Brookline's
The Studio:
Innovative
Clothing Store Turns Personal Challenge into Womens' Cause
by Susie
Davidson
TAB
Correspondent
Sandy
Gradman is a survivor of remarkable merit. Then again, so is her store.
For
twenty-two years, in this era of abandoned storefronts and mergers by the
moment, Brookline's The Studio has graced its 9600-strong clientele with far
more than high-end, comfortable apparel. Unusually housed in a second-floor
office building locale, Brookline natives Gradman, identical twin Ilene Epstein
and best friend Marcie Brawer have long catered to the social, emotional and
community needs of the women who have chosen to shop there. At the Studio, gab
truly goes with the garb - but always in the context of support and
camaraderie. Here, women of all shapes and stages of life are greeted and
guided toward flattering, practical and high quality wear.
In 1979, the three, lacking retail skill and venture capital (each put in $500), but with a great interest in providing "real women" with "real clothes", launched the unlikely endeavor. Marcie, a graphic artist, Ilene, a mother of three, and Sandy, a medical school administrator, soon saw their client base, mainly in the 30-55 age range, grow far beyond expectation. Pouring their personalities as well as their acumen into their enterprise, they began producing an eclectically informative newsletter as well as displaying the literary works of their customers.
As the
store thrice expanded, they branched out into sponsorship of fundraisers and
local events, which have included a film and speaking presentation on the
politics of fashion as well as a fashion show featuring age 60+ women models
that netted $10,000 for women's shelter Rosie's Place.
Prices?
They're high, but not atypical for the genre. In fact, the store takes great
pride in its affordable prices for its upscale clothing. Loyal patrons include
doctors, lawyers, academics, CEOs, TV personalities and judges, who feel that
the warm, personal attention, as well as the efficient and sage advice, are
invaluable.
Recently,
Gradman faced a hurdle far more formidable. Diagnosed with a gynecological
cancer, she decided to transform the experience into something beneficial. Upon
completion of treatment at Dana-Farber, she instinctively knew what she had to
do to ease her customers' reaction as well as give back to the community.
"I had
seen 'The No Hair Day' documentary," Gradman recalls, "which featured
Elsa Dorfman's photographs of women cancer survivors, and I had read the Boston
Magazine supplement on breast cancer.
"I
knew I had to go to work at some point without the wig, and I just thought,
'why not take a picture without it for our summer sale?'"
The card
went out, with Gradman's gray buzz cut.
The
partners decided to donate ten percent of the sale's proceeds to the Women's
Cancer Program Survivors' Clinic, which will open this fall at Dana-Farber.
To Gradman,
it was par for the course. "So many women were so inspiring to me when I
was diagnosed; I thought that this would be an opportunity to give back."
The Studio
will continue to support the Clinic, and will invite donations in their
newsletters. Gradman, who says that notes and checks come in regularly, expects
a large and ongoing response.
"The
clinic," she explains, "will focus on the psycho-social effects of
living with cancer, which could be very helpful in developing future
treatment."
When she
made her decision, her thoughts, as always, were with her shoppers. "The
nature of what we do is so public, and we see so many women. If I hadn't done
this, I would have been in the position of having to tell the story over and
over again.
"People
are uncomfortable with this. Some wouldn't have asked any questions, but might
be looking at me and thinking 'cancer victim'."
True to
form, they came in, their esteem for their clothier only enhanced.
"People
were completely, emotionally uplifted. A lot of people said they cried. There
isn't anybody who's untouched by this."
Elsa
Dorfman called, moved beyond measure that her film had inspired this effort.
Oprah Winfrey took notice; the story will appear in an upcoming issue of O
Magazine.
But to
Gradman, it's the women in her life that matter most.
"It
has turned into a very life-affirming and positive thing for everybody."