Just Do It

Le Affaire

by Monica Weymouth

Sat.-Sun., Nov. 17-18, 1-6 p.m., Letau Designs Studio, 621 Reed St., Suite 2R, 215-964-9237

The plight of the local artist is a noble one, but not necessarily the most lucrative or glamorous. Which is frustrating, especially when you're as talented as Maren Reese, Stefani Threet, Rakia Reynolds and Zivile Pupinyte. Instead of sitting around waiting for Philly to properly embrace them, the women joined together to form Le Affaire, a series of trunk shows showcasing their work. "If you're a local artist, people expect you to put your stuff on consignment and let it sit," says Reese, the force behind Letau Designs. "This isn't a game to us — this is what we do."

Far from your typical Sunday afternoon shopping trip, the first full-scale Le Affaire features DJs John Schenk and Lexx, massages, LUSH goodie bags and refreshments courtesy of sponsors such as Fizzy Lizzy and Metropolitan Bakery. "We wanted this to be a relaxed environment where you can pick up one-of-a-kind pieces," says Reese. These include her own signature hooded and drawstring scarves, ceramics by Threet, high-end jewelry by Pupinyte and vintage-inspired clothing by Reynolds.

In addition to the organizers, upcoming designers such as Joy Cutler, Kay Louise and Claudia Whittingham will have work on display. Their inclusion isn't a surprise, considering the refreshing motivation behind Le Affaire. "Instead of being each other's competition," says Reese, "we figured, let's team up."