company have also played a major part in keeping the storing going for 17 years. It all works as a team, because if I am out scouting the market and my employees are in Denver, I want them to believe in what I am bringing to the store. I really enjoy making a difference for women, It's a man's world out there--if I can make a difference for women when they walk out the door and feel like they can conquer the world because they are wearing a killer outfit, mission accomplished.

Describe the customers that shop at your boutique. How do you keep them coming back?

My customers range from teenagers to grandmothers. I keep them coming back by traveling and bringing new merchandise in and by offering lines that are exclusive to us. For fall we just added a line from Germany called Jil Sander, which is huge because they have not opened a new account in years. It is the perfect line: it's simple, clean, elegant, with modern fabric, but still conservative. I describe it as modern classic.

What are some of the similarities and differences between your stores in Boulder and Cherry Creek?

Boulder has a younger clientele, about 15 percent are C.U. students, so we concentrate on the t-shirts and jeans business a little more than the other store. The bulk of our clientele in both stores is 35-55 years old.

What's hot this year?

Sexy boots. If I could tell anyone what to buy this season it . s boots, whether square toe, pointed toe, knee-high or ankle-high. Even with a pair of jeans, killer boots can make the outfit. We carry the Sex and the City Jimmy Choo boots. So if you want to update your wardrobe, a great pair of boots is a good place to start.

Tell us about the world of fashion. Is there a method to the constant change? How do you keep up?

That's what's so exciting--it's always changing. At this point in my business, basically anyone who is out there is contacting us to sell us the latest. For me it's just the fact I am always on a plane, scouting, looking for what's new. I am not happy unless I come home with a new designer, from t-shirts to a new dress line. It is always my mission to come home with something new on my buying trip for my customers.

How would you go about putting together the perfect outfit?

For a woman on a budget, I would recommend buying clothing items that are uniform-oriented. Like the perfect skirt to the knee or a killer pair of trousers. That way you can wear a cashmere sweater during the day and then change into a sexy black t-shirt or lacy top for the evening. Always think less is more--for fall it's all about building really good separates.

What is your favorite item for men this winter?

Cashmere. I am a happy camper if I am wearing cashmere and listening to Mary J. Blige.

How do you choose the designers you carry?

A lot of it's based on profitability. It's also aesthetics.

Have you kept the same designers for a long period of time?

For years. We have lines that we have had for 17 years and they are still going strong. I think that it's the most exciting time for women's fashion because they have so many options to choose from, they can wear skinny pants, bell bottoms or trousers.

Are you opening a new boutique sometime in the future?

Vail, in 2003.

How did you get involved in this business?

I had a lot of Barbies. I have always loved the arts, fashion and clothes. I held on to my dream, I moved out here from N.Y. and started my business with less than five thousand dollars. The I.R.S. shut us down at the very beginning, but I had found my passion and I held onto it. People think sometimes that it's so easy, but it's all about finding your passion in life. Then you are able to take it to whatever level you choose.

That is the reason why we contribute to the community by holding special events. When my business was so incredibly stressful, I could not even pay my bills at a point in time. I decided that if I ever became successful I would give back to the community. After being in business for so many years you have to take it to the next level and give back to help people. We decided to help the The Gathering Place on Dec. 6, through proceeds from our fashion show.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself in five years still loving my job and making women feel beautiful. The last thought that goes through my head before I go to bed at night is that I am the luckiest guy in the world. I get to live in a city I love and bring fashion into it. Denver is not the easiest city to run a boutique in, because it . s casual, and that is why I feel so fortunate because of the support I get from my customers.

Tell us about the winter fashion show.

The fashion show on Dec. 6, we will be featuring Narciso Rodriguez , the designer of the year. His clothes are so beautiful . Sarah Jessica Parker is one of many who wear his line. We will also have Helmet Lang from Milan, everything from the runways in Europe and New York. Not only is the event a great and fun evening, everyone there will be making a difference for the women of The Gathering Place. This event is all about putting on a great outfit and feeling sexy.

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