Fans of Chris Simmonds' adamas boutique in Norfolk's Ghent are still reeling from its closure. The uber-hip fashion house took a bow in late January, and Simmonds forged on to pursue a nonfashion-related business interest.
Adamas and its spinoff, Haute inside Wall's Fine Art, were among my favorite spots to buy local or original jewelry at affordable prices. Haute is history, too.

CHESAPEAKE Jessica Maul admits she had an obsession with children's clothing that was overtaking her home. That's when it occurred to her that she could turn her passion into a business. Maul and her husband, Casi, opened Tiaras and Toads, a completely kid-friendly baby and children's resale shop in Greenbrier last October.

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Kim Wilcox's graciousness and humility belie the power she has to bring characters to life through wardrobe.
Wilcox, a Virginia Beach native, is a costume designer who has built a super-career in film, television, theater and print. Her work as an assistant costume designer is credited in the recent film "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant.

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Walk along New York City's Greene Street and you just might run into Ken Trinder, toting a surfboard. The Norfolk resident has been driving his custom-made surfboards from his industrial Portsmouth work space to Manhattan's trendy SoHo neighborhood since December.

The fashion marketing classes at Kellam and First Colonial high schools are participating in the Hurley Walk the Walk 2010 fashion design competition. The competition is described as “Friday Night Football” meets “Project Runway.”

VIRGINIA BEACH The fashion marketing classes at Kellam and First Colonial high schools are participating in the Hurley Walk the Walk 2010 fashion design competition. The competition is described as "Friday Night Football" meets "Project Runway. "

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The back-to-back winter wallops we received have cemented my regret at throwing away the rugged snow boots that were a must when I lived in Ohio. And silly me, somewhere along the way, I also let go of my combat boots.