‘Clothing for Women Who Love to be Noticed’
Run by a mother-daughter duo, new shop Shari Tata has its grand opening on the Upper East Side
If you are on the hunt for chic, high-quality women’s clothing, look no further: Shari Tata, a clothing store run by a mother-daughter duo, will open its first location on Wednesday, July 20, on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 71st Street. Shari Rivkind — “Tata” to her friends and family — is the store’s designer, while daughter Morgan Weil manages the business side of the brand and models for its promotional materials.
“Our brand is all about beautifully made clothing that a woman can wear from the start of her day to the end — no matter where she’s going, she’ll always look put together,” said Weil. The brand’s motto is “clothing for women who love to be noticed.”
Shari Tata’s grand opening will feature their newest nautical-inspired line entitled “Aux Bateaux.” The store will also sell select pieces from the brand’s past collections. Photos of Shari Tata’s current and past collections can be found on their Instagram page (@shari_tata_).
From Law to High Fashion
Born into a creative family, Rivkind always wanted to be a fashion designer. After a 35-year career as a successful lawyer — including over a decade of experience running her own firm — Rivkind attended Parsons School of Design and launched her brand. Weil, her mother’s “biggest supporter,” has been by her side since the beginning. In addition to collaborating on Shari Tata, mother and daughter continue to work together at The Rivkind Law Firm in Weehawken, NJ.
Following Rivkind’s graduation from Parsons, she developed her first line: “Farm Fresh.” Rivkind and Weil presented the line’s “feminine, girly” farmers-market themed dresses at the Upper West Side’s Grand Bazaar four years ago. Since then, Shari Tata has featured at several other pop-up locations.
As the brand grew, establishing a storefront became the obvious next step. Weil, who lives just a few blocks away from the store’s Upper East Side location, was “thrilled” when she discovered the perfect location at 976 Lexington. Rivkind plans on moving to the Upper East Side from New Jersey in the coming months.
“New York Minute”
Rivkind and Weil are personally involved in every step of the creation process. Rivkind draws inspiration from cultural themes ranging from literature to history. She enjoys brainstorming with her daughters — both Weil and her youngest, Amanda.
To ensure a high level of quality, Rivkind patterns and sews all clothing herself, with help from an assistant. Rivkind plans to keep as much production in house as possible.
Past collections include “New York Minute,” which exclusively featured white, black, and red fabric; a “Marie Antoinette” line, for which Shari Tata collaborated with dozens of bakeries to shoot promotional material, an illusion to the infamous “Let them Eat Cake;” and “Mad About Wine” which explored fine wine and 60s- influenced styles.
“I love to mix opposite, strange concepts together a lot,” Rivkind said. Come fall, Shari Tata will debut a line that encapsulates this tension. Shari Tata’s “I Scream” line is inspired by Neapolitan ice cream and horror movies. Rivkind and Weil plan on photographing their promotional materials for the collection at ice cream locations around the Upper East Side.
As Weil said, “we love bringing communities together.” Starting in mid-August, Shari Tata will begin hosting knitting classes to teach local residents to make their own accessories. Shari Tata is more than just a clothing company: it’s truly a community experience.
Weil and Rivkind look forward to introducing Shari Tata to the neighborhood on Wednesday. Doors will open at 10 a.m.