For 18 years, Shawn and Analisa Holoubek have scoured the globe for the latest resort wear from up-and-coming and international designers to bring the desert at Elizabeth & Prince.
Fashion photography led the couple to premier destinations around the world, where they notice the commonality in global boutiques. Whether in Mexico, Morocco, or France, the couple found local artisan craftsmanship and resort-inspired collections of clothing and accessories defined many of these boutiques.
With Shawn’s fashion background and Analisa’s passion, Elizabeth & Prince was born to bring the lifestyle boutique experience to the desert.
Here, we chat with Shawn and Analisa about Elizabeth & Prince.
What inspired the inception of Elizabeth & Prince?
AH: Before we moved to the desert, we lived on Elizabeth and Prince in Downtown Manhattan. We were really inspired by the spirit of the emerging designers that were opening up shops in that neighborhood at that time. When we started visiting the desert, we just couldn’t figure out why boutique shopping was so limited at that time. So when we moved here, we saw an opportunity to bring in those emerging designers who aren’t in department stores yet but are representing the future of fashion.
SH: When traveling, we encountered stores that had a similar vibe in resort towns from Brazil to France to Italy to Mexico. We’d go into these boutiques that were filled with these artisan, locally crafted pieces, and we saw a common thread throughout: that there’s something for everyone, whether it’s something you take home with you to remind you of your trip, you needed something because you didn’t pack it, or you found something you can’t live without. What we strive to do with Elizabeth and Prince is embody that spirit. Even though this is the U.S. and there isn’t the same history of local artisans and generational crafts, we still try to source those, bring them to the desert, and make them feel local.
Can you walk us through the selection process for the clothing and accessories featured in the boutique?
AH: A lot of the influence that we use when we’re buying is to think to ourselves, “What would we like? What would we want in our suitcase if we were going on vacation or visiting a desert resort location?” You always need a swimsuit, you always need a great cover-up, a little market bag, or some sandals. But what is also really important and drives all of our decisions is the quality of the fabric and what goes into producing our clothing. We have primarily women-owned and -operated designers and companies. All of the clothing is produced in an ethical way, and we try to stick with interesting or modern versions of classic styles.
SH: We travel a lot, and that’s to go find some of these designers that can’t make it to America to show their goods at market. Our summers are spent traveling, and it’s important for us to maintain that connection with that resort lifestyle spirit we’re trying to represent.
Why is it important for you to work with women-owned companies?
AH: We really scout for women who are just starting out because there is a very creative spirit that someone embodies in their designs when they’re just starting out. In that, there’s an integrity and an adherence to quality. When someone is just starting out, if they don’t have huge investors, they really can’t produce the volume and the kinds of collections that a department store would buy. So many times, there are designers who are just starting out and can barely produce a collection on time, but they can start out in stores like ours, where we take a chance on them or invest in them.
What sets Elizabeth & Prince apart from other retail experiences?
AH: We’re trying to provide an experience that we feel is kind of an old-fashioned concept, which is having a personal approach to retail. We have so many loyal customers that come season after season because we know their names, and after 18 years, we know their children’s names and their grandchildren’s names. We’ve been through customers’ weddings, grandchildren’s births, and we hear about all of their travels and outfit them for their trips. It’s become very personal. We don’t do a lot of advertising. It’s been a word-of-mouth growth process, which we’re really proud of because it hasn’t been overnight. It’s been the result of us really putting in a lot of love and thought into what we do.