Fort Wayne Woman Magazine - November/December 2006 A Passion for Fashion By Kayleen Reusser

Laura McCarthy is a woman living out her dream. Growing up in New York, Laura thought often of someday working in the exciting field of fashion. With that personal goal in mind, she graduated from Syracuse University in New York with a degree in fashion retailing.

Her first job was in New York City, where she held positions in store management and purchasing at various major department stores. Marriage eventually brought Laura to Fort Wayne 25 years ago, where she worked for four years as a mall level manager for the L.S. Ayres department store in Glenbrook Mall. Six years as the assistant store manager at Marshall Fields followed.

After 15 years in retail, Laura reached a point in her career where she would need to relocate in order to be promoted in her company. With two young children, and facing the long hours the mall store required, Laura chose to reevaluate her career and goals. The final push came with the downsizing by Marshall Fields.

“There were only two specialty stores in Fort Wayne then and I felt there was an opportunity for a more contemporary woman’s store,” Laura comments. Seizing the opportunity, she chose to open her own store in Covington Plaza in 1993 and credits a friend for coming up with the store’s name.

“The word ‘symmetry’ stands for proportion, beauty and alignment; all of which are important in fashion and clothing,” says Laura. With her wealth of retail and fashion familiarity, Laura was well equipped to run an upscale women’s boutique. Her years of experience managing retail stores and her exposure to the worlds of Chicago and New York fashion gave her a unique perspective in Fort Wayne.

“I believed I could offer the women of Fort Wayne a high-fashion boutique comparable to what they would find in bigger cities,” says Laura. Excellent customer service was the first critical factor which became a high priority early on in Laura’s store. Her staff has been brilliantly trained to help customers select the right items for their figures and lifestyles and teaches them to know the customers needs, identify body types and select the best styles for them. “Not every fashion trend is good for every person, but you can almost always find ways to incorporate the latest trends into any wardrobe to some degree,” says Laura.

Fashion consultants at Symmetry spend a lot of one-on-one time with their customers, getting to know them and learning their clothing preferences. Laura continues to stay in touch with mainstream fashion by attending the New York fashion markets a number of times each year. “This has helped us develop a following of customers who appreciate being in touch with contemporary fashion, and it also keeps the store new and fresh. We have many clients who come in every week to see what’s new. It’s like having your own personal shopper,” exclaims Laura.

Even after a purchase has been made, the fashion consultants at Symmetry keep track of their customer’s names and items they purchase. When something new comes in the store that is similar in style or brand to what a customer has purchased previously, the customer is quickly contacted. “We notify them as soon as we see something we think they would like,” Laura says.

A look at the website for Symmetry, www.symmetrystyle.com, offers a glimpse into the brands of clothing sold at the store. Customers may also sign up for an email newsletter offering the latest style tips and most current fashion trends. Even though the fashion industry is a fast-paced market with every season bringing different trends, Laura believes her store has sustained itself with its attention to fashion detail and its personal touch. “My customers follow fashion magazines. They like shopping in my store Laura McCarthy, Owner of Symmetry, at our Fort Wayne Woman cover photo shoot. 76 Fort Wayne WOMAN Style because they know we are up to date on styles, colors and designs.”

Laura uses her fashion savvy in her involvement in various charity events in Fort Wayne, such as the fashion show in 2005 for the Leukemia Society. During the recent Fort Wayne Woman Magazine’s ‘Women’s Night Out’ events, Symmetry’s fashion consultants clothed the magazine’s staff for the events, and made merchandise available for all attendees. Currently, Symmetry is conducting a model search among its customers by teaming up with Fort Wayne Woman magazine in getting their customers involved. Each time a customer spends fifty dollars in the store, their name is entered into a drawing. Two lucky winners will be selected and treated to a free makeover, including a spa treatment, hairstyling and make-up application. The winners will then be featured in a photo shoot in the magazine’s March /April issue.

Laura’s dedication and resolve to bring a contemporary women’s clothing store to Fort Wayne has been both triumphant and thrilling. Her passion for clothing can be found in every corner of her store and shines through in her sincere devotion to customers and staff. With keen fashion sense and a love for what she does, Laura is seeking to reach great heights and will continue to bring styles trendy in ‘big city’ society to the great city of Fort Wayne.