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About five months after launching Draper James online, actress Reese Witherspoon has opened the flagship storefront of her thoughtfully curated collection of apparel, accessories, home decor, and gifts. The lifestyle brand pays homage to the star's Nashville rootswith items like the Cheekwood bag, Belle Meade dress, and Hermitage cardiganas well as the craftsmanship of the American South.
Inspired by familial memoriesthe company is named after Witherspoon's grandparents Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoonand a desire to honor her Southern heritage, the cofounder and creative director chose her hometown for the brand's premiere retail location. The 3,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar in 12 South was designed to emulate the inviting warmth of a modern Southern home, from the front awnings in the brand's signature blue-and-white stripes to the mudroom storing rain boots and coats in the back. The focal point of the space is a marble cash wrap that mimics a kitchen islandcomplete with bar stools, china cabinets, decanters of sweet tea, and wicker lounges.
'It was really important for us to have a room where people can stop and spend some time and where the displays don't overwhelm the merchandise,” says Draper James CEO Andrea Hyde. 'We wanted to have areas where people can relax, read a book, and really spend the day here. It's all about being a part of the community.”
To make that vision a reality, Witherspoon enlisted interior designer Mark D. Sikes (who is also tackling her new Oak Hill residence) and architect Benjamin Sohr of Pencil + Paper Development Co.; meanwhile, Sohr's wife and business partner, Gen, helped merchandise the space. 'Southernisms” hand-calligraphed by local Chelsea Petaja line the walls, along with works by other Southern artists like Susan Hable, Lindsay Cowles, and Amy Neunsinger.
Seventy percent of Draper James products are American made, with 40 percent coming from the South, says Hyde. Standouts include Tootsie jeans ($148) from Blue Ridge, Georgia; the Cone Denim Ryman jacket ($195) from Greensboro, North Carolina; Sferra monogrammed linen napkin sets ($65 to $85) from Number Four Eleven in Savannah; and English bridle leather belts with hand-polished horseshoe buckles ($175), a collaboration with the Wiley Brothers' family-run company in Charlottesville, Virginia.
When it comes to deciding what's next for the lifestyle brand, that's a question Draper James leaves to the fans.
'In launching online, we were able to establish an amazing dialogue with our consumer,” says Hyde. 'They are telling us exactly what they want. They want bridal; they want shoes. But we are very disciplined in our approach. Everything we do, we want to do it well.”
The company will open its next location in Dallas in 2016, with additional stores planned throughout the South.
2608 12th Ave. S., 615-997-3601; draperjames.com