I wanted to share some news to all of the long time fans and supporters of SA VA.

I think one of the amazing things about life is that it is constantly changing, it creates space for you to grow. As SA VA has grown, my own life changed and progressed. I am so grateful to have connected with so many amazing women over the last four years and to the community that has enriched, inspired and supported me. Through this experience, I have become clear about my own hopes and dreams and what I am really good at. It was a trial by fire, burning away the impurities to get to my true self for sure! You have seen me through ups and downs, and I have become a better person because of your presence.

SA VA has come to a transition point. The cash needs of the business could not be met in a way that I could see a recipe for success, in a time frame and scale that made sense for me and our investors. Too, I have had time to reflect and make choices about my personal next steps. I have found clarity in my strengths and creative abilities and have a desire to build on the amazing opportunities that have come from being a part of the lives of thousands of women that I connected with. I am looking forward to new possibilities and am inspired to seek this out. I believe that moving forward, to fully honor this, I need to focus on my greatest skills in design and brand direction, of course with a core belief in socially driven business. In coming weeks you will be able to see more about this on my new website sarahvanaken.com

I believe you should always celebrate, honor, an ending to create space for a new beginning. I hope that you can join me in celebrating the SA VA retail store in our final weeks as I close out this phase of my life and welcome the new beginning!

Here’s the three things you need to know:

1. BIG SALE! If you have received this email, you are getting special notification before anyone else and are welcome to enjoy 50% off all regular priced items and $15 second floor sale at SA VA.

2. YOU’RE INVITED! We are having a farewell party! We hope you can join us in celebrating SA VA. Enjoy a fun evening of shopping the total clearance sale and limited edition Spring 2014 items! Wednesday, December 11^th, 6-9p.m.

3. SA VA will be closing by December 22nd, 2013. Come get your last SA VA items while they last!

 

Please feel free to reach out if there is anything you would like to share with me as I make this transition. I look forward to connecting soon about my next steps and you can continue to find updates for me and any future iterations of the SA VA brand at sarahvanaken.com. Thank you so much for your support, I am truly grateful.

Best,

Sarah

 

We have had such an amazing response to our Woman of the Month features over the past 6 months. It has been incredible to honor the absolutely incredible women we are pleased to call clients, friends and supporters of SA VA.

Coincidentally, three of our recent W.O.M. are published authors in their area of expertise. Erin Owen “Refuel, Recharge, and Re-energize”, Margaret Klaw “Keeping It Civil: The Case of the Pre-Nup and The Porsche & Other True Accounts from the Files of a Family Lawyer”, & Hope Cohen “Fast, Fresh and Simple.” What better way to support them and the excellence of all Philadelphia women than to have a little party to Meet the Authors.

The event will be a meet & greet with these dynamic women, where you can learn about their work and hear about their acclaimed books. Too, wouldn’t it be nice to spend a few hours with some great women? Of course, you can also shop SA VA at a discount (25% off all purchases made at the event) while enjoying cocktails and light fair by author and chef Hope Cohen!!!!!!.

Get inspired, get styled, have fun with a great group of women! rsvp to [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October welcomes Margaret Klaw as the SA VA Woman of the Month. Margy, as I have come to know her, is a Super Lawyer, mother, engaged community member and recent author. Her new book KEEPING IT CIVIL, released last month touches on some pretty poignant and dynamic challenges in our family culture. Derived from the true and dramatic events of the lives of ordinary people over the years she has spent practicing family law. A great read! You can also find her writings on the Huffington Post and DailyWorth.com. I met Margy through mutual friends in Mount Airy and have always been very impressed with her energy and spirit and knew she was the perfect fit for the SA VA Woman of the Month. You will be able to find Margy at our MEET THE AUTHORS event on October 30th from 6-9 pm at SA VA. Get to know Margaret Klaw…..

Q. You clearly excel at what you do, (even without mentioning the countless awards you have received for your law practice) I know that practicing family law is something that you are passionate about, but talk about what it is that makes you so good at what you do? Your approach or philosophy if you will?

A. Lawyers tend to either love or hate family law - very few are neutral about it. I fall squarely into the first camp: I love the intensity and the drama of it, I love helping people navigate through difficult times in their lives, and I love the cutting edge legal issues I’m dealing with, as society’s definition of family is changing so rapidly. But I have learned I need to maintain clear boundaries between myself and my clients - if I didn’t, I’d burn out. So I think the key to successfully practicing family law is to keep that balance where you’re emotionally engaged but still have some professional distance - you need to understand at a gut level that, for example, your clients’ kids are not your kids.

 

Q. What compelled you to write KEEPING IT CIVIL?

A. I’ve always loved to write, and about three years ago I started a blog, www.familylawunraveled.com , about some of my experiences and observations involving clients, judges, court proceedings, and just how it feels to do what I do and see what I see on a daily basis. I know that the world I inhabit with my clients is really interesting - people discuss family law issues everywhere, from the hair salon all the way up to the Supreme Court - and the challenge was to see if I could capture that world on the page. The blog became popular and I decided, with the invaluable help of a writer friend, to try to expand the topics I was blogging about into a book. And it worked!

 

Q. How do you feel that this book can positively impact how we approach family issues as a community?

A. I hope it will give readers insight into the complexity of the legal system, why and how family lawyers do what they do and, most importantly, help them see issues and disputes from both sides. That’s something we lawyers are trained to do, but often in the heat of a family dispute, people have a hard time seeing the other person’s perspective.

 

Q. Your daughters are both transplanted to Brooklyn. Describe your lifestyle now?

A. My daughters are both in their twenties and they currently live together in Park Slope. The older one is an actress (and a bartender, of course!) and the younger one is in the process of applying to medical school. They are amazing and I try to spend as much time with them as possible. They do come home to Philly quite a bit (thanks to the Bolt Bus), but I really love going to New York and staying at their place. I was born and raised in Manhattan but almost never went to Brooklyn - it’s fun learning about a new area of the city through their eyes, and they know such great places to go and such interesting things to do.

 

Q. Describe your personal sense of style and how you put together the looks that make you feel your best?

A. Let’s start with I don’t like to dress like a lawyer! I have never liked skirt suits or really any suits at all. My challenge has been to find clothes that I feel good in that are also acceptable for my profession. Currently that usually means soft jackets and pants, with the occasional skirt or dress thrown in. I did fall in love with the dress I am wearing in the photo for this piece, however, so I might start wearing dresses more often! That’s the reason I love the SA VA clothing I have - they really fit that criteria for me of being polished but still very feminine and flattering and comfortable. And when I’m not at work I pretty much always wear jeans; a good fitting pair of jeans is definitely my wardrobe favorite .

 

Q. What are your favorite extracurriculars? How do you spend your time when you are not working or writing?

A. I love to cook, and it’s almost like therapy for me at the end of a long day. I listen to the radio or music and just start pulling things together. I don’t usually follow recipes but will often look at several for whatever I’m making and get ideas from them. I also love yoga and wish I had more time to do it - I try to go twice a week. I read a lot, newspapers and magazines and books. And currently I’m obsessed with Breaking Bad!

 

Q. What’s next for you?

A. I want to keep practicing law and keep writing. I’d like to write another book, but right now I’m so busy with the launch of KEEPING IT CIVIL that I haven’t had a chance to really think about it. Recently I’ve carved out one day a week where I stay home and write, so I’m a lawyer Monday through Thursday and a writer on Friday. That’s where I want to go in the future - I want to have two careers. I find them to be really complimentary; practicing family law is very hectic and social and involves so many cases and so many different people and settings, and writing is solitary and involves intense concentration. One refreshes me to do the other.

 

Q. Best piece of career advice you could offer?

A. I think women should be very careful not to opt out of the workforce for long periods of time when they have children. I have way too many clients who have college or graduate degrees but only minimal work experience because they decided to stay home full time when their children were little and then never went back to work. Fifteen of twenty years down the road they end up completely financially dependent on their husbands and, unfortunately, if their marriages fail, they’re in dire financial straits. My law partner has a sign in her office that I really like which says “a man is not a financial plan.” It’s funny, obviously, but also really true. I’m just a huge proponent of women being able to support themselves and their children.

 

Q. Better yet, after your experience in family law, best piece of family/personal advice?

A. Don’t sweat the small stuff! Seeing up close the cataclysmic effect that divorce can have makes me so appreciative of my own marriage, and if my husband - who’s the greatest guy, by the way - does things which irritate or annoy me (and whose spouse or partner doesn’t?) I try hard to just shrug them off. And when my daughters were teenagers and we were going through that rollercoaster ride, I thought about the kids I saw every day whose parents were fighting over them and the incredible toll that took, and I was grateful to just be dealing with relatively minor adolescent issues. So my advice would be to continually make a conscious effort to value those close to you and to really appreciate and enjoy the intimate relationships in your life.

 

 

Meet Margaret in person at our Meet the Authors Event at SA VA on October 30th!

 

 

 

 

Join us next Sunday, October 6th at the Crane Arts Building from 12-4p.m. for the inaugural Philly Mag Shops event. Join Philadelphia magazine and the area’s best boutiques for Philly Mag Shops, a one-day-only warehouse-style shopping event, featuring fall’s most sought-after designer apparel, accessories and footwear—all under one roof. Over 30 of Philadelphia’s best shops and designers come together to offer fabulous fall fashion. SA VA and other incredible Philadelphia brands and retailers will be hosting the ultimate pop-up shop where you can buy all the things you love at 40% off at the event. Tickets for the event are $25

Coming to the SA VA Fall Style Event tonight? Our first 50 guests will receive a SA VA gift bag of course and one of the great things to be found in there is a special gift from Local atelier, The Perfume Fountain. They have created an incredible new Fall fragrance, Mon Choux.

Mon Choux, is an oriental-gourmand fragrance, which is a first for The Perfume Fountain. Debbie the perfumer says “Oriental fragrances have an opulent bouquet and are warm and sensual, while the newer gourmand family incorporates edible notes.” Mon Choux is a French term of endearment meaning “My Sweetie” and originally referred to a sweet pastry. It’s clear to me that The Perfume Fountain fragrances contain essences from real plants and flowers and help lift one’s mood and spirit.

Mon Choux will début at SAVA’s Fall Style Event September 24th.

The Perfume Fountain, based in Chester County, is an artisan
perfume atelier embracing earth-friendly methods and uses luxury ingredients to create specially crafted perfumes. Launched earlier this year, The Perfume Fountain offers Chester County’s First and Only Artisanal Scent Bar, ideal for bridal showers and parties, as well as local aromatic workshops and a book club. For more information please visit www.ThePerfumeFountain.com.

We are thrilled to announce that Beke Beau, award winning cosmetic artist will be our partner for the SA VA Fall Style Event on September 24th! She is amazing and guests will be able to get this year’s hottest makeup trend tips right from this industry expert source. Plus, isn’t it great to get your makeup done! Really, I have wanted to work with Beke for a long time so I can’t wait for the event!

Here’s what she has to say about Fall 2013 trend!

 

The deep, rich tones and sculptural silhouettes of SA VA’s fall line are balanced by a minimalist approach to make-up. All the strength of

color is on the lips, in darker tones of berry and plum. Eyes are washed softly in warm, low-key metallics while skin is matte with a touch of bronzer for luminosity. - Béke

Fall fashion is always my favorite and this year I am loving seeing leather everywhere. However, instead of classic leather pieces, hybrids are truly the way to go this Fall. A shirt with leather sleeves or a coat with leather trim allows for just enough edge without having to commit to a full biker chick look. If you are ready to add a pair of leather pants to your wardrobe, try pairing it with a more feminine top to offset the look.

- Beka Rendell

Beka Rendell is a Philadelphia tastemaker and one of the top stylists in the region. A graduate of the Fashion Institute in New York City, Beka spent 7 years in the fashion industry in the two fashion capitals of the US, New York City and Los Angeles. Beka then settled in Philadelphia where she has spent the last 8 years working with clients in the wedding, interior design and editorial styling industries through her company Styled Creative. Today, Styled Creative is a styling firm that focuses on fashion styling, prop styling and creative direction for brands both locally and nationally. Through it’s sister company the Styled Bride, Styled Creative also provides a variety of styling and planning services to clients in the wedding industry. In addition to her business endeavors, Beka is also active in the non-profit realm and is presently a Co-Chair of Feastival, a benefit event for the Philadelphia FringeArts.

 

Please join us for the SA VA Fall Style Event! Style guru, Beka Rendell will guest host an over-the-top shopping parting that will showcase Fall 2013 beauty and fashion trends. The event will be a casual gathering where guests will be able to get styled with the hottest Fall 2013 hair, makeup and fashion looks by Beka Rendell, hair stylist Ettore Mastroddi of Richel D’Ambra Salon and distinguished makeup stylists. Sip on champagne from Korbel while shopping and getting your makeup and hair done. Guests will have an opportunity to see the SA VA Fall 2013 | Modern Architect Collection, which will be informally modeled and of course - goodie bags for the first 30 guests and get a 20% discount on all SA VA!

SA VA is a classic-contemporary brand. We love to balance the most chic trends with classic fashion. For our clients, who have their own individual style, this is a great opportunity to update your beauty and fashion look in a way that really works for your personal style, which is key! We have incredible partners for this event who really are visionaries in image, style and beauty. We hope to see you there!

Please rsvp to [email protected]

 

 

In a matter of days, the SA VA Fall 2013 Collection – Modern Architect will be hitting stores. I am in love, well of course, there are leather accents! Stay tuned for our upcoming preview and Fall Trend How-To’s!

Not in Philadelphia? You can find us in these select retailers nationwide.