Last night I had the pleasure and esteemed honor of hosting an event at my bricks and mortar store in Washington, DC with New York designer, Bettye Muller.  She came down exclusively to spend the evening with SimplySoles customers. While I get to collaborate with her on each season's collection of SimplySoles Exclusives, having her here in my space felt different. I felt exposed and vulnerable.   I felt like a teen meeting Miley Cyrus all giggly and awkward with anticipation.  I think Bettye is the bomb (which is such an out-dated expression I'm probably embarrassing myself).  

I don't like to pick favorite designers since I carefully select the few I carry, but I've carried Bettye from the beginning. I was a fan before SimplySoles was even a figment of my imagination.  I know her, I've worked with her for nearly 5 years, but seeing her in this setting elevated my fan club card status from member to groupie. She could NOT HAVE BEEN MORE GRACIOUS, KIND, and GENUINELY ENGAGED!  She weathered construction dust (which the City kindly donated having started street renovations 3 days prior) and torrential downpours (the sky opened and dumped unyielding pellets of rain). But besides braving the elements, she took the time to speak with every customer and posed picture after picture with as much ease as Miley herself.

Yes - I'm a thirtysomething groupie. I won't be holding a lighter at any concerts, but I will be sporting my Bettye Muller shoes with the unbridled enthusiasm of a teenybopper teenager.