Roxy Owens
Shares Her Sparkle
For this design diva, it’s always party time.
Stylephile
A RISING STAR IN THE HOME DECOR BIZ,
Society Social founder Roxy Owens
says every day is worth celebrating. For
online shoppers who quickly scoop up
her bar carts and other funky creations,
this designer is red hot.
The just-turned- 30 entrepreneur grew
up in a North Carolina furniture-industry
family, and her early years were spent at
the High Point Furniture Market. After
she finished graduate school at Parsons
the New School for Design, she became a
retail fashion buyer. But all that number
crunching made her crave more creative
stimulation. So, in 2011, Owens made a
gutsy move. She left corporate America
to launch Society Social, the whimsical
home-furnishings website that inspires
shoppers to “live sparkly.”
“The Society Social look is a reflec-
tion of my youth—I grew up in a happy
home where entertaining and decorating
always went hand in hand. For me, it’s all
about sharing your home and your time
with closest friends and family,” she says.
Owens, a cocktail party aficionado,
is known as the darling of bar carts and
has been a passionate force behind the
revitalization of home entertaining.
“When I launched my business, I knew
I wanted to be the bar-cart lady. Online
bar carts were pricey, selling for $700 to
$2,000. And thrift-shop bar carts were
inexpensive, but usually in pretty bad
shape. There was no middle ground, so
I set out to fill that gap with fun, chic,
more reasonably priced styles,” she says.
Owens started her home-furnishings
line with six sassy bar-cart looks in Chinese
fretwork and lattice designs. The carts
were an instant hit, as were the super-bright Fifi folding chairs in purple, pink,
orange, blue and green. Today her inventory also includes sofas, tables, headboards,
lamps, rugs, pillows and accessories.
“I want to be a player in this industry,
so I keep my designs fresh. Once Society
Social started to grow, I realized that I am
the face of my brand. That’s what I love the
most—personally meeting the people who
identify with the company. My mom and I
went to an event, and people approached
me to say how much they connected with
the brand. Mom made me laugh when she
asked, ‘Roxy, who are all these people and
how do they know you?’” For more Roxy
Owens, visit shopsocietysocial.com and
cupofte.blogspot.com —SUSAN BRIERLY
BRIGHTEN UP YOUR DIGS WITH SOCIETY SOCIAL
FUN ON WHEELS: The Sedgewick faux-bamboo bar cart is a merry mixer with a
removable tray and wine rack; $515.
SWEET SEAT: The high-gloss Hamptons
chair is a show-stopper in the dining room or
any nook in need of pizzazz; $450 for a pair.
MUST HAVES: Rev up your sofa or bed with
two-toned, color-block pillows in luxe velvet
or textured linen trimmed in gold rope; $96.
CHIC CHICK:
Roxy Owens,
founder of Society Social, parties
in her bright–red
hostess gown.
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