Model in Lucy slip.

Last month, I had the pleasure of connecting with the partners behind a new brand for an almost forgotten, but truly missed product. Meet Overton Monroe… a fashion line focusing on delicate, sophisticated ladies undergarments. Their inspiration is drawn from the genteel, dainty 1920’s through the modernism of the 1950’s; periods in which the feminine woman took great pride in her appearance from the most intimate foundation piece to the very last outer accessory.

The Overton Monroe line consists of full slips, half slips and camisoles. Their 100% Silk embellished designs, (exclusive of trims), are intended to be exposed in a peek-a-boo style. This detailing gives the consumer the option of also wearing the undergarment as a visible and textural layering piece. The brand is reintroducing these foundation garments and emphasizing their importance by offering fresh designs, updated fit, and sharper silhouettes.

Overton Monroe Founding Partners: Annie Graziani and J.L. Johnson

Annie Graziani and J. L. Johnson are the founding partners of Overton Monroe. These long-time friends and industry pros are not only passionate and creative, but they also bring a wealth of knowledge, dedication and good old fashion southern charm to the table. The synergy between them is incredible and it’s truly refreshing to see a team so in sync especially in the unpredictable world of fashion.

Annie Graziani is from a small town just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her mother and grandmother introduced the art of sewing to her at the early age of five. Annie’s quest for knowledge has taken her all over the world. While enrolled in a Pittsburgh liberal arts college, Annie spent a semester in Grenoble, France studying the language. Shortly thereafter, she spent the summer in Santa Fe, New Mexico sewing, draping and designing costumes for the Santa Fe Opera. It was there that she met J.L. Johnson. After the opera house, her next stop was the Illinois Institute of Art where she studied Fashion Design for a semester.

Upon completing her degree in Pittsburg, Annie was hired as a Production Assistant for Nanette Lepore. This allowed her to really learn every aspect of the garment center and the production process. After 15 months, she was hired at Marc Jacobs as the Men’s Production Manager. Her knowledge was elevated as she got a full understanding of what goes into managing production on an international level by traveling and working directly with mills and factories in 12 countries around the globe. Annie went on to complete her MBA and later handled both the Men and Women’s production. In May of 2010, Annie departed Marc Jacobs to embark on a new challenge with the start-up Reed Krakoff, a division of Coach.

Models wearing Ollie, Shirley and Ellen styles.

J. L. Johnson is originally from a small southern town in rural Mississippi called Wesson; like the cooking Oil. While helping his grandfather with the cattle, J.L.’s grandmother also taught him how to sew. That was the beginning of an amazing journey. J.L. has a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Music and an MFA degree in Production Design, focusing on Costumes and Scenery. J.L. has trained and worked at such theatres as The Santa Fe Opera, The Papermill Theatre, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Idaho Shakespeare Festival and E.T.A. Hoffman Theatre in Bamberg, Germany.

Both regionally and internationally acclaimed, J.L. has designed costumes and scenery for many theatrical productions. His work has been seen in Broadway productions such as Disney’s The Lion King, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, The Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular and Bette Milder’s Las Vegas Show. J.L. served as an Assistant Professor of Theatrical Design at Florida’s A & M University in addition to serving on the Cultural Arts Center’s grant approval board for arts organizations in the area. J.L. entered into the fashion industry in 2008 as an Assistant Production Manager for Marc by Marc Jacobs. This was the second time that he and Annie were able to work together since the Santa Fe Opera House.

Model in Betty camisole and half slip.

In October 2010, Annie and J.L. decided to take full advantage of their joint experiences to establish their own brand, Overton Monroe. Since officially establishing the company in mid-November 2010, they have completed OM’s first season of sampling for the Fall 2011 market season. Their line, which is produced in the United States, retails as following: Full Slips ($168-$188), Half Slips ($128-$148), Camisoles ($148-$168). For more information on Overton Monroe, please visit www.OvertonMonroe.com.

Stay Tuned for Part II of PLUSHNYLON’s exclusive interview with Overton Monroe on Monday, Feb 21st; Designer Spotlight: Overton Monroe ⎯ Part II: The Vision, The Process and The Breakthrough.

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Tamara Figueroa is a Beauty/Fashion Contributor for PLUSHNYLON Magazine. She is also a New York City based makeup artist specializing in advertising, beauty, editorial, television and runway. Her work can be seen at www.TamaraMakeupArtistry.com