Englewood–Miri Urbach cut the ribbon last Tuesday to officially mark the opening of Miri, 37 North Dean Street in Englewood. James A. Dunn, Chair of the Englewood Chamber of Commerce, who attended the ribbon cutting said, “Englewood is a destination for savvy shoppers. It is a trendy town with unique boutiques and very personalized service. Miri is a great addition with a perfect location for the store. We are pleased they have selected our town.”
Miri specializes in special occasion outfits. Urbach designs the gowns which are made from beautiful, imported fabrics in her flagship location in Cedarhurst. They are sent to Paris and Italy where embroidery and beading are painstakingly done to Urbach’s exacting standards. There are Miri stores in New York, London, and Israel–one in Ramat Gan and one in Jerusalem. Each store has only one or two couture gowns of each design available so the customer knows she is getting an exclusive creation.
In addition to couture gowns, Urbach designs a line of ready-to-wear cocktail dresses and suits. Her daughter, a recent college graduate, has joined the business and designs the Miri 2.0 line of more casual Shabbos and Yom Tov clothes. Miri Shoes are coming this spring.
Urbach goes to Paris several times a year for design inspiration. “Prints are in now,” Urbach said. The spring line is currently in production; she is now designing for fall.
Miri in Cedarhurst includes a bridal salon and Urbach is beginning to bring bridal gowns and gowns for the mother and sister-of-the-bride to Englewood. “I’ve seen brides in tears trying on dresses that are strapless or simply not flattering,” Urbach said. Miri bridal gowns are available for sale or rent, and like all Miri creations, altered to fit perfectly.
Urbach designs for all women but loves the challenge of dressing Orthodox women like her who want beautiful, but modest clothing. “Few people know how to make clothes that fit well but are still kosher,” she said. “Fit is the number one most important aspect to how a dress looks. I fit a dress to five or six models before putting it into production.” Urbach gives all her managers a training course on how to fit and provide the best customer service. Her accomplished seamstresses stand ready to alter a dress, including sleeves and necklines, to the client’s specifications.
Urbach is happy to be opening in Englewood; it is her tenth store. “Englewood is a lovely place and we’re excited we’re here,” she said. She is looking forward to meeting more women from the area and getting a feel for what they want.
