Helping women gain employment and economic independence is the mission of Dress for Success New Orleans (DFSNO), which helps over 400 clients annually and serves the community as a vital resource. The organization’s mission pairs well with that of California Closets, a company that believes in “Designing Better Lives.” Together, these two organizations are helping transform people’s futures as they also transform their spaces.
Having received a generous grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation for an expanded hospitality section of their showroom, DFSNO sought help early this year from California Closets, who had recently supported
the Junior League and whose expertise is organization and design.
While California Closets is best known for their beautifully designed and stylish closet and custom storage solutions, they also work with commercial and retail entities with unique spaces that call for more than a prefabricated solution. The company collaborates with clients, measuring, designing, and building out spaces that solve clients’ larger issues.
“We love the impact Dress for Success New Orleans has on this community and the organization’s ability to help people take control of their future,” says Joe Lindenmayer, Owner of California Closets. “Our team was eager to help,” he says.
Despite the hospitality industry coming to a grinding halt due to COVID-19, DFSNO and California Closets forged ahead with the showroom project and partnership, knowing that the need for hospitality
services will soon return.
In redesigning DFSNO’s downtown New Orleans showroom space, California Closets has expanded the displays of donated professional wear and offered the clients of DFSNO a more glamorous “shopping” experience.
“We were honored to work on this with the Dress for Success team,” says Regan Zibilich, California Closets’ Lead Designer on the project. “I just love how transformative this was for their showroom.”
According to Brianna Reddeman, Director of Programs for DFSNO, the project is a dream come true for her organization, its clients, and volunteers.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with California Closets and for their generosity, donating not only time and skill butnalso $5,000 towards the buildout,” says Reddeman. “Every woman who walks through our doors deserves to feel empowered—it’s about more than just a suit, it’s that feeling of confidence that they can go out and be successful,” she says.
According to Lindenmayer, this was just the first step in an ongoing partnership—California Closets now plans to support the resupply of clothing for DFSNO by receiving donations from clients purging or
re-organizing their space.
For more information, please contact Dress for Success New Orleans at neworleans.dressforsuccess.org and California Closets at CaliforniaClosets.com.
