{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Talk of the Triangle","title":"Fashion in the Triangle","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4203,"description":"This month, meet two local fashionistas and boutique owners: Mandy Becker of Swagger and Catherine Carter of The Gatorbug. Mandy and Catherine share their experiences in the fashion industry and list the wardrobe staples every woman should have. We discuss:\nThe leather pants trend currently prevalent in Europe—and catching on in the U.S.—and Europe's influence on fashion.\nMandy's trip to Barcelona and the Mediterranean, which focused on food and wine culture.\nThe background of Swagger Boutique: founded in 2002 by Mandy, who attended Georgia Tech and studied to be an engineer. After several years of working as an engineer, she decided to open Swagger.\nMandy's initial focus was to open Swagger as a gift store, but she expanded the offerings to include clothing in 2011 in response to customer demand.\nChallenges in transitioning from selling gifts to clothing, including different buying cycles.\nMandy's learning curve in understanding fashion, styling and adapting to trends.\nStudying body types, outfit composition and how in-store stylists can help customers pick out the right pieces.\nAttending market in L.A. to bring fresh ideas back to North Carolina.\nSwagger Boutique's Raleigh and Cary locations, including its Lochmere Pavilion store in Cary, where Swagger is one of the original tenants.\nThe importance of supporting small businesses in the community.\nCatherine Carter's grandmother, Patricia, started an online business that she named \"The Gatorbug,\" a nickname for her grandkids.\nCatherine and her cousin Sydney Jarrell opened a boutique after Catherine's graduation from North Carolina State University.\nCatherine studied brand management and marketing at NCSU.\nThe Gatorbug now has three locations: in Raleigh's Midtown East shopping center, Cary's Fenton development and Atlantic Beach's Atlantic Station shopping center.\nCurrent fashion trends include pops of color, cobalt (the color of the year), pastels, and vintage-inspired styles such as wide-leg flares and ’90s...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/_c6_7palAOzjYbVy8pqP0Ki36VlyOKVqE0Y3b9eud9g/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzMwOTU1LzE2Nzgx/MjkyOTEtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}