A Conversation With ... Kathy Harms

Doncaster is celebrating its 75th year. We introduced direct selling to the high-end fashion industry, basically redefining the notion of personal service by bringing quality fashions directly to the consumer through a national network of wardrobe consultants – only women’s clothes. Doncaster has its main warehouse and manufacturing facility in North Carolina, and we have a New York design team on Fifth Avenue in New York. Doncaster clothes are not found in any stores.

You’ve been working with Doncaster for 13 years; how did you get involved?

When I moved to Springfield, I had 10 years of experience in retail management with women’s specialty retail fashion stores. I was raising my young son and knew that this would be a way that I could still stay plugged into fashion and build relationships with women and still have time and flexibility that worked well with my family.

What exactly is it that you offer for your clients?

I work with clients one-on-one by appointment. In 45 minutes or less, I can put together their seasonal wardrobes. I take care of adjustments after a fitting and deliver a finished product.

So the price includes alterations?

Yes. High-end fashion is designer-priced, but the quality speaks for itself. Lots of the fabrics come from Europe. We have tweeds from England, and a lot of Italian fabrics and wools and leathers, and high-quality silks. When we’re talking high end, you get what you pay for, and it is an investment.

Who are your target clientele?

People who want to look distinctive and don’t have a lot of time. Basically, I have wives of professionals in the community, and female professionals – corporate executives, lawyers, Realtors, business owners, and social volunteers who have special occasions, and active moms and women who need to dress in a hurry and want everything in their wardrobes coordinated.

What styles have remained constant through the years?

We have very classically tailored lines, but we do follow trends. There’s always going to be classic jackets. The classic look does not go out of style, and that’s what makes an investment in these clothes, because you’ll have them for many years.

How do you help clients make the right choices for the looks they want to achieve?

I try to get to know what kind of clothing styles (a client) likes. There are people who like to be classic, people who like to really dress trendy … (or) more dramatic, or more romantic. I kind of get the client’s personality and … what color she feels best in … and then we take a look at her proportions and decide what we want to accentuate (or) minimize, so she gets the best line for her body type. We have expanded our line, and now go from a size 2 to a size 24, so I can accommodate many different kinds of body types.

What styles/trends are going to be seen in the fall?

Our designer, for the fall, has listed layering as a new trend … a sweater visible underneath a jacket, or a sleeve or a ruffle extending from the wrist; a Napoleon influence, meaning a little bit of a military look with waist coasts and vests; and touches of animal prints, a little bit of oversizing. There’s going to be a lot of attention to neck detail. We interpret runway fashions for real women.

Would you like to tell us about your family and/or spare-time interests?

My husband, John, is a professor of sociology at Missouri State University, and my son, Erik, is a sophomore at Kansas University. Everybody’s doing their own thing this summer, so for fun, if we get together for dinner at night, that’s great.[[In-content Ad]]