Big city style makes a home in Fargo

Written by Emily Hanson Friday, 08 May 2009 08:00

Fashions from Vlana Vlee rocked the runway at the FABO’s fashion show on April 22. But unless one has visited this downtown Fargo boutique, a person wouldn’t know that this shop features more than just fashion apparel.

“Life is a gift. That’s why they call it the present,” is a quote that describes Vlana Vlee, a lifestyle home store. The store sells everything from home furnishings to designer apparel to baby items and gifts. Customers can even ‘pepper spray in style’ by purchasing fashionable pepper spray cans. The trendy and stylish store leaves customers with the feeling that they are shopping in New York City rather than Fargo.

Customers won’t find the same item twice in Vlana Vlee. Store merchandise isn’t shipped in from a certain company. Buyers at the store travel to markets and sometimes even travel oversees to hand-pick specific items for the store. This method of choosing merchandise offers customers eclectic and unique items to purchase.

Vlana Vlee is based out of Bismarck. Store founder Julie Smith, an interior designer, opened the first store in Bismarck in 2006. The Fargo store opened in Oct. 2008.  On the Vlana Vlee website, Smith expressed her belief that Vlana is a store about the importance of the “family” of people. Smith has had the privilege of working closely with her daughter, Brittany Dussey, who is a buyer for the company. With family an important element of Vlana Vlee, the employees make it a point to treat customers like a member of the Vlana Vlee family.

The importance of family may have originated in the name of the company. Smith named the store after her first cousin Volana Valee Beth. Smith and Valee were close friends growing up, but lost touch when Valee moved away. Smith fell in love with her cousin’s name and was inspired its beauty. The store Vlana Vlee became a tribute to Smith’s late cousin and now represents a “simplicity of everything beautiful and necessary for a princess life.”

Customers may be apprehensive at the concept of a “princess life,” believing this type of lifestyle may empty their pocketbooks.

“Our merchandise ranges from $2 gifts to $6,000 pieces of furniture,” Dussey said. “Our store items may be upper-end, but we feel that for being quality materials, they are reasonably priced.”

For those wary of treating themselves to the finer things of life during the economic crisis, customers can utilize Vlana Vlee’s design service. Store employees visit client’s homes for free fashion consultations. The consultants inform the client what their closet is lacking in terms of the latest fashion. Clients can also makeover their homes. Employees help give homes a fresh, new look by assisting in everything from design to painting.

Vlana Vlee has felt the impact of the deteriorating economy. On top of the economy, the store dealt with the hard winter months and the Fargo flood. Trying to get a new store up and running proved to be a challenge.

“The retail industry in general has been taking a beating,” Dussey said. “You just have to go with it.” Despite the economic hardships, Vlana Vlee strives to keep its mission of promoting mind, body, and home alive.

Vlana Vlee is located in downtown Fargo, on the corner of 1st Avenue and Broadway. Store hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.