Lopeti Etu and David Balluff are thrilled to announce the upcoming opening of L&D15, a new retail boutique devoted to clothing, accessories, art and housewares in downtown Davenport, Iowa. They will launch the store, located at 520-524 West 2nd St., with a grand opening event, featuring music, art and fashion, on November 15th, 2014.
"We wanted to create a space that supports our vision of the future of retail - a venue that not only allows us to produce and sell our own products in house, but also supports the greater artistic community," explains Balluff. "Our store will offer a range of products, showcasing local artists and designers alongside nationally known luxury brands like Me&Ro, San & Soni, FGI's Rising Star award winner Peter Hidalgo and fashion illustrator Jeffrey Fulvimari."
Both Balluff and Etu are especially excited by their exclusive arrangement with NYC jewelry design company Me&Ro, whose products have been featured in film and on TV, from The Devil Wears Prada and Black Swan to Scandal and Modern Family. "It's crazy to think that our store will carry the same jewelry worn by so many actresses on the red carpet and on the big screen. Is it too much to hope that Angelina Jolie or Natalie Portman will stop by and pick up another pair of earrings at L&D15?" Etu wonders. "We can dream."
L&D15 is located in a 2500 square foot building, ideally situated near downtown arts and entertainment venues. Built in 1910, it was once home to New York Hat Works, especially appropriate to designer and milliner Lopeti Etu.
"We immediately fell in love with the space, which gives us ample room for a workshop in addition to a unique retail environment. We think Davenport, Iowa is a promising location to start a fashion and artistic hub," said Etu. "There is an appreciation for the arts in the Quad Cities, a growing population of young professionals, and a lot of new development and energy."
Etu began his career in New York City doing window display at Bergdorf Goodman. He creates hand-blocked, one of a kind hats, cocktail hats and fascinators under the Lopeti Etu Millinery label, and has collaborated with several high profile designers in NYC, including Marc Bouwer, Catherine Malandrino and Patricia Field. Photos of his hats have appeared in French Vogue, Marie Claire, O Magazine, and in other print media.
Bettendorf native David Balluff is an artist and graphic designer with an MFA in Electronic Arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He initially learned to silkscreen while working as an Artist-Educator at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA and began General Assembly, a hand-silkscreened t-shirt line, in 2009.
