As featured in Crain's, May 11, 1998

By Ylonda Gault

On Oscar night, with 87 million viewers glued to their sets, prime time's favorite nurse, ER's Julianna Margulies, came down the red carpet wearing a sleeveless black sheath.

At the ready were a battery of paparazzi and perky tabloid show hostesses. “Julianna, who are you wearing?” they barked.

“Amsale. Amsale? I'm not real sure how to say it,” the actress replied.

No matter. In that moment, Amsale Aberra (her first name is pronounced ahm-SAHL-a) became king of the world. The world of eveningwear designers, that is.

Those priceless seconds of international exposure put Ms. Aberra, best known for the Madison Avenue bridal shop that bears her name, on the radar of retailers and consumers everywhere. Her fledgling eveningwear collection, which arrived in department and specialty stores in March, has already racked up $400,000 in sales.

Still, it's the high end that captures the most attention. Designers court the hottest celebrities of the hour in hopes of landing a coup like Ms. Aberra's Oscar moment. Such good fortune can mean untold millions in free advertising as the celebrity's snapshot graces the pages of People and newspaper tabloids.

“Dressing the right celebrity isn't essential,” says Ms. Aberra, who has outfitted Vanessa Williams and Kim Basinger. “But it really, really helps.”

GROOMING BRIDAL HOUSE FOR EVENING OUT (1/26/98)

Few outside the close-knit bridal industry know that before Vera Wang became a household name with her shapely silhouettes and celebrity following, there was Amsale.

Amsale is a high-end bridal house named for its founder, Amsale Aberra. Its signature looks, including simple sheath dresses with sheer illusion tank tops, have been drawing flocks of fashion editors to Ms. Aberra's loft in the garment center since 1986. While Vera Wang grabs headlines and outfits the likes of Sharon Stone, Amsale (pronounced Ahm-SAHL) has quietly built up a solid $15 million business.

Now, Ms. Aberra—whose regal Ethiopian beauty and style are as understated as her gowns—is ready to make a little noise. Last year, she opened her first freestanding store, a 1,500- square-foot boutique on Madison and 59th Street whose neighbors include Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani. This spring marks the launch of Amsale eveningwear, a comprehensive collection that includes stylish day-to-evening pantsuits as well as ball gowns.

“I think of this collection as a solution for modern women,” says Ms. Aberra. “It's not only for the grand events, but also for the midweek black-tie events so many of us get called upon to attend. It's an option other than the little black dress with pearls.” So far, retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus have placed eveningwear orders.

Fashion insiders say Ms. Aberra will need more than a cadre of exclusive specialty department stores to catch up with her designing peers. She will need to turn up the heat on her subdued profile, they say, with an advertising and public relations blitz.

EVENING STAR

That's not Ms. Aberra's style, however. She is certainly aware of the benefits of exposure. But the fashion purist wants to handle it in her own tasteful way, even if it comes slowly, so as not to dilute the Amsale image.