Get to know Mariefe, the head merchandise buyer at Avant Gaudy.
Where are you from?
Phoenix, AZ
Where do you live now?
Chi-Town
What school did you go to?
Creighton University ’04, Business Administration, Marketing Major.
Personal aspirations/hopes:
I want to travel abroad and immerse myself into as many cultures as I can afford. Realistically, I would like to be a personal styling consultant and have my own boutique back on the West Coast and live on the beach.
Professional goals:
To bring in those dolla dolla bills y’all.
Favorite TV shows?
Gossip Girl, 30 Rock, Lost, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Jeopardy, The Office and Project Runway.
What kind of music do you like?
Everything… I look to my younger sister to keep me up with what the kids are listening to these days.
What bands are you listening to?
Radiohead, Elliot Smith, TV on the Radio, Yaysayers, Flaming Lips, Mason Jennings, She and Him, Secondhand Serenade, Rodrigo y Gabrielle, West Coast, anything Madonna but mostly her stuff from the 80’s, Girl Talk, Dispatch, The National, Dashboard Confessional, OAR, The Shins, Danger Mouse.
All-time Favorite Songs:
(1) “Like a Prayer” – There is a car dance that accompanies this song.
(2) Bloc Party’s “Signs” – I secretly want to be part of the cast of Gossip Girl.
(3) Kelly Clarkson’s “Since you Been Gone,” on repeat screaming on the top of my lungs, in the car stuck in traffic.
Favorite movies?
Sound of Music, 16 Candles, Teen Witch and Grease. Now you know I am really a 12 year-old girl.
Favorite/essential book?
How to Score a Mega-Hottie (it was featured in the Twix commercial). On a more serious note, The Great Gatsby, I heart Jay Gatsby.
Hobbies?
Bikram Yoga, hanging out with my friend’s dogs
What do you like to do for fun?
Hang out with my friends and family doing any of the following: day drink, go shopping, taking a long lunch outside and wine tasting.
“Things you love?”
People: Other than my family, Natalie Portman, Catherine Zeta Jones, Wentworth Miller.
Things: Filipino food. People laughing, but not at me. The sound of someone biting into an apple.
Places: Mission Beach, San Diego. The Philippines.
Favorite designers?
Marc Jacobs, Thakoon Panichgul, Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenburg, and Phillip Lim.
Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
Lucky, W, and Cosmo.
Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
My mom’s engagement ring, I’ve worn it once as a right hand accessory.
How would you describe your personal style?
I love short dresses! I am only 5’2 so they have to be above my knee. Right now I’m into the Romantic/Goddess style dresses. But really, it all depends on my mood and the occasion.
One thing you’ll never wear?
Harem pants.
Style icon?
Kate Hudson, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. And my younger sister, Mariel.
What is your most recent purchase?
Iridescent Mother of Pearl square ring that looks like a napkin holder and lays across three whole fingers.
Do you have any style rules?
Keep it simple, but accessorize!
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Bohol, Philippines- a white secluded beach in paradise.
Obsessed with/can’t live without?
My iPhone.
Your perfect day?
Laying out at the pool, shopping at Last Chance, sushi for lunch, wine with lunch, wine for lunch.
Guilty pleasure?
The bottomless bottle of Two buck chuck.
Favorite food/drink?
Any Malbecs, I’m not picky by the end of the night they all taste the same.
What are you an expert of/random knowledge?
Saved by the Bell trivia, ask me, I bet I know.
What web site do you have to check everyday?
Weather.com, you never know in Chicago!
Favorite animal?
Dogs, but not the little yelpers!
Personal quote:
“Everyone needs a Sarigumba Surprise.”
Favorite famous/inspirational quote:
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life that he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” -Henry David Thoreau
What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy?
A short Greek goddess style dress with a zebra print.
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