Mixing It Up

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

From the Upper East Side to Bal Harbor, Fla., socialites, downtown hipsters, and fashion-conscious career women alike can be found browsing the trendy looks at Intermix. Founded in 1993, the line of boutiques – now 10 strong, with another to open this March in Washington, D.C. – lives up to its name by providing an assortment of high-end designers and emerging fashion talent, all at a broad range of prices and all intended to keep customers well ahead of the style curve.


Before the clothing and accessories are placed on the shelves, however, they have to pass muster with the woman behind the Intermix label, Sari Sloane. As the head buyer for the Intermix boutiques, Ms. Sloane, 29, is, quite literally, a trendsetter. But the mood she creates for the label has a distinctly personal feel, as if the store were your most fashionable friend’s closet, which lends an element of trust to the shop: If it’s at Intermix, it’s safe – and hot.


Ms. Sloane’s approach to buying for Intermix is based on choosing only a few of a collection’s best items – rather than matchy-matchy ensembles – in order to provide as wide a spectrum of merchandise and labels as possible. The clothing is then presented, or “merchandised,” according to what mixes well with other items – rather than grouped together with other pieces by the same designer or by similar price. There’s no “high end” section cordoned off from the “low-end.” It’s all, well, intermixed. A shopper can choose between a selection of Donna Karan handbags ($1,155) and a rhinestone Ronny Kobo clutch ($115). A pair of Jordache jeans ($140) hangs alongside a charming, feminine halter by Moschino ($440). There are sparkly holiday tops from the up-and-coming label Miguelina ($298) next to colorful chiffon tanks by Matthew Williamson ($1,285).


To bring all this disparate merchandise together each season, Ms. Sloane relies very much on her own sense of style. She makes some variations to account for differences in market locations, but mainly her buying strategy is all about what she wants to wear. “It’s closest to my lifestyle,” she said. “I’m a working girl, not a socialite. I have my basics, and pieces that are a reach for me.”


She finds inspiration on her travels between Los Angeles, Paris, and New York. But she takes few cues from runway shows or from what fashion editors are cooing over. Certain trends exist only in magazines, but will not translate to the public – which means the merchandise won’t move. If anything, she gleans ideas from what people are really wearing, especially in Europe: “I get more from watching the personal style of women in the industry.”


But really, this stylish blonde relies on her gut to tell her what’s hot. “I think I have an instinct,” said Ms. Sloane. “I don’t really know how, but I see something that’s new, and I’ll know that in six months everyone is going to want it.”


A native of Long Island, Ms. Sloane’s career began on Wall Street, where she was an analyst for Smith Barney. In 1997, she was out shopping for a dress to wear to a New Year’s Eve party – on New Year’s Eve – when she ran into an old friend. Upon hearing that Ms. Sloane was in finance, the friend didn’t hold back her surprise. “She said, ‘I always thought you’d do something in fashion,'” Ms. Sloane recalled. The friend urged her to apply for a job as an assistant buyer at Bergdorf-Goodman, which she promptly landed. It wasn’t long before she was made the buyer for the fifth floor.


After spending almost four years at Bergdorf-Goodman, Ms. Sloane launched her own line of embroidered cashmere sweaters. She sold the line around town, including to Intermix. In 2002, when owners Khajak and Haro Keledjian let her know that they were looking for a buyer, she suggested herself.


By all evidence, the new hire was a perfect fit. “Khajak believes in my personal style and al lows me to really infuse the store with my creative vision,” she said. Her vision – “creative people want to make their own statement” – is uncommon in retail. It means giving customers the opportunity to chose from established names like Sonia Rykiel and Givenchy, workday reliables like Theory, and sexy jeans from True Religion.


When Ms. Sloane herself gets dressed, just about everything she wears comes from Intermix. On a recent morning, she sported a colorful kimono top by Matthew Williamson, tight jeans by Serfontaine, Chloe boots, a gold bag by Lolli, and a long gold necklace by Kenneth J. Lane.


It’s no accident that she dresses from head to toe in Intermix garb; there’s a trickle-down theory at work. Her hope is that by setting a creative, stylish example, she’ll inspire the sales people, who will then pass on the aesthetic to customers. On a more institutional level, once a season she leads style workshops for the sales force to familiarize them with new labels, merchandise, and looks.


The placement of clothing in the store is also meticulously accounted for. Every two weeks, Ms. Sloane and staff rearrange the Madison Avenue store to highlight incoming and current inventory. “The way we merchandize things is by lifestyle,” she said, pointing out that the store is currently dedicated to resort-wear and holiday party clothes. Instructions and photos of mannequins are snapped and sent to the other stores, which then follow suit.


Throughout the chain of stores, 75% of the merchandise is the same, but 25% differs according to location and market needs. Ms. Sloane describes the Miami store as “supersexy, a little risque,” whereas the Madison Avenue shop is “designer focused and feminine.” Boston is strongly international, but also has a casual edge because of the student population, whereas the original shop in the Flatiron District is more downtown cool and the smaller Bleecker Street outpost is “the best of the best.” Ms. Sloane is treating the recently opened Bal Harbor location as a combination of the Madison Avenue and Miami stores. And the new shop in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood will be similar to the Boston shop.


But no matter which store it is, Ms. Sloane’s goal is to brand Intermix as a lifestyle that enables women to look effortlessly chic and always fabulous. “We want to inspire the customer,” she said.


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use