One Brilliant continues to shine in Aspinwall

Erica Miller is a good listener and has style sense, helping customers to feel and look good.

“I say I am a psychologist first and a retailer second,” said the owner of One Brilliant clothing and accessories boutique in Aspinwall. “Customers want to connect. They want to talk, and sometimes they just need to vent. I feel like I am an empathetic listener. I have been with my customers through all stages of life.”

For more than two decades, Miller’s shop has been a staple on Brilliant Avenue in Aspinwall.

“Erica has been so successful because she is consistent,” said Suzanne Mauro, a stylist who designs the window displays at the boutique. “She has been a staple in that community for a very long time. People know they can trust her and know she will always be there for them. I have watched her and how she takes care of her customers. People do count on her and her consistency.”

Miller opened her first store in 2004 at 1 Brilliant Ave. She sold jewelry and accessories and then expanded to include clothing. Miller moved to the store’s current location, also on Brilliant Avenue, 11 years ago when she heard a space three times the size down the street was available.

Her customers followed.

She said she has watched her customers begin professional careers, get married, and have children and grandchildren. She helps them find the right look for a business meeting, presentations in the medical and academic fields, special occasion wear and athleisure outfits — which continue to be a big segment of the market because more people are working from home, Miller said.

She carries a brand called Varley, which features chic, luxurious fabric.

“With a lot of my customers working from home during the pandemic, they were looking for waist-up clothing for virtual meetings, since colleagues weren’t seeing the entire outfit,” Miller said. “I think more people are back in the office either full-time or on a hybrid schedule. But, even so, office attire is a little more casual.”

As a business owner, Miller said the retail world continues to change with more online shopping and making purchases via social media. She has had to adjust to those changes. Miller features merchandise on her website and will often send a customer a photo of a new item they might like when it arrives.

Her favorite part of the business is connecting with customers in person, she said. She often suggests other merchandise to try on that they might not have thought about for themselves.

She and her employees try on clothing so they know the merchandise and can make recommendations to customers.

Miller said she won’t sell something just to make a sale.

“I want it to look good on you, so you will come back,” she said. “I am a guide and will offer suggestions. I try to have lots of options.”

In addition to Varley, she carries Joseph Ribkoff, Generation Love, Central Park West, Aldo Martins, Fifteen Twenty, Liverpool, Lysse, Hale Bob, Jude Connally, Gretchen Scott and Samuel Dong.

And when folks walk or drive by, they often spot something in the window. Miller changes out the merchandise weekly and does complete changes each holiday. She said she strives to keep pricing affordable and, if something doesn’t sell in a few weeks, she moves it to the sale rack.

Mauro met Miller when she was styling television anchors and looking for retailers to partner with for clothing and accessories.

Miller is knowledgeable about the brands she carries and how they fit, Mauro said.

“Erica is amazing,” Mauro said. “We have learned from each other and supported each other. She is a mentor and has flair and an eye for fashion.”

Miller said she’s inspired by fashion from her mother. Her family owned Jaffe Department Stores in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, and her mother was a buyer.

“I love clothes and jewelry and everything about fashion,” said Miller, who worked for Albert Nipon Co., a high-end dress designer in New York City. “I want to help people look their best. I love color, and I love the change of seasons. I love sweaters and sell a lot of jackets. The street is evolving. I feel like I have been an anchor on this street. I love being near hair salons and other businesses such as coffee shops and restaurants. I have found over the years that brings more people to the area.”

One Brilliant is located at 12 Brilliant Ave., Aspinwall. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays (and by private appointment).

Details: onebrilliant.com