One of my vivid memories as a little girl was a family wake. Amidst the food and conversation and other business that goes on at an Irish wake, I remember being carried away with how beautiful the women's dresses were. The fabrics...the colors...the way they made the women look so lovely. These were women I knew, but the clothes made them...different, more beautiful, almost transformed. It was my first notion that fashion is more than just pretty dresses. Along my fashion journey I've had stops at several shops including some well respected competitors on the North Shore. It's clear to me now that I was a "difficult" employee. I really have always had the idea that clothes are an accessory to the personality. My customers have been my true inspiration. In my experience, the store owners I worked with had a slightly different idea. When I had the opportunity to buy Frances Heffernan in 1981 I felt I wasn't ready to uphold the reputation of this revered institution. Business partners thought otherwise and encouraged me to take the plunge. And within a few very successful years I had the confidence to free my partners of their ties and go it alone. Along the journey, I met a Frog. You may sometimes see him in the window. Or sitting, just inside the store, with his partner Girl Frog. Frog reminds us of the transforming power of clothes and self-confidence, and the magic and excitement and surprises that come with it. I believe that Frances Heffernan is a place where women can find many exciting ways to express and define themselves. As for me, I find every season, every designer, every trunk show, and every buying trip full of surprises. My goal is to bring those surprises home to delight and inspire my customers so they can use their innate creativity and resourcefulness to express and transform themselves.