In the News
Classic business wear never goes out of style
After leaving the corporate world in the early 1980s, Loretta Pierce started Master Design, a clothing company designed to give her contemporaries fashionable business attire. When her peers convinced her there was a great need for a fashion designer who understood the needs of business women, the Rolling Hills Estates resident combined her work experience with her side interest in design and led women's professional wear in a new direction. Using conservative power colors and quality materials with feminine flair, women no longer had to walk into offices looking like men or victims of undesirable fashion statements.
"Fashion isn't appropriate for business - always," she says. " A lot of women want to look fashionable and feminine, but they also want to look powerful."
Bare legs and tight, short skirts - may be the rage on the runway, but in the real world it won't earn a woman respect in the boardroom or the courtroom. "When you walk into a room, you often get one shot," says Pierce. "These are people who are closing big deals."
Since starting her company in 1983, Pierce created classics wardrobes that survive not only fashion trends but time. Pierce uses high-quality natural fibers and local craftsmanship. Her jackets feature buttons make of bone, pearl, crystal and glass, hand-sewn buttonholes and tailoring arrows, French seams and small inside pockets for business cards. Each piece sports an embroidered label identifying it as a Pierce Collectible.
"Our pieces are all limited edition … our pieces are collectible," says Pierce. "That's how we feel about it. It's not at all the way the garment industry thinks about clothing. All the jackets have a limited edition number.
Giving back
Because what you wear makes a big impression on others, Pierce donates some of her clothing to organizations like Working Wardrobe and Clothes the Deal. These organizations give the clothing to women who cannot afford it and are entering or re-entering the workplace.
"This is a woman's company," Pierce says. "Our focus is on supporting women."
Master Design is located at 1800 W. 220th Street, Suite 100, Torrance, CA 90501
The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.or by appointment.
For more information, call (310)787-6770 or visit the company's Web site at www.masterdesignclothing.com
"Fashion isn't appropriate for business - always," she says. " A lot of women want to look fashionable and feminine, but they also want to look powerful."
Bare legs and tight, short skirts - may be the rage on the runway, but in the real world it won't earn a woman respect in the boardroom or the courtroom. "When you walk into a room, you often get one shot," says Pierce. "These are people who are closing big deals."
Since starting her company in 1983, Pierce created classics wardrobes that survive not only fashion trends but time. Pierce uses high-quality natural fibers and local craftsmanship. Her jackets feature buttons make of bone, pearl, crystal and glass, hand-sewn buttonholes and tailoring arrows, French seams and small inside pockets for business cards. Each piece sports an embroidered label identifying it as a Pierce Collectible.
"Our pieces are all limited edition … our pieces are collectible," says Pierce. "That's how we feel about it. It's not at all the way the garment industry thinks about clothing. All the jackets have a limited edition number.
Giving back
Because what you wear makes a big impression on others, Pierce donates some of her clothing to organizations like Working Wardrobe and Clothes the Deal. These organizations give the clothing to women who cannot afford it and are entering or re-entering the workplace.
"This is a woman's company," Pierce says. "Our focus is on supporting women."
Master Design is located at 1800 W. 220th Street, Suite 100, Torrance, CA 90501
The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.or by appointment.
For more information, call (310)787-6770 or visit the company's Web site at www.masterdesignclothing.com
