Effervescent, bubbly, & a big ball of energy is Susan Graver! I remember the first time I worked with her. There was no stopping her. Her passion for fashion, prints, & YOU came through at every turn. I absolutely adored her for it. It’s incredible that for more than 20 years she hasn’t slowed down, gotten bored, or lost her zing! I’ve always wondered that if I could transport “High School Student Susan” to the here and now, would I meet the very same girl? I’ll let you decide…
When we sat down to chat a few weeks ago, she brought with her the very beginnings of her career...print ads from major department stores, catalogs, and more. But here’s where we started…
SG: This was QVC’s annual report from 1993. It was record-breaking when I went on air for the first time. There was an avalanche of calls. It was crazy!
NH: What was the item that caused such a frenzy?!
SG: My collection of micro fiber silk/like designs.
NH: You were having great success with the major department stores & catalogs at the time. What was it like to put all that behind you to sign an exclusive contract with QVC?
SG: I thought, okay, I’ll try it. We’ll see what happens. I can always go back. Here it is 23 years later, & it looks like it’s working! (laughs)
NH: Where did you get the nickname “Dottie” Graver?
SG: My dot designs were the number 1 item in a luxury department store’s By Mail catalog, they gave me really great positioning and I was featured in their catalog every season. After that, every major department store and specialty store literally came into my showroom asking me to design a “dot" collection for them. And that’s how I got the nickname “Dottie” Graver.
NH: Tell me about your first TSV?
SG: This is a funny story because QVC loved a jacket I had designed for a major department store and wanted it as a TSV. It was very colorful and became known at the Q as the “clown jacket”. It was a fully-lined, cotton twill jacket. And it was all about blocks of color. It was really fun, bold, and cheerful! Anyway, it was funny that everyone was suddenly so nervous about the “clown jacket”. (laughs) I really felt strongly about it, especially with an amazing price point. And we sold out at midnight!
NH: How did you get chosen for the cover of Income Opportunity?
SG: Isn’t that hysterical?! Okay, well, this was 1994. My mother-in-law, Audrey Graver (she and I work closely together designing my collection) and I developed a whole line of poly-silks. A line with the look and feel of luxury silk; but, it was machine washable! It was really one of the hottest lines going, & we (QVC) couldn’t keep it in stock. Because Income Opportunity knew of me and because QVC was an up & comer, they wanted to hear about my experience with the company. They did a whole write up about us (QVC & me). Wow!
NH: You frequently say, “Everything old is new again” in fashion.
SG: Yes. I designed big shirts in gauze, velvet skirts, boucle fleece, & rompers (now called jumpsuits). I designed big, bold, bright prints as well as color-blocking and monochromatic themes, which are all important trends for 2013! So, you see, everything old IS new again!
NH: So, you’re an author?
SG: Yes, I wrote a book called It’s a Fit. I used to do a monthly mailer with QVC. (We actually had a fan club for the mailer.) The book piggybacked on the idea of the mailer. It was all about fashion and building a wardrobe.
NH: Do you ever think about bringing it back?
SG: We have. But, of course, we’d want to modernize it & change the name! “It’s a Fit”, was actually a bad name for the book. It did really well at QVC, but not at the big bookstores. When I went to look for the book in the stores, I was like “where’s my book?!” (laughs). I would find it in the physical fitness section, not the fashion section. So, if I ever re-vamped my book, I wouldn’t call it, “It’s a Fit”. (laughs). But it was a great book.
NH: I want to switch gears to hear about your upbringing, family & what you were like as a kid.
SG: Sure. I grew up in a small town on Long Island, called Levittown. I was there until I was, maybe 13, then we moved to another town on the island. I’ve lived on Long Island my whole life. In college I majored in Art & Psychology and was always into fashion and art. I was constantly painting, sketching, and drawing. My mom told a story about me when I was about 5. She said I drew a girl and her outfit on one side of the paper. But what was amazing was that I drew the back of her, too - on the other side of the paper (laughs). So, when you turned over the page you would see what the back of her outfit looked like.
NH: Do you still have it?
SG: I don’t. My mother had had it for years, but I couldn't find it after she passed away. She would always show it to me. It was so funny at such a young age that I would think, to turn it over and draw the back of the girl.
NH: Did you at least take a picture with it?
SG: No, we don’t have it at all. Maybe my brother has it, I’ll ask him.
NH: How many kids are there?
SG: Just me and my brother. And we’ve always been really close.
NH: What was it like growing up?
SG: I had a fun-loving, easy, wonderful, childhood. The town we lived in was small & one of the first of it's kind. In the 50’s Levittown was built to offer affordable housing for the men coming home from war. It was a wonderful neighborhood of young families and lots of kids. We would ride our bikes up and down the streets all day long and play outdoors until dark.
NH: How about school?
SG: I loved school, & I loved playing with my friends.
NH: What kinds of things did you do?
SG: I played the clarinet, piano, loved to sing, took ballet, a little gymnastics, and I was a cheerleader. But, mainly, I was passionate about drawing, painting and fashion.
NH: Did you ever take any art classes?
SG: No, not as a child, I did it all on my own. I was always into fashion and my dolls. I would dress my dolls and I would make them clothing. Even my mother used to knit little outfits for them. Because I was so into sewing and creating, my parents bought me my first sewing machine when I was 12 years old.
NH: What was the hardest piece of clothing you ever made?
SG: I did a fully lined peplum jacket, with covered buttons. It had shoulder pads with poofs that were difficult to sew.
NH: Did you use a pattern?
SG: I did.
NH: I used to love to sew, especially when I got into high school. I made dance dresses. But the most difficult piece I made was a fully lined suit in plaid. I had to match up the plaid!
SG: That is a huge undertaking, matching the plaid!
NH: It was! (laughs) I feel like you’ve been the same person your whole life. Do you still keep in touch you’re your childhood friends?
SG: Yes, my son David just got married. My friends of 40 years were there to celebrate with us. So, yeah, I have a lot of close friends that I’ve kept over the years.
NH: Tell me about your children.
SG: I have three wonderful children, Michael-29, David-27, and my daughter Jaclyn will be 25 in June.
NH: Are they close?
SG: They are. They are all very different, but all close. They are great kids. I’m very fortunate. My family is my lifeline.
NH: How did you manage motherhood & a career?
SG: As a working mom, I worked through all of my children. At the time of Michael’s birth (my first), I was working for a pant manufacturer. I took a three month leave and went right back to work. I didn't like that I had to be in the office at 8 in the morning until 8 at night. After working about a year with a new baby, I started my own business where I designed, manufactured and marketed my own designs. With my own business, I came and went when I wanted & brought Michael with me when I could. It was nice! However, shortly after opening my business, I became pregnant with my second child (laughs). With David, I literally only took 4 weeks off and went back to work, and then 2 years later did the same with Jaclyn. It was intense, both physically and mentally. There was a lot of pressure running my own business and being responsible for everything.
NH: Did you have help?
SG: I had a great support system with my husband Richard, my mom, and my mother and father-in-law. It was very hard in the beginning. One of the reasons I got pregnant was that my father had passed away and I felt so empty and lonely. I had a hole inside of me that had to be filled. My husband was in his first year of law school; so, we knew I would have to go back to work if I got pregnant. We talked about waiting; but, there was no way of waiting for me. Three months later I got pregnant with our first child. Of course, we named him, Michael, in honor of my Dad.
NH: It seems you didn’t set out to be a star, but set out to take care of your family.
SG: Yes, exactly! It’s not like I wanted to be this super designer. I was basically trying to make ends meet. I was working hard, morning through night, supporting my family and doing what was best for them and me. My family has always come first.
NH: What advice would you give a woman who wants to start her own business? She has the vision, but no money, no time, and kids.
SG: Go with your vision. Stay true to yourself. If you have vision, passion, and drive, just go with it. Whatever decision you make, you just have to go with the flow. I always say you have to be a stream because a rock goes nowhere. Just ride the wave. Don’t let obstacles get in your way. I’ve learned that when you are most fearful and when you push through that fear, that’s when you move forward. My advice: just keep pushing forward. Life is so short, do what you have to do and be passionate. My passion for fashion and connecting with my viewers drives me everyday.
NH: What do you love most about QVC?
SG: I am a people person. So, my favorite part about QVC is connecting with other women. I’m very active on my QVC Facebook page. I just love hearing from our customers!
NH: Because you’re a girlfriend!
SG: Yes, because I’m a girlfriend!! (laughs)
I hope you enjoyed this interview! I will be doing an interview with one of our beloved guests once per month. Please send in suggestions if you’d like.
Nancy