Past and current owners of lola boutique (left to right): Anna Cottrell, Jade Terminella & Lisa Garrison.
A fixture in downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas for nearly ten years, lola boutique announces new ownership and a new vibe as it strides down the runway into a new decade.
Past: A Fayetteville Fashion Destination
Founded in 2004 by Jade Terminella of Fayetteville and Lisa Garrison (currently of Dallas, Texas)lola boutique is a contemporary women’s boutique specializing in luxury basics, premium denim and one-of-a-kind event pieces. The shop has defined itself as a partnership of two sisters with a love for simple and sophisticated clothing, nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks near the University of Arkansas. Terminella has been an institution in the state’s style scene, operating the boutique for nine Razorback football seasons and, in 2011, co-founding and launching NWA Fashion Week. Likewise, lola boutique is known as one of the top fashion destinations in the state, having been named one of the 50 Best Boutiques in 2009 by Lucky Magazine and Best Boutique in Arkansas in 2011 by Elle Magazine.
New Owner Packs Style Punch
New owner Anna E. Cottrell is bursting at the seams with ideas and fashion industry connections to infuse a new vibe for lola boutique while retaining allegiance to the tactics that have garnered the boutique an exceptionally strong reputation and loyal following across Arkansas and beyond.
An Arkansas native, Cottrell packs an impressive style punch with a BS in fashion merchandising from the University of Arkansas leading to a career shaped by some of the industry’s most recognizable local and international brands. She has worked in sales, creative, web and as a buyer at regional boutiques such as By Request and Mason’s Boutique in Fayetteville, eventually leading e-commerce for Arkansas’ own I.O. Metro.
Her career has included work with Neiman Marcus Online, where she co-managed online sites for David Yurman, Michael Kors, St. John, Zegna, Baccarat, Juicy Couture, Salvatore Ferragamo and Armani and Nanette Lepore. Most recently in New York, Cottrell served as an art director for GILT Groupe and founded Tulip Louise Wardrobe Consulting, where she has covered backstage for Revlon at New York Fashion Week the past three consecutive seasons and styled Twilight actress Marlane Barnes for both premiere red carpets in Los Angeles. Her personal style has been featured in Elle, NY Magazine’s The Cut, Real Simple, the Tory Burch blog and Lucky Magazine, and in 2012 she was named one of the top 20 Fashion Bloggers on the Rise.
The Future of Lola Boutique
A new coat of paint and an infusion of color to perk up the shop’s predominantly monochromatic signature look will set the tone for the future and send a clear signal to devoted fans that lola boutique is evolving. “We are really going to focus on expanding our online readership and growing our e-commerce presence while ensuring that the in-store experience is exceptional,” says Cottrell. Drawing from her background in personal styling, the shop will host designer trunk shows, styling events and a debut party to celebrate the new lola boutique corresponding with the first home game for the Razorbacks on August 31.
“We have been diligently working to source cool new designers to compliment all the familiar lines that die-hard lola shoppers expect. We are particularly excited all the new jewelry, accessory, shoe and handbag lines we will be introducing this fall, many exclusive to lola in Northwest Arkansas.” Cottrell has been beating the streets in New York to source those new lines, which will include Clare Vivier {“beautiful everyday clutches and handbags, all manufactured in Los Angeles”}, innovative shoes from Brazil-based Schutz, chic and sophisticated watches from Sweden-based Daniel Wellington and specialty pieces by Veda {“consider your search for the perfect leather jacket over”}.
A brief closure in late August is part of the plan for Cottrell, investors and lola partners to prepare the shop for relaunch and a grand reopening as fall shoppers flood Dickson Street for Razorback game days. The future of lola boutique looks very bright, indeed.