Up Front
Donna Myrie - Doyenne of Fashionand Proven Entrepreneur
A former Miss Cayman, fashion retailer DonnaMyrie, readily confesses a little secret; like Imelda Marcos,wife of former Phillipine President, she is what you may calla 'shoe freak'.
"Shoes have always been my weakness," says Donna, burstinginto a fit of laughter at the memory of an incident which occurredway back in 1981 when she was vying for the Miss Cayman title.
"I'll never forget this," she said. It transpired thateach of the contestants was given $500 as part of their sponsorship.And what did Donna do? She promptly flew to Miami and bought herself15 pairs of shoes. And only shoes.
"I didn't buy anything; not a piece of clothing; no gown;no casual wear; nothing. Man, I was on a shoe rampage and thatwas it," she said.
It is this obsession that led herinto business in 1983, when at the age of 22, she opened Le Classiqueat Elizabethan Square. During her reign as Miss Cayman, she workedat the Bank of Butterfield, for about a year and a half. She alsodid a stint of modelling in California and worked in a bank inBeverly Hills. She was away for about a year and a half, and onreturn to Cayman got into the business of fashion.
Is she still a shoe freak? "Absolutely! Are you kidding!"came the quick rejoinder. Turning to one of her "right hand"in the business for confirmation, she said: "Isley can tellyou; whenever a shipment comes in, I have to try every pair on;every single one of them. It gives me a rush; I enjoy it; I wouldn'tbe doing it for 18 years if I didn't."
While this sentiment holds good for fashion on the whole, shesays, it particularly applies to shoes. "Shoes play an importantpart in one's whole ensemble," Donna says. "It makesa statement. Your shoe can really show off a nice outfit; it'sa very important accessory I think."
It is this same keen sense of fashion that has led Donna to becomeone of the more successful young businesswomen in Cayman, owninga chain of stores, in an operation with nine members of staff.
Since she started, Le Classique has grown into three retail locationsand a sale outlet, the latter located on Smith Road. The othertwo are located at Galleria and the Strand and the downtown storeat Elizabethan Square has been expanded.
The stores all carry men's and ladies' shoes, handbags, accessories,small leather goods, luggage, clothing, jewellery and hair accessories.Most of their lines she carries, Donna says, are exclusives suchas Land of Colombia. Other labels include Lexia and Cosa Bella,Vertigo, Paris and Tracey M from smart casuals to evening wear.
She personally does all the shopping, which is something Donnasays she "absolutely" adores. "It's very excitingand challenging. I love it," she said, managing to infusea certain passion in her voice. She goes on those buying trips"maybe four to five times a year."
Business, she says, is very challenging these days but livingby the ocean does have its uses and this has helped her cope admirably."Whenever I have a rough day, I go by my patio and listento the ocean then have a glass of wine," she said with achuckle.
On a serious note, however, Donna concedes that the situationworldwide has definitely had an impact on business on Cayman."I think anybody in retail will agree with me that businessis not the same as it used to be before."
For instance, she said, while 1999 was a good year, 2000 simplypaled in comparison. "It was a horrible year; regardlessof what surveys have said. I think if people are really honest,they will admit that business has been down on the whole,"Donna says.
Noting that even staffing has had to bear the brunt of the seemingeconomic slow-down, she says "it's hard trying to have anice balanced body of people."
As to where she sees herself going five years hence, Donna says"probably downsizing because with all that's going on withthe economy and OECD, the new government and all, I don't thinkexpanding is something is on the cards; maybe in different areabut certainly not in retail."
A single parent, she regards her four-year-old son Giovanni asthe "jewel of my life." He's become so much a part ofher life, he's even learning the business, she said. He was agreat help over the Christmas season, showing customers handbagsand shoes and the like, and enquiring whether they had enoughmoney to make their purchases.
"I attribute a lot of the store's success to Isley (Ebanks)and her input because she's been here for ten years; she's solelyresponsible for all the merchandising all the stores. She celebratedher tenth year on Tuesday, January 9. This occasioned some celebration.She's pretty much irreplaceable she's a right hand; she's donereal good."
Donna says her dad, Edward Myrie has been very supportive andhelped helped her get started. "I definitely have a lot ofrespect for him; he's always there; he's reliable and dependable,"she says.
"I get a lot of my discipline from my step-mother (Clerkof the Legislative Assembly, Mrs. George Myrie) who raised me;I owe my discipline, determination, innate self respect and myregard for normalcy to her because of her strict upbringing ...and for that I give her great thanks."
Sidebar
Isley Ebanks - Donna's "Right Hand"at Le Classique
Her responsibilities include merchandisingall the stores and involves window and in-store displays, in-storechanges; she's assisted with orders, customer service. But byher account and Donna's the list is only partial.
"I am an all-rounder," Isley said. She's laid carpetswhen opening the Strand store, run the electrical installationsfor the music system and built shelves. In the past she's dyedleather, repaired bags and shoes.
"She's pretty much irreplaceable," Donna says of theWest Bayer who has been her friend and supporter in business for10 years.
For Isley, the ride with Donna has been "very smooth,"mainly because of the "open communication" that existsbetween them.
It's why she says, after 10 years at Le Classique, she's "comfortable."