Don't Forget to Be Specatacular Tomorrow...

Good Morning, Dear Readers,
   

    This is a quick reminder for tomorrow. The Mode Merr Fall Fashion Spectacular will be tomorrow, Saturday, September 10th from 1pm to 6pm. Our event will be held at Church at 69 Kilmarnock Street (between Peterborough Street & Queensberry Street) in the Fenway area. Their number is: 617.236.7600. Remember, they have really convenient parking in the lot right behind the bar. 

    If you have not gotten your tickets in advance they will be $15 at the door. (This is a 21+ event, so bring your ID and leave the little ones at home.)

   There will be music and burlesque, booze, a boutique (remember to bring cash or credit cards, unfortunately we do not accept checks) and lots of smexy girls. (Wow, what a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!)

   Also, for you New York people, or those of you who are roadtripping that weekend, Mode Merr will be at the Bust Magazine Craftacular on Saturday and Sunday, September 17-18, 2011 at the New York Hall of Science Flushing Meadows, Corona Park Queens, NY. If you follow the link below, you can find out everything you need to know about the Bust Craftacular.
   
http://makerfaire.com/newyork/2011/

    I myself am getting ready for tomorrow. My hair is dyed, toes are about to be polished. Make up has been selected. Clothes for the piratical boyfriend have been laid out. <3 I hope to see everyone there tomorrow. 

Until next time. <3 

Mode Merr... A History

Good Morning dear Readers, on this dreary day,

      Recently, while on the phone with Angela, I told her that for the longest time after I discovered her line that I was pronouncing it's name incorrectly. I insisted that it was pronounced Mode Mare. This is what sounded right to me. 

A mare is a horse, silly girl, not a fashion line!

     I had popped into the now extinct "Horror Business" in Allston one day and started talking to the sales girl about Mode Merr (pronouncing it all the while as Mare). The girl had met Angela and agreed with me about the fabulousness and versatility of the clothing. As we continued our conversation I noticed that she said, "Mode Mirr" (emphasis on the rrr). I didn't correct her and she didn't correct me. But she did give me something to think about.

    At home that evening I told the piratical boyfriend what had happened. Could it be that I, a former English Teacher, had been pronouncing Merr wrong this entire time? We both agreed that Mare sounded much better than Mirr. And I was happy.

    Fast forward to this past June. I am in the Mode Merr studio doing some serious shopping only to hear Angela say, "Mode Mirr". Not wanting to question Angela and certain that she knew how to pronounce her company's name, I, from that day on, pronounced it correctly...Mode Mirr. Only when the piratical boyfriend and I were in the car driving back to Boston, did I admit defeat.
 
     After Angela and I had a good laugh about my confusion with Merr/Mare/Mirr, I asked her, just exactly what did the words, "Mode Merr" mean? "Well, Mode means fashion," and then a lot of laughter, "Merr started in High School." I felt a story coming on. Angela's parents allowed her to be herself growing up, which meant she could dye her hair and wear all the interesting, fun clothing that she wanted to. (I'd like to give a shout out to Mr. and Mrs. Zampell for being cool and progressive parents and giving us the super-cool lady that is Angela.) Apparently, Angela went to a rather preppy High School, with less than kind class mates. You can imagine what went on. Angela, instead of telling her tormentors to just, "Fuck off," chose the high road and retorted to their harassment with, "Merr". 


   We had another good laugh about this. This lead into when Mode Merr was born. Angela started her clothing line in 1989 when she was still in High School. She started selling her clothing to Allston Beat on Newbury Street (where we coincidentally, years apart, both got our first pair of Dr. Martens). She even told me that she had a fake ID, not to drink, but to get into clubs, like Axis (do you remember Axis??) to sell her line. 


   Doesn't that story make you feel good? It has been 22 years and Mode Merr is still going strong. 

    And if you would like to go to the Mode Merr studios like I did, you can! (We ask that if you would like to visit, please call in advance.)
We are at:
1 Winter Street

Suite 3B

Rochester, NH 03867

Tel: 603.335.7875

Fax: 603.335.1790

 

    My final agenda for this morning is to remind you about the fashion show this weekend. Are you ready for it? (I am not. There is still hair to dye and nails to polish.) If I have not mentioned this before, we will have a Mode Merr boutique set up in Church for your shopping convenience. There will also be a $20 bargain section. (Who doesn't love that?)


    So remember, when you come to the Mode Merr Fall Fashion Spectacular this Saturday (September 10th) at Church, say Mirr!


Until next time. <3
   
 

Flyering Boston and Mode Merr Fall Fashion Spectacular Press Release

Good Evening, Mode Merr Fans,

This has been a busy week of flyering for me around Boston, namely in Jamaica Plain and Cambridge. Angela was kind enough to give me flyers and postcards (designed by the lovely and talented Beck Rustic). My crusade began in JP, which is my hood. I went about to Eye Q, where I got my fantastic cat eye spectacles last Spring and Got Sole, a cool store to buy new kicks. I dropped flyers at JP Licks, Real Deal, Kitchen Witch, Station 8 (go check out Gia, she does fantastic brows!), Salmagundi (hats for ladies and gents) and Boomerangs. Needless to say, perhaps I should not have worn my pink heels that day. 

The following day I was able to post at Kookoo Cafe at Brookline, which has fantastic coffee. Cambridge was next on the list. Flyers can be seen at Hootenanny, Raspberry Beret and Hourglass Tattoo, which luckily already had postcards and just needed a flyer (thanks, Amy!). For the vintage minded among you, The Cambridge Antiques Market has been tagged. For those of you who are driven by their tummies, like I am, my fantastic and piratic boyfriend posted at Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake (where he works) and at Bukowskis in Inman Square. If you want to get an up close look at our lovely flyer (or want food, coffee, eyeglasses, shoes, hats, ice cream, etc.) stop into one of these classy joints and check it out!


I have to say my flyering experience has been a fun and positive one. People are friendly and genuinely seem impressed by Mode Merr and our product. People get excited about the style and especially the fact that it is made in the USA, and always will be. I truly hope that all the interested folks show up and support a local designer. <3

Below is the press release, written by Irene Fazio, as well as the stunning flyer for the Moder Merr Fall Fashion Spectacular. (Check out the entertainment!!) Remember to buy tickets now, as the venue can only hold about 200 guests.

Calling all modern day pin-ups, the infamous Mode Merr Fall Fashion Spectacular finally makes its way to Boston. After several successful shows in New York, New England native Angela Zampell brings her label back to her roots for a retro- fabulous afternoon of fashion, cocktails, scintillating sirens and most importantly SHOPPING! Saturday September 10th, 2011 - Spend a glamorous afternoon sipping cocktails while enjoying live music, tantalizing burlesque performances and the notorious Mode Merr fashion show. Catch a sneak peak of Mode Merr’s newest designs for Fall and Winter in sizes
xxs-xxxl in their pop-up boutique at Church, during the event. Be one of the first to own some of the newest Mode Merr designs. In addition to lovely ladies strolling the catwalk in the latest Mode Merr; the audience will be delighted by the off-color, yet incredibly sexy musical satire of the Steamy Bohemians, Boston’s new favorite rockin’ girl-fronted band the Skeleton Beats and saucy performances by Boston’s sweethearts Thru the Keyhole Burlesque.

*Mode Merr*
Founded in 1989 by Boston's girl genius Angela
Zampell, Mode Merr is a line of edgy retro women's
clothing made in New England with an international fan
base of loyal customers from boardrooms to burlesque
halls.

“If anyone knows how to combine fashion and partying into one exciting afternoon, it’s Zampell, who’s even impressed
designer Jean Paul Gaultier with her collection. Not only is the audience being introduced to some of burlesque’s
hottest dancers since queen bee Dita Von Teese, but they’re also discovering one of the few existing labels that
celebrate glamour in an array of sizes. ‘I don’t like the stagnant shows where the models don’t relate to the audience,’
Zampell says.’ I make clothes for the girl next door with curves.”
- Stephanie Nolasco, Splash Magazine, NYC

“Mode Merr designs are classic and streamlined; the perfect foundations for a fantastic retro wardrobe, yet unique so
as not to be deemed “basic”. Even if you’re not dramatically into pin-up, there's no telling how many creative vintage
looks you can create with their elegant “Perfect Black Pencil Skirt.”
- Hope Adela Pasztor

www.chictopia.com
http://www.modemerr.com
Mode Merr Fashion Show Spectacular - 2009
by Suzanne Hillinger
http://vimeo.com/9938731

*Steamy Bohemians*:
“Thwack together vaudevillian comic chops, astounding musicality, and oodles of quirky sex appeal and you’ve got the
Steamy Bohemians, Boston’s very own darlings of debauchery. Part glam rock, part stand-up comedy, and all sass,
steamy duo Lainey Schulbaum and Niki Luparelli seductively tickle audiences with songs like “Second Cousin,” and
“The Ballad of the Bastard,” which the ladies claim are inspired by “chaos, cultural discontent, and gender polarity.
Though their banter rivals Lucy and Ethel and their lyrics are borderline absurd, these broads offer more than just a
kitschy hook. Both are classically trained sopranos, and Schulbaum’s guitar playing will rock your pretty little face off.”
- Boston Phoenix

*Skeleton Beats*
The Skeleton Beats are a brand new band formed this year by Amy Von Eerie (ex Ghouls Night Out & Pulp 45) whose
focus is high energy riffs that ooze with the influences of 70’s punk, garage and 50’s rock and roll. Amy's vocal styling
has been described as a female Eddie Cochran with a growl for the blues and she continues to growl even more
leading the Skeleton Beats. This band is an all star cast of ex Boston band members from Pulp 45, Mourningside,
Photon Torpedoes and Red Invasion. Each member donates their individual style to produce an explosion of rock that
will fuse to your soul! With Mike Rancid on drums, Joey Two-Fingers on bass and K-rock on lead guitar, this group's
rhythms will really shake your bones!

*Thru the Keyhole Burlesque*
Boston’s longest running and most playful burlesque troupe, shimmying since 2002! From Maine to Connecticut, TKB
keeps New England entertained with saucy costumes, imaginative props, obscure musical selections and a kicky
chorus line.
http://www.facebook.com/thruthekeyholeburlesque

Mode Merr Fall Fashion Spectacular
Saturday, September 10th
1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door
http://www.ticketfly.com/event/54711/
18+

Church
69 Kilmarnock Street
Boston, MA 02215
617-236-7600
http://www.churchofboston.com

Contact Info:
Angela Zampell
angela@modemerr.com
603-923-8679

My final agenda for tonight, is to happily report that after a minor snag, Mode Merr is once again up and running on Etsy. For those of you who do not know, Etsy is an online market place. There are only 2 kinds of shops on Etsy...vintage shops and handmade shops. (Yours truly has one of each.) Mode Merr of course has only one shop and that, of course, is a handmade shop. Here is the link. www.etsy.com/shop/modemerr 
Go take a peek. You know you want to. 

Now I must say good night, dear readers. I hope all of you on the East Coast are safe and sound this weekend and that Hurricane Irene does not cause too much trouble for you.