Peter Lou has a passion for fashion, fabrics from Britex and dressing his wife Valerie. He has traveled extensively and while abroad has always purchased a piece of clothing or an accessory for Valerie.

Even as a child in Burma, beauty and texture figured prominently in Peter’s life and dreams. He knew he one day would have his own store and three years ago he opened a unique women’s boutique on the corner of 20^th Avenue and Lincoln Way in San Francisco’s Sunset District: Orange Caterpillar.

He chose Orange Caterpillar as the name of his store for two reasons. He realized that ten years ago only European men and women had the courage to drape themselves in orange apparel.

“Orange makes a striking statement. Men can wear any color and add an orange tie, it’s powerful. And I wanted a name that was powerful, and I chose Caterpillar because I want women to come into my store and turn into a butterfly.”

Peter seeks cutting edge designs and new designers.

“My main goal is to introduce Asian designers to the United States. I’m building a staff in Shanghai.”

Peter finds new designers in Shanghai by walking the city streets and visiting little shops along the way. He tells me other than Paris and Milan some of the best tailors in the world are in Shanghai. Together, they design clothing that has,

“An Asian touch with a twist. We use modern fabrics.”

Fusion is at play at their design table. Asian and American influences dance with each other.

Peter’s favorite fabrics are wool or a wool blend.

“They hold their shape, hang well and don’t wrinkle.”

Peter has traveled internationally and many of his favorite fabrics are from France, Italy, and Korea. He travels to Mongolia for cashmere. The designers he works with, cut, tailor and sew a maximum of three unique pieces which Peter brings back to San Francisco for sale at Orange Caterpillar.

Although the boutique is a new endeavor for Peter his background began in retail, moved to textiles and then to the Import/Export business.

Peter graduated from San Francisco State University with a business degree. Early on in his career he was recruited and worked for Emporium Capwell in the Men’s Department. He was promoted to an Assistant Buyer in the Stationary Department where he was responsible for more than paper for twenty four stores.

Another promotion took Peter to cotton as he became the Sales Representative for a textile company that produced high quality sheets, comforters and throw pillows.

The quest for continued International travel and a desire to learn the Import trade took Peter to China. For five years he traveled from San Francisco to China as as a Sales and Marketing Director for an Import Company.

We talked a little about our mutual love for Italy; the fabrics, the design the flair. He broke it down.

“Shanghai is Milan. Beijing is Rome.”

By 1998, Peter had his own home furnishing company which he sold three years ago and the dreams of his own store began to unfold.

I wanted to know if I could splurge on one item to enhance my wardrobe, what Peter would recommend.

“Accessories. A scarf, a belt a pin.”

I also wanted to know the most common fashion mistake women make.

“They mix too much. They need to keep it simple and that will make an outfit elegant.”

Peter would like women to invest smartly.

“They could buy one item from Orange Caterpillar and incorporate that into their wardrobe, with an existing basic skirt or pair of pants.”

There is a lesson.

“If women learn to accessorize they can have the same clothes and add one simple piece and create a totally new look.”

Peter reflects on his choices,

“This store is my passion and my hobby.”

And there are challenges in this business.

“This is new to me. I always believe in starting at the bottom.”

He wanted a small space and when he chose this location he knew that he could keep his prices reasonable. Peter reconstructed the space himself and purchased custom made fixtures.

“I wanted this store to be high-end, unique, and special.”

He knows this boutique does not have the luxury of foot traffic; he found a solution.

“I make the window interesting.”

He also tells me that,

“A boutique store is word of mouth. It’s like a treasure hunt.”

On this particular day, Peter’s window display reveals a mannequin dressed in a black silk coat with a sunset orange lining while an antique bird cage hangs from the ceiling.

I tell Peter, that I ordinarily don’t walk on Lincoln Way, but two friends, Ann and Jean drove by and were both enthralled with the window display and said,

“You have to go to Orange Caterpillar.”

I listened.

I tell Peter that I need something exceptional for my year end Blog party. He chooses a sea foam wool top draped with a sheer lace neckline and pewter pants.

Last week, he returned from Shanghai with my custom made pieces and I’m ready to be a butterfly.

NEXT WEEK; I'll INTRODUCE YOU TO LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER, ALEXANDRA.