Stacy Cohen and Nicole Rabner named their Shadyside boutique Madeleine George after their respective daughters, Madeleine and Georgie. ”We have these really nice memories of shopping with our moms, and going shopping with our own daughters,” Cohen said. “We wanted to open a store where people can have an experience like that.”
Madeleine George Moves to Walnut Street
For seven years, they offered that cozy but chic, community-focused shopping experience on Ellsworth Avenue. But as of September 3, the pair of entrepreneurs are now on Walnut Street.
“Walnut is the shopping mecca of our neighborhood,” Cohen explained. “We wanted to be there.” When the space at 5411 Walnut Street opened up, Cohen and Rabner were interested, but unsure about the fact that the store had two floors. But women’s lingerie boutique Cheeks, owned by Ilene Levy, was a previous tenant of the space and had a solution for the second floor.
Madeleine George’s Unique Offerings
Shoppers can now get their dresses, pants, skirts, and beauty products at Madeleine George downstairs, and head upstairs for equally classy and curated lingerie and sleepwear at Cheeks. The result is a partnership between two woman-owned businesses offering some of the most unique high-end womenswear in the city.
Cohen said that “Being on Ellsworth allowed us to develop a customer base and get to know our lines well. Now, we can evolve by enlarging the buys from designers we love.” They pride themselves on hand-picking designers difficult to find in Pittsburgh. Cohen pointed to Madeleine George’s denim collection as particularly strong, with brands like MOTHER and Citizens of Humanity. “We also do very well with The Sei. They have beautiful, elevated silk pieces. And we love Eleven Six, a cashmere sweater brand handmade in Peru,” Cohen said. “We hope people can walk in here and learn about new products.”
Introducing a Beauty Bar to Madeleine George
At the new location, Madeleine George has also amped up their wellness and skincare offerings with a beauty bar including Soleil Toujours sun protection products, Dom Dom hairbrushes, and ROZ hair styling mousses and oils.
“The thrust of the store is still fashion and clothing, but we have an opportunity to highlight things we’ve curated,” Cohen said. Some are items for the home. Jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher has a brand of curry salt that Cohen likes and added to the inventory, as well as several bottles of Fancy Peasant Olive Oil for anyone looking to class up their pantry along with their closet.
The store is also sprinkled with small bits of reading material as accents like a deck of Deepak Chopra’s meditations and a copy of Dressed to Swill: Runway-Ready Cocktails Inspired by Fashion Icons. Chairs from Weisshouse and wallpaper from Peerless, all personally selected by Cohen and Rabner give the store its unique, airy ambiance
Numerous bottles of champagne and bouquets of flowers from Cohen’s and Rabner’s friends pass as decorations. Cohen noted that they were just gifts to celebrate the opening. “But, some people do want a glass of champagne while they shop!” she added.
What’s to Come From Madeleine George
As the holidays come around, shoppers can expect more occasionwear in Madeleine George’s lineup. Cohen and Rabner encourage curiosity about fashion and emphasize that they love styling for customers—in 2019, they styled CBS sports announcer Tracy Wolfson for that year’s NFL season.
But Cohen and Rabner don’t just offer that service for TV appearances. Any customer at Madeleine George can request help picking out an outfit and developing their personal style. “What I hope separates this store is that people feel comfortable coming in and having fun trying on clothes with no pressure. If they want Nicole and me to help curate their outfits, we also have that service,” she said.
Madeleine George also hopes to continue having nighttime events at the store that focus on “women doing great stuff” in Pittsburgh. Previous community engagement events the store hosted were about closet organization, building charcuterie boards, or skincare techniques. “We had people come to those events and make friends, which was great,” Cohen reflected. “Our store is focused on community. While we can’t be everything to everybody, we have both 80-year-old customers and 20-year-old customers.”
Story by Emma Riva / Photo courtesy of Madeleine George
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