Atlantans Rave Over AnnakaMarie Label Debut

Made-to-order Collection Impresses Crowd at Commerce Club
By A. Scott Walton

Atlanta, GA _ AnnakaMarie, the made-to-measure clothing line for career women of discerning tastes, debuted to great acclaim Wednesday at the Commerce Club.


After staging their runway presentation of spring/summer styles, the label’s co-creators – Regina Mixon Bates and Cleah Murray – received a standing ovation from the 200 guests gathered.



One attendee – “Real Housewives of Atlanta” scene-stealer Dwight Eubanks – summed up the AnnakaMarie collection as “an overall look that’s crisp and precise.”
“You saw ‘pretty’ combined with ‘power’,” Eubanks added. “There’s definitely a market for that.”



Distinctive features of the AnnakaMarie styles previewed included: blouses with impeccably pleated sleeves, jeweled French cuffs and elongated collars; pants with waistlines as high as the models’ navels and flared cuffs at least two inches deep; and whimsical variations on vested suit silhouettes.


Anchoring the collection was a seersucker suit with short pants, “power” padded shoulders and a brushed gold gladiator belt. All the outfits were accessorized dramatically with custom jewelry Atlanta-based crafter Cerese Dolman.

After the show, local fashion stylist Juliette Johnson observed enthusiastically: “AnnakaMarie speaks to the female executive who’s looking to rise above the rest. Granted, she needs a strong personal sense of style to wear it. But that’s what power-dressing is all about.”
Prices for AnnakaMarie’s made-to-measure apparel ranges from $150-$450 and most garments are made from fabrics selected by Bates (a former model) and Murray (a couture bridal designer) on their semi-annual trips to China.



“I approached this collection with the thought, ‘What would Giorgio Armani do?’,” said Murray. “I wanted the look to be feminine, but strongly infused with masculinity.”
Added Bates: “To me, it’s all about the finest quality and timeless elegance. A business woman needs clothes that transition from the boardroom to the ballroom. And I think this collection captures that.”


To learn more about AnnakaMarie, or to schedule a fitting: call 888-660-6672, visit www.annakamarie.com, or e-mail Style@annakamarie.com.
To view exclusive images by JimiFlix Photography, visit: http://www.facebook.com/AnnakaMarie

(Photographed below: AnnakaMarie co-creaters Cleah Murray and Regina Mixon Bates)

AnnakaMarie Label Brightens Up the "Bored" Room

Atlanta, GA _ The AnnakaMarie clothing line which debuts Wednesday (March 28, ‘12) at the Commerce Club is just what the doctor ordered for career women who’ve waited patiently for looks that tastefully blend “flair” with “formality”.
The label’s co-creators _ Regina Mixon Bates and Cleah Murray _ are launching the line with an evening (6-8 p.m.) trunk show. Guests will not only enjoy the event’s 40th Floor view of Atlanta’s skyline, but also rub elbows with models flaunting the line’s fine fabrics and tailoring techniques.
This is a “soft” opening for AnnakaMarie, showcasing a limited selection of hot weather looks in anticipation of the labels full roll-out for a wider audience this fall.


Bates, a power house in the field of private medical management, brings her experience as a top model who experienced “challenges” finding business attire to fit her towering frame to the project.
Murray has built a stellar career custom-designing wardrobes and wedding gowns for a powerhouse list of clients including former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, R&B star Perri “Pebbles” Reid and TV sensation CeeCee Michaels.
Together, they’re delivering an array of styles that are “chic, fashion-forward and appropriate” for women who mean business.


For more information about the AnnakaMarie clothing line, visit: www.annakamarie.com, send an email to style@annakamarie.com or call 888-660-6672.
TRUNK SHOW: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 6-8 P.M.
THE COMMERCE CLUB, 191 PEACHTREE STREET, N.E., ATLANTA, 30303
RSVP LINE: 404-586-9729

ONSITE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE WITH PURCHASE.