LOLITA HARPER
Have you seen the movie Sweet Home Alabama? You know, the one where
the adorable blond leaves her quaint hometown and moves to New York
only to launch her own clothing line and become the next darling in
the fashion industry.
An interesting turn of events, including a super-rich fiancee and
an old blue-eyed boyfriend, brings her home. It is mostly a love
story -- with a great wardrobe for leading lady Reese Witherspoon,
who plays the up-and-coming designing diva.
Take away the blue-eyed hunk and the down-home accents, and you've
got a story similar to Costa Mesa's very own, Meghan Noland. Hers is
mostly a love story, involving a needle, a dream and a passion for
fashion.
Meghan picked up a sewing needle at age 4. She learned to stitch
and mend when others were hand painting. The early childhood hobby
continued through adulthood.
She went to New York City, where she attended the Fashion
Institute of Technology. While in the Big Apple, she worked as an
intern with such major designers as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and
Versace. Noland was inspired to create her own line and headed back
to the fair weather of Southern California founded her line in the
back room of a Belmont Shores mall.
Megan Noland Inc., was born Jan. 1, 2001.
Two and a half years later, Hollywood stars -- like as
Witherspoon, coincidentally -- are wearing Noland's flirty wares, as
well as a devoted following of fun and fashionably forward women. It
was her success that brought her to the coveted racks of high fashion
on the second floor of Nordstrom at South Coast Plaza.
On Saturday, Noland returned to her city of the arts to show her
masterpieces at Nordstrom in South Coast Plaza. Her appearance was
well-attended and Noland was radiant. Her classic Southern California
look and warm smiled wooed all that gathered and the event was
buzzing with public relations people and event coordinators, all
eager to hype their clients.
Rather than report on the scheduled "appearance," which was an
obviously orchestrated plot to create interest in the line, I thought
it was more telling to write about what I saw hours before the
shin-dig got underway.
My friend Katie and I were shopping Saturday morning because she
had a wedding to attend, and -- gasp -- nothing to wear. We headed to
second floor of Nordstrom -- armed with her father's credit card --
where the most fashionable wares are displayed. It was there a minor
commotion caught our eye.
"Look at this," one woman said loudly. "It's gorgeous. Feel this,
