Lepore’s VOTE bag

Fashion Designer Nanette Lepore, who believes strongly in the power of voting, recently teamed up with actress Kerry Washington and the Creative Coalition to encourage voter registration at her boutique opening on Melrose Avenue.

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Designer Nanette Lepore, actress Kerry Washington (in a Lepore original) and Creative Coalition Exec. Director Robin Bronk

A little history: Nanette Lapore became interested in fashion at the pubescent age of 9. She dressed a young friend in a bedspread and choker, and with a makeshift logo “Lepore” the young girl posed in the family’s front yard. Nanette grew up free spirited, her parents encouraged her creativity. She went on to complete her undergraduate studies at Youngstown University, then moved to New York and attended New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology.

After working in design studios for a while, Nanette grew anxious and decided it was time to strike out on her own. In 1992 her father granted her a $5,000 loan to set up shop in a penthouse office in the garment district.

Nanette is now known worldwide with boutiques in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston, Chicago, London and Tokyo; her brand includes two fragrance lines and a shoe collection. Her designs are described as “Suitable for a tea at The Ritz or a night out on the town, each collection balances feminine details with a seductive sensibility”, and are worn by the likes of editors, chic style-makers and celebrities such as America Ferrara, Eva Longoria, and of course Kerry Washington. You can find her designs at nanettelepore.com.