Kicka Wendell (left) and Michelle Charpentier-Rohr own RE'naissance, an upscale consignment shop in Saratoga.




Photograph by Kathy De La Torre







RE'naissance partners claim fashion is all about attitude

Store offers its patrons no excuses

By Leigh Ann Maze

Kicka Wendell and Michelle Charpentier-Rohr, owners of the upscale consignment store RE'naissance in Saratoga, don't want to hear any excuses as to why you can't look beautiful and fashionable. They firmly believe that style is not a size, its an attitude--something these two petite Parisian women have aplenty.

The women met in Paris while Wendell was working in the competitive Paris fashion design industry and Charpentier-Rohr was a painter and sculptor.

An immediate friendship emerged and continued to grow in the United States where both women eventually moved with their husbands, who work in the high-tech industry. And they've managed to bring a little bit of Parisian charm and fashion with them.

RE'naissance opened in Saratoga Village about 2 1/2 years ago with Wendell contributing experience in the fashion industry and Charpentier-Rohr contributing artistic talent and sales experience. Both women brought their European fashion sense, taste in art and a desire to make shopping fun, adventurous and affordable, into their tiny store.

RE'naissance features career and casual clothing, party dresses, shoes and accessories such as jewelry, hats, purses and scarves--lots of scarves. There is always a unique selection of international music playing and colorful bolts of cloth and, often, Charpentier-Rohr's artwork decorating the store. One customer, they said, comes in sometimes just to hear the music.

Even their front window display is fun, centered around a theme and sometimes inspired by the window displays they see while visiting Paris.

Most merchandise is placed in the shop by Saratogans and residents of nearby surrounding areas. All clothing must be dry cleaned, on a hanger and in good condition. Naturally, each item should be fashionable. The majority of shoppers are from surrounding areas, although some are from Saratoga.

All clothing is on consignment, but jewelry and scarves are new. The original owner signs a contract for each item put in the shop; when it sells, she gets 40 percent. Items must sell within three months or they are returned. Items which original owners do not want returned are donated to a charitable cause.

What has also kept RE'naissance's loyal customers coming back from all over the area, even as far as Berkeley and Los Angeles, is the expertise that Wendell and Charpentier-Rohr openly share.

It makes their day when someone walks in their door feeling as if she is too fat or too old or too poor to ever look beautiful or fashionable. After a little help and advice from Wendell and Charpentier-Rohr the customer walks out in a new dress and vintage hat feeling like $1 million, but has only spent about one third of the retail price.

"A lot of women aren't comfortable with themselves," Wendell said. "But everyone has something beautiful about them whether it is their eyes, their hands, their face, their neck ... ."

For example, they can show women how to accentuate their features or outfit with a simple scarf, an accessory that is more popular in Europe than the United States. They show a woman how to wear a scarf on her head, around her neck or shoulders, tied onto a handbag or even as a blouse under a jacket.

"You can make so many different combinations with two outfits and three scarves," Wendell said.

The two women encourage their customers to try new styles and take risks. "We like to keep it fun," Charpentier-Rohr said. "So we try and keep the price at a level where it is fun to shop, an adventure."

The two often travel back to Paris, and bring home new ideas and products that might not have caught on yet in the U. S.

The RE'naissance partners sometimes share their fashion knowledge with clientele and various women's clubs through style awareness seminars. Some of their past seminars were called: The Art of Accessorizing, The Clothing Personalities, Color Analysis, Travel with Style and Shop Smart in Paris.

They also work closely with Career Closet, a nonprofit group that works to elevate the marketability and self-esteem of low-income Santa Clara County women. The group provides interview clothing to those who complete job training programs and are actively seeking employment.

For anyone who thinks she is not attractive enough, wealthy enough or young enough to be fashionable, Wendell and Charpentier-Rohr will make them think again.

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