Troy Rises Again in Heart of the Desert
Troy may be the newest luxury fashion boutique in the desert, but it has its roots in Los Angeles, because the brains behind the beauty of the store belong to Rosemarie Troy, who was the merchandising director for Bullocks Wilshire before she set up her own shop.
“It was time to move on,” is all she says about her unexpected departure from Los Angeles.
Her new store, filled with top-name designer collections and accessories, is a vision of opulence, from the Ming Dynasty vases that flank the glass double doors at the entrance to the grand staircase that cuts through the center of the $4-million, 8,000-square foot, two-level structure.
And that opulence was intentional, Troy says, because she expects her customers to be the ultra-rich of the booming Palm Desert area. Retired heads of state, real estate developers, bankers, Hollywood celebrities and oil barons--from Gerald Ford to Bob Hope and Marvin Davis--live nearby. Wealthy vacationers from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Canada also spend time here.
From the beginning, Troy’s concept was to avoid anything trendy. “My client wants something new and fresh, but never at the expense of being appropriate,” she says. “She is refined, not a working woman, although she is active in charities.
“The store is her club, a place she can come to relax and enjoy cappuccino or champagne with her friends.”
The shop’s location is considered to be the high fashion capital of the desert--El Paseo was recently dubbed “the Rodeo Drive of the desert.” Among the newer boutiques along the street are Valentino, Escada and Genny.
Troy selected the site after spending years of vacation time in Palm Desert. “I have lunched and dined with the ladies of the desert for seven years, so I know what is important to them.”
She says she works one-to-one with her clients, personally helping them choose the appropriate dress or ensemble for the occasion. She put dimmer switches on the lighting fixtures in each fitting room to ensure that clients can see the clothes they are trying on in the light that matches the occasion for which they are shopping.
Troy initially came up with her idea for a store focusing on a strong point of view about style and a great deal of personal service, 20 years ago while she was living in Baltimore, Md. She was reared there, in a home in which details were important.
“I’m not just selling clothes,” she says. “I’m selling a life style and everything that goes with it.”
Other collections featured at Troy include Isaac Mizrahi, Giorgio Armani, David Hayes, Jean Muir, Mary McFadden, Emanuel Ungaro, Oscar de la Renta, Arnold Scaasi, Adolpho, Vicky Tiel, shoe designer Walter Steiger, and jewelry makers Gerard Yosca and Eric Beamon.
