It seems that J. Morgan Puett is taking a good bite out of the Big Apple, with a little help from Hollywood.
The avant-garde Chicago fashion designer`s storefront/studio had only been opened a few weeks on the edge of the East Village in New York when none other than Bette Midler came sashaying through the front door. ”She was making a movie in the neighborhood,” said Puett in her native Georgia twang. ”One day she was gawking in the windows and I said, `Come on in, girl.` ”
Midler did. And then returned a few more times to ”buy a bunch of stuff,” said Puett.
Midler it seems is fond of Puett`s ”gauze stuff.”
”My spring collection things,” said the designer, ”the tourquoise and white with gauze roses and the bloomers. She also bought a famous Morgan tunic dress. And then she sent in Carol Kane.” Kane in turn sent over some costume people for Diane Keaton. Former Chicago comedienne Nora Dunn, now with
”Saturday Night,” also has dropped by.
”Business has been great,” said Puett. ”And I haven`t even advertised. It`s all been word-of-mouth, and everyone seems to like that.”
Business has been so good that the designer is taking off for eight weeks to go to Rio, London and South Africa.
