Fashion becomes a family affair       

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There is an old adage in the business community which states that when choosing a business partner, the first choice should come from your family. No matter what befalls, you still go home together, because family is family. For this very reason, the Lemons mother-daughter team have been in the women’s clothing business for more than 30 years. And, guess what? We still speak to one another, and we are still having a wonderful time!

My daughter Laura-Todd Haney and I have owned a bricks and mortar store, Flamingo Trader; have maintained an antique mall booth; and run an online business. Our present enterprise, The Scott Collection, is a traveling trunk show business which specializes in jackets, tops and accessories. The trunk show business is especially appealing because it gives us the opportunity to travel to different venues throughout the southeast, to make new friends while reconnecting with many former associates, and because many of these shows are charity fundraisers, to contribute to many worthwhile causes. Another asset of trunk shows is the luxury of choosing a work calendar. This fits especially well with a demanding family schedule.

One of the most stimulating aspects of the clothing business is attending market. We have just returned from the Atlanta Apparel Show, which is held at the AmericasMart Apparel Mart, a 13-story building in downtown Atlanta. During this market, we selected items for our fall and holiday shows, a daunting task because of the broad choices. There are fashion shows running all day in the main auditorium, offering insight into the evolving trends. Our challenge is to interpret these trends into color and weights that are suitable for our climate and lifestyle. After spending three days selecting, we left feeling that we put together an excellent shopping package for our cherished clients.

We are very excited about our upcoming shows, which include The Junior League Show of Jacksonville, The Cultural Center Holiday Shops, The Jacksonville Business Connection Show at the World Golf Village, Our Lady Star of the Sea Expo, and the Junior League Of Palm Beach Deck the Palms Holiday Show. This takes us through the Holidays, and then we begin Spring. It is great fun!

The Florida-Georgia game will be here before we know it and every attendee will be looking for a game day outfit. Be sure to check out our game day scarves and ponchos at one of our events – a perfect way to show your team loyalty! See you at one of our fall events!