Style Elevation is an online boutique that carries a variety of fabulous emerging designer brands. Karri Ann Frerichs, the founder of Style Elevation gives shoppers a unique experience to shop in-season collections as well as pre-season collections from independent designer brands. I personally find Style Elevation to be a one stop shop for fashion forward, eco-conscious and independent fashion lovers.

Style Elevation exclusive offer for Moda Epidemic readers!

Shop from anything on the site for 15% off using promo code ModaEpidemic15. Enter the code after you fill in your shipping details when prompted on the site.

To learn more about Style Elevation from the founder herself read on.

Althea Harper-Spring 2011

1. Moda Epidemic: How was Style Elevation born?

Karri Ann Frerichs: I’ve had so many requests from shoppers finding great styles on Altitude Promotion that I determined there was definitely a need to sell directly to the consumer the complete lines from each of the brands I represent.

2. ME: What brands do you carry on Style Elevation? What would qualify a brand to become a part of Style Elevation family?

KF: As of now, I carry each of the brands that I already represent through the Altitude Showroom. I look to add more as I further market the site. I’d like to look at more local and eco-friendly designers as I really believe in the eco-friendly fashion movement.

Current list of Designers:

- Althea Harper, Project Runway Season 6 Finalist whose styles have been worn by the Kardashian sisters, and who has been named by WWD, Style.com and Refinery29 as a top emerging designer.
- Amber Pollard Handbags, for the savvy working woman on the go, featuring a stylish lunch bag, waterproof interiors and expandable features in top quality leather, suede, or eco-friendly vegan styles.
- Everyday Apparel and Shoes for Men and Women featuring unisex stretch skinny denim styles. Vegan shoes and apparel all produced fair trade out of Bali.
- Heike Jarick, German-born women’s ready-to-wear fashion designer based in New York whose collections are known for elegant draping and layering with luxurious outerwear, dresses, and separates.

Haike Jarick - Spring 2011

- John S. Brana Jewelry, featuring vibrantly colored patina, nature-inspired in textured metals jewelry all handcrafted in San Francisco.
- Lorian Lindsay, San Francisco women’s ready-to-wear designer featuring all natural, high quality textiles in vintage-inspired designs that are upscale and very wearable, including signature jackets, versatile dresses, and elegant separates.
- REVEAL Handbags and Accessories are 100% recycled or sustainable and the brand donates to plant a tree with each sale. Elegant day bags and evening bags for women, unisex messenger bags, and the very popular bamboo collection of watches and tech accessories.
- Sittella by Althea Harper, the organic bamboo collection of dresses, scarves, tops and skirts by Althea Harper.

3. ME: What is unique about Style Elevation and the products you sell?

KF: Each of the brands we carry are up and coming fashion designers from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Bali. Because these are the brands that we sell to stores through AltitudePromotion.com, we know each style inside and out, exactly how it feels, fits, what it looks best with, how to accessorize it, etc. As sales reps we work with each collection 1-2 seasons before it becomes available to the public, so by the time it’s available in season, we know the best sellers, the styles that fit the most people, the colors that look best, etc. We’ve already tried each item on, put outfits together and know just how it fits on a variety of body types.

4. ME: What do you think about San Francisco fashion community, local emerging designers and new trends. Do we compete well with the cities like Los Angeles or New York?

KF: San Francisco is full of so much talent. New designers are emerging each month and we have a good core of established designers that call SF home. We also have a great core of passionate promoters, event producers, bloggers, writers, stylists, etc. The thing we are missing that Los Angeles and New York have, though is a centralized hub, we’re very scattered and often disjointed. The thing that will put us on the map and help us establish a true SF fashion identity is creating an industry destination, a centralized hub from which the industry can grow. A central location where buyers can come and see dozens of designers and showrooms at once.

5. ME: What are the challenges that independent designers face when they first start out? What is a piece of advice you’d give someone who wants to get their brand noticed. Where do they start?

KF: New brands are competing with already established name brands and so they have to offer something really special or be competitive in price. Also, new designers need to make sure they have all their systems in place and professional quality sales collateral before they approach buyers, sometimes that takes a couple season to really fine tune. AltitudePromotion.com offers new designer consultation services:)

6. ME: What is your latest favorite emerging brand?

KF: I just really love my latest brand REVEAL – their so innovative, everything they make is recycled or sustainable and they have a new iPhone, iPad accessory line. The quality is top notch and they really have all their details and logistics figured out. They’re so easy to work with and sell great!

ME: Thank you!

Bamboo Wooden Watch by Reveal