Daily Front Row

 After founding Scoop in the mid-nineties, Stefani Greenfield has transitioned from curating hip, on-trend and always-wearable contemp lines for the retail success story to launching a beachy accessories line of her own featuring Stuart Weitzman-produced shoes. Greenfield's partner at Theodora & Callum, Desiree Gruber, has impressive industry chops of her own, as founder and president of Full Picture and co-creater and exec producer of Project Runway. Gruber has also played a huge part in the phenomenal success of Victoria's Secret, and lent a guiding hand to Heidi Klum's career. The duo first introduced Theodora & Callum during NYFW in September, and they're currently debuting the first collection of prettily patterned accessories at NYC's toniest retailers.  

What's the story behind Theodora & Callum?
Stefani Greenfield: We wanted to do nothing concerning clothing, and instead to do everything that brings your clothes to life. Scarves are huge for us, and we're also obsessed with wearable art jewelry and prints. It's for the woman who wants to make a statement, but not in a "notice-me" kind of way. The collection is not only about places we've gone, but also about places we've dreamt about. Pamela Fiori, the former editor of Town & Country, wrote a book on Capri, filled with pictures of George Hamilton and his then-wife Alana in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Life was more free and you weren't restricted the way the world is confining now. There was color everywhere, and everyone had a bronze glow.

So how many scarves are in your closet?
Hundreds. I never go anywhere without one. I lie on the beach with a pareo spread on the sand. With the larger ones in our collection you could throw it over a table for a summer barbecue.

How is Theodora & Callum different from Scoop?
Scoop was a beautiful 13-year journey; my partner Uzi Ben-Abraham and I launched the store in 1996. Theodora & Callum is just different, not better or worse. It's very focused on a vision, and it's controllable. When you have a big retail business, you can't be everywhere all the time. I named my new company My Next Act [launched in 2008] because I never really had a plan in my life.

What might the next next act be?
We're definitely going to take our prints and put them on caftans and bathing suits. It's true beach dressing.

If you could transport to one beach anywhere in the world where would you be?
It's the place I meditate on whenever I'm feeling stressed. I would go to Panormos beach in Mykonos, Greece, at the end of the day when the beach is pretty empty and take this long walk. There's this little house at the end of the beach. It's almost like you're walking into heaven.