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Maluka, a boutique located in Wyckoff, NJ, got noted this August as the go-to-place in US Weekly magazine. The shop was listed as the place to purchase designs from The Cue, specifically the Schoolboy Blazer…which is not really intended for schoolboys.
Kristen Stewart, a young actress who has filmed alongside such established stars as Jodie Foster, Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, was quoted in the magazine with enthusiastic praises for the new line. Maluka has also been noted as the place to buy from more B-List celebrities such as Jacqueline Laurita of the Real New Jersey Housewives who purchased the blue dress with gold neckline which she wore during the now famous table flipping episode between Theresa and Danielle.
Designers and celebrities go hand-in-hand seeking win-win situations, designers want the celebrities, and getting a celebrity attached is free advertisement that even the biggest names still covet. The recent wedding of Chelsea Clinton provided as much press coverage for the wedding parties attire as it did for the actual nuptials, and every Hollywood awards event from Golden Globes, to Emmys, to the Oscars devotes a substantial portion of air time to who wore what designed by whom.
Caron Cicero, of Cicero Designs, remarks that marketing with a celebrity attached is something that businesses such as Maluka always benefit from. “We work with a boutique called The Look in Westchester, NY that had one of the Real Housewives of New York attending a trunk show, and it adds a bit of excitement to the event. Even though many who came were more interested in meeting the designer being showcased, the celebrity element is another factor to promote in the marketing campaign.”
The name MaLuKa is a combination of their names, MA for Marcy, LU for Lulu and KA for Kari who’s love for fashion started when they were all old enough to raid their grandmother’s closet full of custom made clothes from all over the world. As their website mentions, “She had dresses, jackets and accessories even Jackie O would have been jealous of…” As the recent US Weekly piece illustrates, the women remain cutting edge and have the ability to find the newest and most talented designers. Readers can visit the Maluka website and check out their Facebook page which is updated more regularly .
