Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Quartaro.
Holly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Fashion has always been a huge part of who I am. When I was in middle school, I had an entire notebook of fashion design sketches. In high school, I went to an entire school year without repeating the same outfit twice. Ironically, when I hit college, a career in fashion was not something I ever considered. I graduated from Texas A&M University with a BA in Marketing, a BA in German, and an International Business Certificate. Upon graduating, I was still searching for the perfect job using my German language in an international business environment.
My fiancé (now husband) had started graduate school in Dallas, so when I was offered a temporary summer position doing Public Relations and Special Events for Macy’s in Dallas, I jumped at the opportunity! I was tasked with handling all of the details pertaining to the grand opening of the Macy’s Stonebriar store, and my office was at Galleria Dallas. Once the store was open, I was asked to stay on as a Special Events and Public Relations manager for all of the Macy’s stores in Texas, a position I held for the next five years! During that time, I learned so much about the fashion world, the retail industry, event management, and about fashion in the media. I learned how to pitch relevant content to TV producers, how to work with writers to get editorial placement, and how to conduct TV interviews as an on-camera talent. But most importantly, I made some amazing connections during that time, which helped pave the way to where I am today.
In 2005, our oldest daughter was born and I resigned from Macy’s to focus on my new family as a stay-at-home mom. Almost immediately, I was presented with the opportunity to continue doing Fashion PR and still be a full-time mom, this time for Galleria Dallas! It started small (part-time, low-hours) which was perfect for me as a new mom! Fast-forward 15 (FIFTEEN!) years, and I now have three beautiful daughters and a not-so-part-time career in fashion that I love! As the Fashion & Lifestyle Director for Galleria Dallas, I get to work with the media to talk about fashion and an amazing collection of retailers to feature their merchandise!
In addition to my position with Galleria Dallas, I have also become very involved with Fashion Group International (FGI) of Dallas, which is a non-profit professional networking organization, and the largest chapter outside of NYC. As a Regional Director of the Board of Directors, I stay very involved with the thriving Dallas fashion community as a whole! Through the many connections I have made in industry over the years, I have also been blessed with additional opportunities to do fashion styling for photo shoots, magazine covers, celebrities and personal clients as well.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My career path has been somewhat unconventional, but always very organic. I feel like the path has unfolded the way it was supposed to, and feel very fortunate to be able to do something that I love, work with so many creative and talented people, and still have the autonomy and time flexibility that is so important to me as a mom. I work closely with the media, with the Galleria marketing department and the center’s public relations agency, Shiroma Southwest. The people I work with have become like family, and the Galleria is absolutely my home away from home.
Because of that family environment, the changes have been the most challenging. It is hard when someone moves on to another position and the ‘family’ has to adapt and grow. However, that has also been incredibly gratifying, as I have developed a fantastic network of fashion and marketing professionals across the country.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Galleria Dallas Story. Tell us more about your work.
Of course, everyone is familiar with Galleria Dallas! The shopping center is a north Texas treasure, and offers one of the most iconic shopping experiences in the city. In my role as the Fashion & Lifestyle Director, I serve as the ambassador and spokesperson for the famed shopping center! As such, I get to promote the styles and fashions available at the wide selection of retailers, and serve as a resource to the public through a variety of media channels.
I am most proud of trust that people place in me, knowing I will always give them my best. My media friends know they can count on me to deliver a quality TV segment or provide them with the content they need. My retail partners trust me to represent their brand well, showcase their products in a positive way, and always take care of the merchandise they place in my care. In that same vein, the level of trust placed in me by personal styling clients is a source of pride and mutual respect. I love my career for many reasons, especially because it feels like a hybrid of work and play! I get to use my marketing background and my years of public relations experience combined with and my love of fashion and shopping… talk about a win-win!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
There are quite a few new and exciting changes on the horizon and I am looking forward to sharing them with North Texas!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.galleriadallas.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @hollyquartaro
- Facebook: Holly Quartaro
- Twitter: @MyStyleHQ
- Other: @galleriadallas
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