THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 29, 1995 TAG: 9512290753
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
There's a simple concept behind Okra Stewdio, the new women's clothing store next to Huckleberry's in Prison Square.
The shop specializes in ``clothing that makes you feel free,'' said Sharon Franklin, who opened the boutique about two months ago.
Filled with loose-fitting, brightly dyed garments from Haiti, Bali and Indonesia, the business is a sort of one-size-fits-all store for women.
``When you wear drapey clothing, you can put on a few extra pounds, and people don't notice,'' said Franklin, 33. ``Not only that, but a lot of women who are having children can wear this look throughout their pregnancies and still wear it afterwards.''
According to Franklin, Okra's fashions cater to an ``artsy'' clientele, but basically it's clothing that any group can wear.
``It's just wearable art that everybody can appreciate,'' she said.
The establishment doubles as a studio for Franklin, a graphic designer who paints T-shirts, pullover jerseys, cards and serigraphs in bold, vibrant colors.
``I'm mainly heavily influenced by jazz, gospel music and things from everyday culture,'' said Franklin, who received a degree in graphic design and fashion illustration from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984.
Before opening Okra, Franklin was one of two owners of a Ghent clothing boutique called Rubashki, which specialized in her hand-painted garb. The 1980 graduate of I.C. Norcom High School relocated because she considers Portsmouth her home.
Franklin runs the shop with a partner, Margaret Mewborn, a 1974 graduate of Cradock High School who handles the financial and marketing end of the business.
``What makes our shop special is that each piece is different,'' said Mewborn. ``That's what our selling card is.''
Prices range from $35 to $150. A short patchwork jacket, hand-printed in the batik style of dying, sells for $60. The shop also sells jewelry, made primarily by female artists, and a few decorative items for the home.
Franklin also designs and screen-prints T-shirts for several Norfolk restaurants: The Dumbwaiter, Fellini's, Cafe 21, Elliot's and First Colony Coffee House.
Okra Stewdio, 440 High St., is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 393-2463 for information. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Sharon Franklin owns Okra Stewdio, a new contemporary clothing
store. The shop specializes in "clothing that makes you feel free,"
says Franklin, who opened the boutique about two months ago.
by CNB