The inside scoop on the Main Line fashion icon’s LibbyKat clothing brand and Lisi Lerch Bungalow in Villanova.

by Diane Oliva, Style Editor

Statement earrings, bright pops of color and classic style? We’re talking about Lisi Lerch, of course. The jewelry and accessories maven is practically synonymous with preppy chic. Kathy Hilton, multiple “Real Housewives” and most Main Line women own at least one Lisi Lerch piece of jewelry, a hat or a bag.

The Newtown Square mogul expanded her empire, opening Lisi Lerch Bungalow in Villanova and launching LibbyKat, a brand of apparel and footwear aimed at teens and young adults with each piece priced under $100. We chatted with Lisi to get the scoop on the store, LibbyKat and everything else.

Diane Oliva: You’ve been in business since 2001 and you’ve sold primarily online and through other retailers. Why did you open your own boutique?

Lisi Lerch: I never intended to have a brick-and-mortar store. But we moved the company’s offices from my house to Villanova. I’m a little nervous about moving out of my house because I am the CEO of my business and the CEO of my family. I answer emails and run upstairs and do a load of laundry or do school pick-up. But the offices are only 5 miles away. Anyway, I thought, “We have offices in the back. Why not have a store in the front?” I wouldn’t be a smart businesswoman if I opened business offices and didn’t have a small space to offset the rent.

DO: Why did you call it a bungalow?

LL: I am not a generic store kind of person. Calling it the bungalow is so much cuter than calling it the store. I love for all of my things to have a personality. And it is a little bungalow.

DO: Tell us about LibbyKat.  

LL: We launched it earlier in 2022. It’s named for my two daughters, Libby and Katherine. I came up with the idea when Libby was rushing sororities at Clemson. She needed things to wear, and there wasn’t a huge selection. So, LibbyKat offers apparel and shoes for great items while keeping the price point low. Everything is under $100.

DO: What are your best selling pieces?

LL: I am more of a bigger earring person, but our studs sell so well. I always listen to our customers, and our spectrum of customers is so broad. We do have conservative women who like their small earrings. A lot of times, we’ll have three variations on an earring: large, medium and stud. That way, they are sister earrings and satisfy whatever size you want to wear. We started doing that a few years ago and it works beautifully.

DO: A lot of celebrities wear your line. What was your big break?

LL: A long time ago, when I first started seeing my earrings on “Southern Charm” stars, that was a big moment. Now all of the “Real Housewives” wear my jewelry. We send a lot of jewelry to celebrities and love seeing things on the red carpet.

DO: What’s your all time favorite piece of jewelry?

LL: My Ginger earrings. We keep reinventing it. It’s been a top seller for so long. We have it in bamboo, luster, acrylic, raffia, straw. I named Ginger after Ginger on “Gilligan’s Island.” Wasn’t she a bombshell? She was one of my favorite characters.

Want more style stories? Read about the exclusive Lilly Pulitzer Pink Retreat in Palm Beach and our interview with Clover Market founder Janet Long.

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