Nancy Pearlstein has retired after 47 years in fashion retailing, including 30 years owning and operating the Relish designer specialty store in Washington, D.C.
Pearlstein transferred the ownership of Relish to Lindsay Rieling, a 20-year veteran of the specialty store who worked closely with Pearlstein. Reiling joined Relish right after she was graduated from the University of Georgia, where she studied fashion.
Pearlstein said Rieling has been “an integral part of Relish’s success and will introduce the business to another generation of smart, accomplished clients. Younger people need to be brought in, to present a different point of view.”
In a city known for conservative leanings in fashion, Relish offers a sophisticated, chic and unique approach to merchandising with understated styles and muted colors that, as Pearlstein said, “don’t shout at you, but rather grow on you.”
You May Also Like
Pearlstein officially retired Jan. 1. Asked what she might do in the future, she said: “That’s my next adventure, to figure out what I want to do. I might consider consulting, but I haven’t really thought that far ahead. After 47 years of doing this, I feel I’ve said everything I wanted to say, and have done everything I wanted to do. It was starting to become a little repetitive, so this is a good time to walk away.” Asked if she sold the business, she said, “I walked away.”
Pearlstein founded Relish in 1996 as a women’s boutique in Chevy Chase, Md., and eventually relocated the business to 3312 Cady’s Alley in the Georgetown section of Washington D.C.
“It has been my honor to work with extraordinary design teams from Paris to New York, to collaborate with young entrepreneurs and to learn from veteran craftspeople. I leave with indelible memories and lifelong lessons,” Pearlstein said. “Of the many fashion events I’ve attended over the years, the one that lingers in my mind is Dries Van Noten’s 50th show when his banquet table transformed into a catwalk. Never has a dinner party had such a remarkable last course.”
But Pearlstein added that working with customers inspired her the most. “Knowing they looked great and appreciated the guidance and attention made me happy. It was a joy to see their enthusiasm for Dries Van Noten, Sofie D’hoore, Simone Rocha, Sacai, Maison Margiela, Marni, R13, Yohji Yamamoto and Jil Sander — brands that formed the foundation of my store.”
Before launching Relish, Pearlstein had several roles at the former Louis, Boston men’s high fashion specialty store, including serving as vice president of merchandising. Louis, Boston was owned and operated by her father, the late Murray Pearlstein.
“That was a great experience. I remember attending the fabric shows in Stresa, Italy, with my father where I met elegantly dressed executives from Zegna, Loro Piana and Luciano Barbera, as well as retailers Fred Pressman [of Barneys New York fame] and Wilkes Bashford,” Pearlstein said. “Alongside my father, I got to eat lunch and have drinks with these innovators. They took me under their wing and gave me an education that few have been so fortunate to have.
“As I consider the retail landscape over the last few years, with the shuttering of many online players as well as venerable department stores, there seems to be a shift back to the specialty retailer,” Pearlstein said. “Customers, at least at the top of the retail pyramid, are searching for an intimate, well-edited experience in a visually engaging atmosphere. And they’re willing to sacrifice a bit of digital convenience to have an emotional connection.”
