Bali trip turns Nadya into fashion phenomenon

Bali trip turns Nadya into fashion phenomenon

By Todd Nissen

CHICAGO (Reuter): She has never advertised, and her clothes cannot be found in retail stores. But the Chicago native known as Nadya has become a one-person fashion phenomenon working out of the Indonesian island of Bali.

In the ninth-floor suite of a downtown hotel her faithful gathered recently to browse through racks of Nadya's tropically colored clothes.

"I've done it again," says Grace Mark, one of the faithful sheepishly holding up a newly purchased skirt, blouse and vest. She likens Nadya's clothes to an addiction -- "I'm like a drunk going into a bar."

Drawn by the dazzling patterns and hand-painted designs, a growing number of women and some men seek out Nadya and her wares during her increasingly frequent U.S. shows.

Despite the lack of advertising and the limited availability of her clothes, Nadya has built a loyal following of buyers who recognize each other on the street by the distinctive colors and Indonesian-influenced designs.

Her mailing list is 6,000 names long, and customers include actresses Ellen Burstyn, Susan Ruttan, Ally Sheedy and Phyllis Newman.

Nadya is an outgoing woman with thick, black hair and a permanent tan from her years in the tropical sun. Originally from Chicago, Nadya, whose real name is Nadine Lurey, moved to Bali after stopping there during a trip. The locals couldn't pronounce her first name. They could say Nadya, however, and the nickname stuck.

Now she signs checks, registers in hotels, and applies for telephone listings with just Nadya.

Starting with US$3,000, Nadya contracted with batik artisans in Bali to work on clothes she designed. She returned to the United States from that initial trip, displayed her clothes in friends' living rooms and sold the first batch for $6,000.

That was 15 years ago. Now she sells about eight tons of clothes and accessories a year at prices mostly ranging from $100 to $250. Some winter coats cost upwards of $500. Nadya refused to disclose annual sales, but said they are "substantial."

Starting this year, Nadya is widening her distribution system. In addition to holding what she calls "salon" shows in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, Nadya will be holding shows in Washington and the nearby Virginia suburbs, Atlanta, Aspen, Colorado, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and San Francisco.

Nadya has no plans to offer clothes through established stores. She tried that once, selling through Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. But the clothes sold out within days, she said, and her informal manufacturing process couldn't keep up with demand.

What's more, Nadya says she likes the flexibility her current arrangement allows.

And Nadya's system is a unique one. She has not incorporated her enterprise, either in Bali or the United States. There are six people that Nadya says could be considered employees. Some of the design and most of the production is carried out by about 150 Balinese with whom Nadya has independent contracts.

Nadya says the system allows her to stay close to the production process, changing colors and styles in a matter of weeks, whereas it takes large retail operations six months to revamp their inventories.

Asked how big she would like her venture to be, Nadya replies with her typical untroubled outlook, "As big as it feels comfortable."

Still, she expresses surprise that her business operates with as little organization as it does. "It's always been amazing to me that it has grown to this level without having any infrastructure," she said.