Designer Nina McLemore Opens Bellevue Boutique

Bellevue Avenue and Newport fashionistas welcome upscale women’s designer Nina McLemore, who opened her third store behind her New York and Washington D.C. eponymously-named boutiques this week. Best known for colorful, versatile jackets made of distinctive European fabrics in natural fibers or fine Asian silks, her impeccably tailored pieces are designed “for smart, confident women on the go.” For those reasons, powerful, accomplished women, including Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, are drawn to the brand. Considered a “pop-up store,” an emerging trend in the fashion biz where temporary stores embrace a gallery-like feel or semi-permanent trunk show aesthetic, Nina isn’t sure how long she’ll be in Newport, but the Mississippi native is excited to be part of our retail community. “Women need clothing that are beautiful but can also travel well,” she says, surrounded by her highly-lauded collection. Continuing the more than a century-old tradition of fine clothiers along Bellevue Avenue, retail neighbors have welcomed the shop into their fold. In her signature red glasses, Nina greeted shoppers on opening day and looks ahead with a positive attitude. Of course, a challenge isn’t anything new to Nina, who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 1997. The Nina McLemore collection, which also includes blouses, pants and skirts, range from sizes 0 – 16 (including petites) while price points vary from $125 to $1100.