Behind Oprah’s Dress: Inside the Teri Jon Showroom

Chic Galleria was recently invited into the Teri Jon showroom to get up close and personal with the latest designs, including a differently colored version of the emerald silk taffeta shawl collar dress that Oprah wears on the cover of the December issue of O magazine.

For the last quarter-century, designer and CEO Rickie Freeman has ensured that Rickie Freeman for Teri Jon (the day and evening wear collections) and Jon (the sportswear collection) has designs for women of all ages.

The “Oprah dress” is a prime example; TeriJon.com sums it up thusly: “Firstly, it is ageless, with a not-trendy, not-matronly shape that looks chic on a thirty year old and sophisticated on a sixty year old. More importantly, it is universally flattering to almost any figure. Its shape, with a cinched-in, belted waist and full skirt, will pull any body into an hourglass. The skirt hits just at the knee so it’s short enough to show off your legs but never so short as to be inappropriate. The sleeves are an elegant three quarter length and the neckline draws the eye to the collarbone; sexy without being risqué.”

But while the dress was chic and luxurious enough for Oprah, you don’t need an Oprah-sized bank account to afford it. The dress on O is $380, which demonstrates the label’s commitment to affordability.

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Browsing the racks in the showroom, what immediately became apparent is that all of the pieces have a satisfying weight to them. They are definitely built to last, and because of the label’s trademark “ageless” style, they can be worn throughout a woman’s many life phases. “Our customer ranges from 29 to 65, give or take five years,” says Teri Jon’s Leora Platt. “We give our customers lots of options.”

“Our sportswear group has a lot of color,” she continues. “Plus we always have a section called black and white essentials–must-have items. Rickie also loves details and embellishments. For our eveningwear business, we use the same fabrications as all the couture designers. We also do daytime and cocktail dresses.”

As for the design philosophy of the collections, Platt explains, “We’re definitely up on what’s going on trend-wise but we adapt that for the customer who doesn’t want to look dated. Let’s say that we have a customer who’s 40 with two kids. She’s in good shape but she doesn’t have the same body as before. How do we take the boyfriend blazer and translate that for her? Take [Gossip Girl character] Lily van der Woodsen. She’s never inappropriate; her tops are never as low-cut as her daughter’s. But she’s stylish and beautiful and she wants to look great, but not trendy or silly.”

“Rickie sometimes says her daughters influence her,” she adds. “And right now, the economy is shaping how people shop–we have to design the most versatile clothing we can.”

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As for future plans, Freeman is planning to introduce a fresher, trendier mother-of-the-bride line themed “Not Your Mother’s Mother of the Bride Dress.” Additionally, the designer will be playing more with color and shape in the Jon sportswear line.

Amid her design duties, Freeman is also involved with Face to Face, an organization that offers free consultations and reconstructive surgery to abused women in the U.S. and beyond. Coming up is a sneak preview/luncheon for the debut of the Teri Jon spring line honoring the women and doctors involved in Face to Face.

To snag a design for yourself, visit the Teri Jon online store or check out your nearest Saks Fifth Avenue or Bloomingdale’s.

Lookbook photos courtesy Teri Jon.