Animal-themed goods highlight Patricia’s Presents
If anyone were to be in search of a pillow featuring a cat wearing a pearl necklace, we know just where to send them.
Come to think of it, this Ridgefield boutique is also the place to find a pink-flamingo keychain, leopard-print foldable ballet flats, a Collie eyeglass case or a beaded foxhead pin.
And while Patricia”™s Presents has certainly made a home for the whimsical ”“ “People seem to appreciate the fact it”™s a little quirky,” owner Patricia Polk said on a recent afternoon ”“ there is more than enough room for straight-ahead sophistication.
- Patricia Polk in her Ridgefield boutique. Photo by Bob Rozycki
To that end, shoppers will delight in equestrian-themed prints by noted Woodstock, N.Y., artist Harvey Konigsberg, luxe needlepoint pillows depicting traditional fox-hunt scenes, hand-turned wooden bowls, distinctive women”™s fashions and, most notably, boldly dramatic jewelry designed by Polk herself.
The shop is a colorful destination where customers are greeted warmly by Polk, a personable blonde with a stylish flair.
The New Milford resident, a veteran of the jewelry field, has just marked a year doing business on the outskirts of town, at 199 Ethan Allen Highway.
It is the culmination of quite a journey for the New York City-raised woman, as she described.
“I grew up riding in Central Park,” she said of her earliest days on horseback.
Polk would go on to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology, specializing in merchandising. Though working in the Garment District, she never let go of a dream, one she shared with a bit of laughter.
“All I ever wanted to do was be a flight attendant,” Polk said. That whim became a temporary job that turned into a new career.
It allowed her, she said, to explore the world and gather materials and sources for her jewelry design work, creations she was showing in salons.
“That”™s what we did in New York in the ”™70s,” she said.
Her travel, though, allowed her to expand, with her company formalized in the mid-1980s and focusing on wholesale work (showcased in venues from Henri Bendel to the Smithsonian) and select shows.
But, Polk said, “Life is funny,” and her exhibiting would eventually open her up to a whole new audience.
It was in 2000 when it was suggested she exhibit at dog shows.
“The women wear jewelry. It”™s a great market,” Polk was told.
And so it began.
“The dog shows led me to pillows and all the doggy accessories, which led me to the horse shows,” she said.
She was soon a regular exhibitor at shows such as the American Gold Cup at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y., and decided to open up her own shop.
Polk, who has a beloved rescue dog herself, has found an audience attracted to the unexpected offerings with a definite nod toward all things animal-themed.
“I think it”™s a different mix,” Polk said. Indeed, one can expect horse themes to decorate everything from a wastepaper basket to a cosmetic bag to a vegan, custom-made handbag. There are elegant pillows devoted to countless dog breeds, playful notecards, coin purses, porcelain figurines and wall hangings.
One might see a flying-pig pillow, a rooster tassel or a Terrier wallet.
Many of the gifts, especially the prints, are designed purely for fun.
“Sometimes I try to leave people alone when they”™re walking around and I hear them. They”™re giggling,” she said.
Fair Trade jewelry complements Polk”™s own creations, many statement pieces with a vivid sense of artistry.
“I”™ve been really, really lucky over the years,” she said, adding she still has contacts overseas.
That allows her to source unique elements for her work.
She is also beginning to integrate garden-themed gifts and accessories, including vibrantly colored gloves.
Fashion is also part of the mix.
“I usually just do jackets and tops,” she said, noting many a woman”™s preference for a starting point of black. “There”™s like nothing here you can”™t wear with all black.”
She said many clients, especially those who ride horses or play tennis, like her fashions and accessories.
“They”™re sporty, but they can go and be dressed (up),” she said.
The customers often include those who travel the busy Route 7 corridor.
“I seem to get a lot of businessmen going back and forth,” Polk said.
Many stop by, beckoned by her filled-to-the-brim windows, and leave with neckties for themselves, gifts for their wives or bosses, or toys for the grandkids.
No matter the day, Polk said she welcomes customers of all kinds.
“The store is fun. People seem to enjoy it.”
This article was first published in WAG magazine, the Business Journal”™s sister publication.