
to Throwing Fits on Substack. Our interview with Lori Hirshleifer is family business. Lori—owner and womenswear buyer of Hirshleifers—was kind enough to grant us an audience at her family’s namesake store on Long Island for a regal chat on her...
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James
You are no dummy, but you're kind of acting like one.
Lawrence
You used to crush it in school.
James
Outsmarting opponents on the field.
Lawrence
And now. Well, you're still smart, but not exactly challenging yourself.
James
You could be advancing nuclear engineering in.
Lawrence
The world's most powerful navy. You were born for it.
James
So make the smart choice. You can be smart, or you could be nuke smart. Become a nuclear engineer@navy.com nukesmart America's Navy.
Lawrence
Forged by the Sea Throw gang. We are joined by the retail regal, the shop shaman, the grand dame of the family dynasty. Call her flex on mobile how she's selling this gas you limited she a lifer not cartel but her product got you blowing bags the grand dame of the department the brand list put the bands on wrist she respect with the power of a rack is she know what she doing? Oh, you're not with her lifers. How about you, Hersh Life fit these nuts in your mouth, the cold talk you up? That's a Long island iced tea she keeps alive on the 495. That's no lie. You a five or six? She 516 your ass. No, Cloudy, she run Nassau County. She run in the shop called a field. And rack me she got that dog in her now the Birkin's barking queen of the chrome store got nothing but smackers. Call that a Hershey kiss. Must be a tree how she stacked these rings and you pine for her furs and the art got the walnuts. Owner and women's wear by Herschelifers, Laurie Hersh. Life or Laurie, how the hell are you?
Lori Herschleifer
Wow, that was something.
Lawrence
Thanks.
Lori Herschleifer
Nicely done. I'm good, thank you.
Lawrence
Good. Thank you so much for having us in. We're currently in the Zen den in the bowels of the Hirsch lifer empire.
Lori Herschleifer
Indeed we are.
James
This is real hospitality. Thank you again, Lori. We don't normally tr. We will travel to people, but normally we're like, you got to come to us. But for you, anything, whatever.
Lori Herschleifer
So kind of you.
Lawrence
We got a congestion pricing.
James
The first thing we want to do, Lori, is a little fit check. Okay, so you want to walk through everything that you wore today to podcast that you also posted already to Instagram. Thank you for that free promo for us. Where would you like to begin? You are wearing a lot of clothing.
Lori Herschleifer
I am too much. You think?
James
No, you never. I would say more.
Lori Herschleifer
Okay, we could start with the feet. I'm wearing Celine Timberlands from, I'm not sure what year, but quite a few years back.
James
Those are not regular butters. Those Are Eddie Slimond Butters.
Lawrence
Yeah, those are. Those are grass fed butters.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly. I'm wearing comsy socks.
Lawrence
Oh.
Lori Herschleifer
A Chanel skirt. Pleated skirt, which I think was from the air port collection. I'm not positive.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
An R13 denim shirt. A vintage Van Morrison tea. My favorite.
James
Is he. Oh, that's your number one.
Lori Herschleifer
My number one.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Always has been.
James
That's a great choice.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Do you have a lot of vintage band tees?
Lori Herschleifer
I have a bunch. My daughter in law keeps buying them for me, so I'm collecting.
James
Do you know when she buys them for you? Do you have to like know the artist for you to wear it?
Lori Herschleifer
Kind of. Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Has to mean something because that's like.
James
The argument where it's like, name five.
Lawrence
Songs you can name. Name Brown Eyed Girl.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
That's all I know in there.
Lawrence
Yeah. I'm not wearing my Van Mor. Okay. What about the. What about the accessories? Where. Where do we even begin?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, that would take a lot of time.
Lawrence
Let's do broad stro. Let's start with the watch.
Lori Herschleifer
Maybe the watch is a vintage Rolex.
James
Gorgeous.
Lori Herschleifer
I always wear these four chrome hearts bracelets. They don't come off. I sleep with these. These don't come off.
Lawrence
Why are they so special?
Lori Herschleifer
I've been collecting them for years and they just. They're perfect. I just love them.
Lawrence
Yes, they are.
James
Are they.
Lori Herschleifer
They're my uniform.
James
Are they from like the 80s 90s?
Lori Herschleifer
The silver one might be from the 90s, but the rest of them are definitely later. Okay, this is the newest one I got.
James
Are you gonna add more?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't think so.
James
Oh, really?
Lori Herschleifer
Four is the perfect number on this wrist.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
It was three for a really long time.
Lawrence
The final four, the fab four.
James
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
And then this hand has horse and boost and Shambhala, Nadine Gosin and others. Oh, Darius.
Lawrence
Shout out Darius.
James
Yeah, we love Darius.
Lawrence
Doing it big.
James
I don't know who that is.
Lawrence
What about the rings?
Lori Herschleifer
The rings are Horse and boost and Darius. Chrome hearts. Ellie Halili. I don't remember no hamburger uniform objects today.
Lawrence
The knuckles are dancing.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm not wearing my hamburger today.
James
That's the coolest.
Lori Herschleifer
It is.
James
Is that sold as a set?
Lori Herschleifer
It is.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
It's intentionally.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Burger.
Lori Herschleifer
Got it. Ye. Yeah.
Lawrence
You have a little. You have a little bag on. Didn't realize that.
Lori Herschleifer
A little Chanel crossbody.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
Oh, what goes in there?
Lori Herschleifer
Not telling.
Lawrence
Oh, okay. And necklaces. Like, what are we. What designers are we working with here?
Lori Herschleifer
Okay, so this is savon okay. From Istanbul. This is Snoopy. I love Snoopy.
Lawrence
That's your number one?
Lori Herschleifer
That's my number one big Charles Schultz guy.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
We had a dog named Snoopy as well.
James
There we go.
Lori Herschleifer
It's vintage. My husband found it for me and I wear it every day. And then little charm necklace.
Lawrence
Love it. Nice.
Lori Herschleifer
Thank you.
James
The shades, the spectacles.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Mascot.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Always, always.
James
Classic New York institution.
Lori Herschleifer
Only wear lemtosh.
Lawrence
What outerwear did you wear today, if anything?
Lori Herschleifer
I wore a vintage Saint Laurent bag jacket. Not back.
Lawrence
And you're sipping on a bottle of Fiji water. Oh, what about the anklet? I noticed that when you're showing us the. The Celines.
Lori Herschleifer
Well, I do the anklets.
Lawrence
The anklets, Yes.
Lori Herschleifer
I do wear a bunch of anklets, but unfortunately they have to be covered in the sock today, so.
Lawrence
Oh, really?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
That's how it is. We're going to talk. We're going to go fully into the jewels and the chrome and everything, but we're going to get into the meat and potatoes of the only Podcast Matters. Now that we've completed the fit check and the drink check. Lori, weight wise, in pounds or kilos, how much jewelry are you wearing on any average day?
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, that's a good one.
James
You're never supposed to ask a woman.
Lori Herschleifer
Her weight, but for jewels, for Jules, I'll tell. Maybe £4.
Lawrence
Do you have, like, strong ass shoulders? Like what?
Lori Herschleifer
I've been lifting weights for quite some time.
Lawrence
Yeah, that's the reason you got heavy. You must listen to Metallica because you have heavy metal on the wrists.
James
Yeah, this is offsetting this. The scoliosis that you're also giving yourself by lifting weights.
Lawrence
I see is the chrome. So you do sleep with the chrome on?
Lori Herschleifer
I sleep with the chrome on.
Lawrence
Anything else like that must be such a process.
Lori Herschleifer
It's not really. I sleep with the diamond one here, and this one is hard to get off, and the horse and booth and the rest comes off.
Lawrence
Is it a nightmare going through TSA at the airport?
Lori Herschleifer
It's gotten better.
James
They know you.
Lori Herschleifer
They know me.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I think they have my picture up on the wall there. She's coming again.
Lawrence
It's also better. Maybe that's, you know, reason to fly private.
Lori Herschleifer
Right? Yeah.
James
Good excuse.
Lawrence
What do you think? I busted out All I stack in. Call me Jimmy. Three stacks. What. What do we. How would you rate this?
Lori Herschleifer
I love the diamonds.
Lawrence
Thank you. They're very Cards of diamonds. They're not true stones and.
Lori Herschleifer
Or mess.
Lawrence
No, that is Evita Studio. She was selling it out of the back of a U Haul.
James
Yeah. Now she's about to get sued.
Lawrence
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Oh, well, this is Bottega. The maroon one, or you.
Lori Herschleifer
I was talking about the chain. Yeah, but I do love the Bottega.
Lawrence
Thanks. Woodbury Common Outlets. I don't know if you're familiar, very.
James
Familiar, with how the other half lives.
Lori Herschleifer
Can't say I've ever. I've never been.
James
We were surprised that this is like.
Lawrence
Where we are now. Yeah, right.
James
This shopping situation is.
Lori Herschleifer
Shopping center.
James
Shopping center. Strip mall.
Lori Herschleifer
No, no shopping center.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Strip mall. It's. How dare you?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, I mean, technically they used to be called strip malls.
Lawrence
Shopping center.
James
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Also, if it's okay, I'm going to slowly peel these off, because I'm not. I don't have the. The. The lats like you do. I don't have the back muscles and the posterior chain.
Lori Herschleifer
So it's to pull all this off. They're killing you.
Lawrence
Y.
James
But this is amazing. This is like the most impressive lineup.
Lori Herschleifer
It is, right?
James
Chanel, Cinelli, Hirschleifers. Prada. I'm just naming it. Well, obviously Hirsch Lifers.
Lawrence
But do you.
James
Is there what's like the healthy competition amongst all of these amazing retailers?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't think that there really is competition. We're. We're a multi brand store. So unless you're going to Prada because you know you want something from Prada, you. Multi brands gives you. He's really pulling it off.
Lawrence
I need some real quick. My figures have gotten fatter. I haven't worn these in a while. I got gout.
James
So people are coming to. It's. This is a destination shop.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly.
James
Got it. Okay, so no. So we're all friends here.
Lori Herschleifer
We're all friends.
James
Great.
Lori Herschleifer
We shop at all the stores in the center.
Lawrence
There's no like side eye. Like you're not going for the best parking spot. And someone from Cuccinelli's like, look, that was my spot.
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Okay, good, good. Yeah. How long have we been in the house? Because I know that Hirsch Lifers started in Brooklyn.
Lori Herschleifer
In Brooklyn in 1905. And then you. Grandfather.
Lawrence
Suburbs.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, exactly. And then my grandfather joined the business and they moved to Forest Hills in Queens.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
And then we were. We got. We opened in Manhasset probably 60 years ago.
Lawrence
Wow.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. When the shopping center was very different.
Lawrence
In this location.
Lori Herschleifer
In this location.
Lawrence
Shit.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
It's crazy.
Lawrence
It's history right here.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Was this the first then, like anchor? Kind of like high end, like, like store. Okay, so it all Started with you.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Basically, there were only discount stores in this center. There was learner shops, bakers. There was a movie theater, La Crepe.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
You remember French.
James
And now it's just LVMH and carry.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly. Still French.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
I want to go back to the jewels real quick. What kind of jewelry? As I shed it all. What kind of jewelry do you like on men?
Lori Herschleifer
I like the same jewelry that I'm wearing. My husband has a full stack on.
Lawrence
Really?
Lori Herschleifer
Huh.
Lawrence
Do you take credit or hear people give you credit for kind of like being a trendsetter with the maximalist, but in a way where it's not just putting all the shit you want on like I am, but in a way that makes sense. And it's like cohesive and thematic. It's thematic. There's a through line.
Lori Herschleifer
Right. People often ask on Instagram if I can show them a stacking video or how a how to and where to start and how to grow. So, yeah, it's pretty crazy that that has happened.
James
There are methods of the madness or is it just feels right in your heart?
Lori Herschleifer
I think it's more feels right in my heart.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
That's taste.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Can't teach taste.
Lori Herschleifer
True. But you people can learn.
James
Yeah. They spend also.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes, exactly. Yeah.
Lawrence
Is this chrome piece from the. What we say, the 90s? Is that your first, like, investment jewelry?
Lori Herschleifer
We had chrome hearts. We carried chrome hearts. Maybe one of their first stores.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Like, way more than 30 years ago. So it might have been back then.
Lawrence
Oh, you learned about chrome hearts from Migos.
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
And every other rapper.
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
And it's a huge seller for you guys.
Lori Herschleifer
Huge. Yes.
Lawrence
You, like, you're saying it flies off the shelves. I was like, what the hell are those? The Some more pokers sticks. Oh, yeah. How many of those have you sold this year?
Lori Herschleifer
Probably a bunch.
James
Oh, my. Okay. I might pick up a pair on my way out.
Lori Herschleifer
I think you should.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
To go with your ring.
James
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. Lori did approve my sword sort of store. A low to high purchase from Aspen.
Lori Herschleifer
Thank you, Lori.
Lawrence
What's your actual job like day to day at Hirsch Lifers, besides just being awesome on social media?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, we do all the buying, my niece and I, Marcy and I do all the buying for women's and jewelry and shoes, not men's, which takes a bunch of time. I also love to be on the sales floor.
James
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
So I spend a lot of time upstairs.
James
What kind of salesman are you? Are you pushy?
Lori Herschleifer
Never.
Lawrence
No.
James
Are you, like, laying in the cut and pop out.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm almost brutally honest.
Lawrence
Oh, no, you don't want that.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
That's too expensive. You might want to size up. Okay, well, we saw you, like, you were, like, straightening the picture. Always, like, tweaking the furniture. Because the store is your baby.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
In addition to your baby working, it's like home.
Lori Herschleifer
So, you know, you want everything to be perfect. You want people to walk in and see beauty.
Lawrence
And what's your favorite little nook in the store?
Lori Herschleifer
That's hard. I love Chanel. I love being in Chanel. I like in the closets behind them where you see all the hidden merchandise.
Lawrence
Oh, like. Like where we are now.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yeah. I like receiving. Love receiving.
Lawrence
Right. Do you ever, you know, little. Little finders, little buyer's fee, you know, a little buyer's tax, like. Oh, I'll. Don't mind if I do.
Lori Herschleifer
When.
Lawrence
When stuff come. When the shipments come in.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Hell, yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
You're placing, receiving. I'm opening the boxes.
James
The personal order.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
What sets Hirsch Lifers apart from other department stores?
Lori Herschleifer
I think we're very different just because we're family and there's so much history and so much. We're really involved. We're not just buyers. We're not. We all do everything.
James
Right.
Lawrence
Fucking name on the door. You got to.
Lori Herschleifer
We do. We do everything from. I mean, there's nothing I would have someone else do that I wouldn't do.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
And I think that's how the whole family feels, and that's why it works so well.
Lawrence
Are you. Are you, like, mopping the floors in the bathrooms after hours? If.
Lori Herschleifer
If that's what it takes, 100%.
Lawrence
With the Chrome on.
James
Chrome mop.
Lawrence
Do you have a chrome mop?
James
My mop.
Lawrence
Chrome. Do you have a chrome mop?
Lori Herschleifer
I do not. I have a toilet plunger, though.
Lawrence
Oh, you have that?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Is that the wackiest chrome accessory you own?
Lori Herschleifer
I have a pizza cutter.
James
Have any of these been used?
Lori Herschleifer
Not the plunger.
James
It's fun. It's supposed to be functional.
Lawrence
But the pizza cutter.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, we have used a pizza. Yeah.
Lawrence
That's awesome.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. I have a potato peeler.
Lawrence
They have a chrome potato peeler.
Lori Herschleifer
That was a gift one year. Yeah.
James
Wow. That's a gift.
Lawrence
Yeah. Do you have, like, the. A beanbag or the chrome car?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Okay. But you're a collector of the chrome, like, ephemera.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes. Love.
Lawrence
Do you get one every year? Like, what's the process?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, this year, this. A lot of the gifting is some of these Pieces.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
This year was a doorstop.
Lawrence
Oh, that's right. We saw that.
James
Yeah. What are the Starks like?
Lori Herschleifer
They're wonderful.
James
Yeah. Is it. Do you find a kinship with them? Because it's, again, like a family business.
Lori Herschleifer
And we've been together so long.
James
That's like the connective tissue there. There's a mutual respect.
Lori Herschleifer
Absolutely. Yeah.
James
That's amazing.
Lori Herschleifer
They really have limited their business. I mean, smartly. Have kept their business so limited. And that's why it's growing and continue growing, why everyone wants it so badly. So.
James
Right. Restrictive supply.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Only increases demand. I went to college.
Lawrence
Shout out eggs. Price of eggs.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly.
Lawrence
Okay. Yeah. Oh, simple. Yes or no. Is Herschleifers the best store in the world?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
James
Oh, you're ready to pop your shit.
Lawrence
The last great department store.
Lori Herschleifer
That's right.
Lawrence
Called Right in America. Earned.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Fact, fact, fact.
James
I think the history speaks for itself.
Lori Herschleifer
Right.
Lawrence
Legacy.
Lori Herschleifer
This is legacy.
James
How much do you think about that? Like, when you're at night and you still have some bracelets on because they can't come off, are you thinking about, like, you know, what your family has done? Like, is that something that you actively think about?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. And you think about the fifth generation and what's going to be with them and how they're going to grow the business and focus after we're not here. And it's pretty incredible that it's made it this long.
James
Is there a succession plan? Like, have you thought about, like, if you would ever retire? Just love the game too much.
Lori Herschleifer
We talk about it, but I'm not ready to retire. I live like four minutes from here. I'm here almost every. Exactly.
Lawrence
Some pictures that need.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm here almost every day, and I would miss it too much.
James
Right.
Lawrence
Was there a moment early on when you and your two sisters inherited the business? And when exactly was that?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, my dad passed away. Rob was 13. So 20 years ago.
Lawrence
Okay, so 20 years ago, when you and your sisters inherited the business, were there any moments where you really struggled and maybe wondered, like, if you could carry the legacy?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes, very much so. Our parents did not really want to take the time to teach us, so it was kind of, you're on your own, you know, when we're not here, you'll figure it out. So we didn't really have a choice. You know, it was. It was sink or swim. So we just.
James
We did that trial by fire, like, on purpose.
Lori Herschleifer
I think it was a generational thing. It was just like they.
Lawrence
Yeah, the silent generation. Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
They didn't. They didn't want to share. They didn't. They didn't want to share. They didn't want to teach. Although they did teach me. I traveled with my parents, and my mom was the buyer, and my dad was always with her, so I traveled with them. I guess I learned that from my mom and dad.
James
But, like, by observing, just.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Osmosis, right?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, sort of.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
But as far as running the business, there was. They gave us nothing.
James
But you broke that generational trauma with your kids 100%.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
And your family.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes. And we all. Yes.
Lawrence
Was there, like, a specific challenge you remember from early on? Just be like, how the. Are we going to keep the lights on next week?
James
We.
Lori Herschleifer
We. The three of us sat down one day and said, we're not sure we can make this work, but there you go. We just. We just did it.
Lawrence
How do you decide. How do you decide kind of how to divvy up the work? Because I know you are, like, merchandising. You started out merchandising and buying, which you still do. Another sister was kind of like operations.
Lori Herschleifer
And people manage the older sister.
Lawrence
Right. And then.
Lori Herschleifer
And Karen, the middle sister, is an attorney, and she does all our everything in house. Legal problem in our house. Exactly.
Lawrence
So that was. Okay. So that was pretty clear what the middle sister was gonna do. Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
And Shelly was always interested in operations, and I was only interested in buying, so it could have worked out.
James
Spending cash.
Lawrence
Thank God you weren't also injured in operations.
Lori Herschleifer
Otherwise, that's the shop.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Damn.
James
What, Shelley?
Lawrence
What's it. What's a task that you had to take on in the early days that now that everything's cruising at, you know, 35,000ft, you're so happy. Is like, in the rearview mirror that.
Lori Herschleifer
I don't have to do it anymore. Probably be the direct sales associate with. With a client.
Lawrence
Really?
Lori Herschleifer
I really don't want to do that anymore. I like to be the person who comes in, fluffs.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
You know, say it's perfect. It's not perfect. I mean, again, brutally honest. But I don't. That was hard.
Lawrence
And your niece is more client, right?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yes.
James
What's. How big of a part of the business is that? That, like, vip? One on one.
Lori Herschleifer
Tremendous. Oh, yeah, tremendous.
James
More so than just like, the normal foot traffic that comes in and out?
Lori Herschleifer
No, not more.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
But they. They have a huge client base.
Lawrence
What do you have to do to become a vip?
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Is it like, amount spent, or is it like, yo, Jimmy and Larry are pulling up.
Lori Herschleifer
It could be anything.
James
Okay. So we're VIPs now. It's on the record.
Lori Herschleifer
It's on the record. You just have to go upstairs and buy something, and then you're done.
Lawrence
Okay, okay. Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
You know, like, what's the cheapest thing?
Lawrence
Yeah. How do we price. It's the comc. I did this. It's a comc. Socks.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Well, fantastic sauce.
James
Yes. Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
So good.
Lawrence
Yeah. When you did take over the business, what, 20. 20 years ago.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
What were some of the biggest changes and risks that you guys took to adapt to the 21st century? Because that's like, most retail and department stores have gone the way the dinosaur. You guys not only have survived, but have, like, thrived. Credit to you guys. What did you do to adapt?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, my dad had always said, we were doing what we're doing, and I wanted to bring in shoes, we wanted to bring in other things. And he kept saying, no, that's not. We're going to focus on what we focus on. So we just went at it and went every direction. We increased our Chanel buys, we added shoes, we added. There's nothing we don't carry. Now, where before, it was basically a simple red. Not simple. I don't mean to say it that way, but it was a ready to wear store, and now it's a department store.
Lawrence
Was your dad like, the Internet? That's a fad. Over in two seconds.
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know about that.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
So he was a early E tail.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
E Commerce. Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
And this is just you trusting your gut then. And you're like, we just. You and your sister's like, we think this is what will work. And you kind of just like, cross your fingers.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, kind of. It was just. Yeah. It just felt right. And it was the time and it was that we couldn't continue to do just what we were doing. We were in the evening wear business, Right. Forever we were known for Mother of the Bride gowns. It was like, no, I can't look at another Mother of the Bride gown. One of my first encounters when I worked, I started in the Forest Hill store. And my dad, there was this gown room. Huge. It was like three times the size of this and all these beaded numbers lined up from Bob Mackie and all these, like, famous designers. And my dad made me taken up and show gowns, and I was like, this is ridiculous. This is not gonna happen. And so it haunted me for years.
James
Really?
Lori Herschleifer
I didn't make this.
Lawrence
I have to zip her up another gown.
Lori Herschleifer
Another Bugle bead. My God.
James
So it's part intuition and then part just being fed up.
Lori Herschleifer
Cannot continue. It just seem. It was. It seemed old fashioned, you know, Right time for us.
Lawrence
You already. And you felt that?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Immediately.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
What about men's? When did men's. Was. Has men's always been a part of Hershey's or did you kind of.
Lori Herschleifer
Actually. Right. When he joined the business, he opened her Schleifers Men's. I don't. I couldn't possibly tell you what year it was.
Lawrence
Did you guys meet working on the job?
Lori Herschleifer
No, we met at Syracuse, actually. He was a freshman, I was a sophomore, but we.
Lawrence
The Paris of New York.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, yes.
James
Oh, he was. Wait, you. He was a freshman, you were a sophomore?
Lori Herschleifer
But we didn't really. Yes, we didn't. We didn't really meet. He knew who I was, and then his best friend's mom set us up.
James
Your reputation preceded you. And his mom was like, we gotta set this up.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. And then he transferred to GW and I stayed at Syracuse and we met a few years after that.
Lawrence
What was your first date?
Lori Herschleifer
He took me to Liz Ink, a restaurant.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
A restaurant.
James
Do you remember what you both were wearing?
Lori Herschleifer
No. I should, right?
James
I don't know. Maybe. I don't know.
Lori Herschleifer
I have no idea. No.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I wasn't this much jewelry, that I can promise you.
James
When did that transition happen? When did you become this fully bedazzled queen?
Lori Herschleifer
It's happened over years. It's like a transition, right? It's a transition.
Lawrence
Wake up. You're like, what the hell? I am Iron Man.
James
She's blacked out. Was like, what the.
Lawrence
Working with family, though, right? You work with your sisters, your nieces, your son, your husband, nephews, cousins, everybody, right? What's the best and worst part about working with family?
Lori Herschleifer
Trust.
Lawrence
That's the worst part.
James
We have none of it.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes, exactly. You know what you're dealing with. It's like, you're not gonna be tricked into something that. We're all honest. We're all. We're all really good partners, which is pretty incredible.
James
Everyone in your family is a known entity, right?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
You've known them your whole life. I guess.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. And you don't. You know what to expect and can you.
Lawrence
Like, you're not going to hold back, right? It's family. You're going to say what's on your mind. Does that make for awkward Thanksgiving?
Lori Herschleifer
We no longer spend holidays.
Lawrence
Really?
James
Wait, for real?
Lawrence
You know why?
Lori Herschleifer
Every day.
Lawrence
Every day. Every day at Hersh Lifers is a holiday.
James
Yeah. There you go, yeah, Boxing Day, you get.
Lawrence
Yeah. You can take that for your marketing.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Thank you.
Lawrence
For one that works. And the worst part.
Lori Herschleifer
The worst part is that we don't spend holidays together.
Lawrence
Oh, is that intentional? Because you're like, I just feel like you go to save parts.
Lori Herschleifer
Right? I'm. Exactly.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
I'm out of here.
Lori Herschleifer
Flying the coop.
Lawrence
Do you feel okay? We talked about kind of like how Herschleifers, how you adapted and the sisters adapted 20 years ago. Currently, though, there's always conversation. Retails dead, retails back. Do you feel the fluctuations around, like, the. The peaks and valleys, or is Hirsch Lifers kind of above the fray?
Lori Herschleifer
No, we definitely feel peaks and valleys peeking.
Lawrence
Or we Valley. What are we doing?
Lori Herschleifer
We're peeking at the moment.
Lawrence
Hell yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Hell, yeah. But, you know, when. When it's election time, people get scared and they start shopping or people don't leave their houses. You know, Covid, people shop, but they didn't come in. So there's been many. It's challenging. Retail is challenging.
James
How did you guys operate during COVID Was it like the VIPs they call in, you send them some photos? Like, how did it work?
Lori Herschleifer
That really had. Well, we closed for three months. And that's how Marcy's business really started to grow, was during COVID Because she. Right. Well, not so much, but yeah, but yeah, she. These people would reach out, and that's how she became. She's still very close with most of the people that she met during COVID.
Lawrence
Do you make moves to kind of in anticipation of the Valleys or if you're in a valley, like, what are some moves that you've done to. Whether it is like, building out the VIP shopping program or like making her life as a destination with food. And, you know, our friend Angela Rutia, it was like, yeah, go there and spend a whole Saturday.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, it's the best.
Lawrence
It's a family destination.
Lori Herschleifer
That's how. That's why we keep changing and that's why we open Young's Farm. I don't know if you guys saw it.
Lawrence
Yeah, but we're going there for lunch.
James
After we buy socks.
Lori Herschleifer
Of course you have to keep changing, and that's what makes it interesting here. So you can. You can spend the day from. You could have breakfast at Youngs, you can have lunch at Youngs, you can have ice cream at Kiff. Not today. Right?
James
The machine's broken. Like McDonald's.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Do you guys have a bar in here?
Lori Herschleifer
No, we don't have a bar. We had a Bar.
James
Oh, what happened? People getting too. Too much fun.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, exactly.
James
Because, honestly, if you get people drunk, they make reckless purchases.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. But they could also drive into guns.
James
Honestly, that was a very ethical and smart decision I made.
Lori Herschleifer
We were.
James
Thank you for your service.
Lawrence
Absolutely.
Lori Herschleifer
Over holiday, though, we did have a Moet vending machine. Oh, that was really cool.
Lawrence
And you guys have, like, events and parties here, too, right?
Lori Herschleifer
Constant.
Lawrence
Is it a big, like, community center? In a way. Hershey first people come.
Lori Herschleifer
We know a lot of the clients, but there's a lot of people new walking in every day.
Lawrence
As your star has risen on social media and beyond. Well served. Do people, like, come in? Like, are you an attraction to the store? It's like, oh, we might see Lori. Yeah, we might see Marcy.
Lori Herschleifer
It's really weird, but yes. In fact, yesterday morning, I walked in, this woman walked over to me. She was with her mother, and she said, you're Lori. I'm like, yeah. And it's still so weird to me. It's. It's a. They often ask for pictures and.
James
And you're just. You're gracious, obviously. Naturally.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Initially I wasn't, but really, I wasn't. I was really uncomfortable, but it made me.
James
Because it's not, like, who you are.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm not. No, definitely.
James
So you had to become this face of the brand.
Lori Herschleifer
Correct.
James
Begrudging.
Lori Herschleifer
I mean, it's a lot. It's a lot of work. I enjoy it. I'm not gonna say no, but it's. It's, you know. How did.
James
How did you, like, learn to be so effective on social media? Was that, like, the. The youngins helping out or you kind of like. I'm gonna figure it out.
Lori Herschleifer
I think it's a combination. I started with nobody, and now someone helps me, and she does a great job.
Lawrence
Shout out.
Lori Herschleifer
Jasmine. Jasmine.
James
Thank you, Jasmine.
Lori Herschleifer
She's awesome. Yep. Yeah, she's not here today, or she'd be in here taking pictures.
Lawrence
What are. Real quick back to, like, retail. What are some brands that maybe. Surprise. That would surprise us. That do really well in the store?
Lori Herschleifer
That would surprise you?
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Let me think about that.
Lawrence
Or that surprise you? Well, because Chrome, obviously.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, yeah. Extreme Cashmere, which is a. Oh, nice. Yeah, it's a love.
James
Extreme Cashmere.
Lori Herschleifer
Great brand.
James
Extreme Cashmere.
Lori Herschleifer
It's a great brand. It's pretty classic.
Lawrence
Questionable name. But it's been around for a long time, right?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know how long. I don't think.
James
Newish.
Lori Herschleifer
I think it's pretty newish.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Newish.
James
Yeah. Not a bad price point.
Lori Herschleifer
No, it's good and it's a great product and it's really, really, well, pretty extreme. Way extreme.
James
How do you think about like price points? Because like, obviously this is a high end department store. Let's be real. But in terms of having accessible stuff, how important is that to you? Or does that like almost entarnish the rep?
Lori Herschleifer
We like to look at everything for every price point. It doesn't matter if it's good, it's good. If it's good, it's good if we honestly believe it could sell and people will appreciate it. It doesn't matter what the price point is.
James
When you say believe it will sell, is that because you're like, I would wear that? Or David says I would wear that or is it just like a feeling because you know, the. Is it more of the customer?
Lori Herschleifer
It's more of the customer. It's not about me.
James
It's not personal.
Lori Herschleifer
No. I mean, sometimes it is.
Lawrence
I want some of that when it hits.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Are there any new brands that you're excited about that you bringing into her lifers?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, Phoebe Philo is coming in in next month, February. So it should be hitting here any day.
Lawrence
Bag or like.
Lori Herschleifer
No, like the collection, like the first drop. So that's really exciting.
Lawrence
That's going to fly, right?
James
Have you met Phoebe?
Lori Herschleifer
I have not.
James
Oh, okay. Because I. That's why I asked. Because she's such this mysterious, mythical figure. I wonder.
Lawrence
Yeah, hopefully soon you have high expectations for the performance of that?
Lori Herschleifer
I do, yeah. It's incredible.
Lawrence
Sign up for that to like get dibs on it in. Is it first come?
Lori Herschleifer
First it will be first come.
Lawrence
Do people ever line up for Herschelifer Drops?
Lori Herschleifer
They line up for Chanel.
Lawrence
Ah, we all line up for Chanel.
James
The supreme for women.
Lori Herschleifer
It's incredible.
James
Is that the number that's like the.
Lori Herschleifer
Flagship brand for us? Yes. Well, it's our largest brand. You know, it has its own store, so.
James
Yes. Right, the standalone.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Is that. Are you guys the only department store in the country with a Chanel with an in store Chanel store?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, I mean the others have in store like Bergdorf's is in stores as a front entrance. Yeah. Free state. That is so we. Yes. We are the only, only Peter Marino one.
Lawrence
How did that happen? Is it just like a long relationship?
James
Yeah, it's all about who you know.
Lori Herschleifer
Chrome Hearts and Chanel are our longest two relationships.
James
That's going two for two as far as goats are concerned.
Lori Herschleifer
That's insane.
Lawrence
It's kind of like opposite ends of this. I mean, that's the beauty of Herschelifers, right? Is that.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Chrome hearts, Chanel, everything in between.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Well, when Carl was alive, he did a collab with Chanel and chrome.
Lawrence
That's your grail, right.
Lori Herschleifer
That you were never. Have you. Okay, yeah.
Lawrence
Here's a hypothetical.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Okay.
Lawrence
Would you trade all your current bags, which we're going to talk about soon, would you trade all your current bags to get your hands on that one Chanel chrome collaboration bag.
Lori Herschleifer
I wouldn't trade my Virgil bag for anything.
James
That's right. That's a one. Because that's a one of one.
Lori Herschleifer
No, that's a one of one now.
James
Is like, basically it is an art piece.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Has sentimental value. Okay, so let's remove the Virgil Nebraska bag. Would you?
Lori Herschleifer
I still don't think I'd sell them.
James
But that is for anyone. And obviously you posted on social media, that's the one thing you're still searching for.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Number one on the list.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
James
Anything else that are like the grails that Lori needs in case anyone.
Lori Herschleifer
Anyone's buying me something.
James
Any enterprising listeners want to get in good with the Queen of Manhattan.
Lori Herschleifer
Let me think on that one.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Okay.
Lawrence
There's got to be something.
Lori Herschleifer
They must.
Lawrence
What's the latest thing you bought?
Lori Herschleifer
The latest thing I bought was. I knew Hermes back.
Lawrence
Yeah. What do we. What was it? Birkin. How many Birkins do you own?
Lori Herschleifer
A bunch.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
How many Kelly's do you own?
Lori Herschleifer
Not that many.
James
Oh, really? You're more. You're the bigger.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, I like to throw my stuff in. I like to carry it like this and just be done.
Lawrence
The Birkins are barking.
James
Yeah. And they got the charms to match. Is that like. Did you start that trend too?
Lori Herschleifer
Maybe.
James
Like my wife, who is like the biggest fan, she has on all of her. Like her. She has a Louis Vuitton. She puts like the. She had our dogs painted.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Like.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Is that so as a trendsetter, you're not like setting out to do that.
Lori Herschleifer
Right, right.
James
You're just doing what feels right and then it's just. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Lori Herschleifer
Absolutely. Okay. Yeah. Interesting.
Lawrence
Did you ever. Do you have a moment where you're like, oh, I am maybe becoming a trendsetter and style icon? Particularly for Gen Z, it feels like they're kind of look, the OGs, the giraffe Milanos. We've been long time fans, we've known, but like Gen Z feels like they've like, discovered you. Do you feel that?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't.
Lawrence
Like, you must see it in the comments and.
Lori Herschleifer
No, yeah, I do. Yeah. And it's strange.
Lawrence
Is that, like, a pressure or, like. Yeah, no, just.
Lori Herschleifer
It's great. It makes you feel great, but it just. It's. It's still strange to me.
Lawrence
Yeah. With great power comes great responsibility, though.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yeah.
Lawrence
Don't put them onto any wax.
Lori Herschleifer
No way.
Lawrence
We know you won't. We know you won't.
Lori Herschleifer
No way.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
You are an influencer, though, right? Like, that's.
Lori Herschleifer
I guess.
James
What do you mean, you guess?
Lori Herschleifer
I mean, I guess that's what I'm called. I don't know.
James
Well, one of many.
Lawrence
Owner of the last great department store.
Lori Herschleifer
There you go. One of the owners.
Lawrence
Dirty word. One of the. One of the owners.
James
She's not an influencer. She's influential.
Lori Herschleifer
Better.
Lawrence
How much of the clothing, the bags, the watches, the jewelry that. That you're flexing on socials? How much of that is, like, what you own versus promoting what's in the store?
Lori Herschleifer
It's both, I would say. It's actually both. I would say 50. 50 could be.
Lawrence
And it's pretty clear what it is. But that is, like. I mean, you're using your platform, your personal platform to promote the shop.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yeah.
Lawrence
Is that like.
Lori Herschleifer
It's just who I am.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
So it's. It's my business. It's my home, right?
Lawrence
It is.
Lori Herschleifer
This is my home.
James
There's no, like, line of demarcation, though, in terms of like. Or is there. Of the woman and the business? Like, obviously, Herschleifer is your last name, but, like, is there any kind of, like, separation in terms of like. Or you treat socials like a billboard, right? For your business.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, I would say that's true.
James
Okay. It's a one for one.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. One for one.
James
Okay, so is there like a. Do you have a. You know what a finsta is?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
Like, a secret Instagram where it's just, like, family photos?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
No. Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I don't. All right.
Lawrence
I don't know what you get. Lori, I have a question for you.
Lori Herschleifer
Okay.
Lawrence
Are you the best shopper in the world?
Lori Herschleifer
Does that mean I shop more than most, or is that quality and quantity? I'm a good shopper. I'm not the best shopper in the world.
James
You're efficient.
Lawrence
Who's better than you?
Lori Herschleifer
I can't say.
Lawrence
What? Well, like, what's your. When you walk into a store, what are you doing? Like, are you making a beeline for the shoe department? Are you like checking to see if there's dust on top of the pictures?
Lori Herschleifer
No, that I'm not doing in another store. It depends. Now I don't go to. Really. There's no multi brand stores that I frequent, honestly.
James
Really? Not even when you travel the world in Paris?
Lori Herschleifer
I do okay, but I used to go to Colette and.
James
Okay, right.
Lori Herschleifer
There's nothing quite the same.
Lawrence
You're just Australia and Hawaii.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, right. Yeah. In Hawaii though, this wasn't much multi. Maybe there is multi brand, but I don't know of any.
Lawrence
There's a Stussy store, that's all I know.
Lori Herschleifer
I went to the Chrome Heart store in Honolulu. Empty.
Lawrence
Really? What's your favorite Chrome Heart store in the world besides. Besides the one in New York and. Yeah, Me packing.
James
Yes, Flagship.
Lori Herschleifer
It's amazing.
James
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
So beautiful.
Lawrence
Is that appointment only?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know. Is it nice?
James
I think I feel most are at least. Especially now, you know?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
What are there other stores mentioned? Colette, Legend, Shout Sarah. Are there other stores you love to shop at besides Hirsch Lifers?
Lori Herschleifer
I love to shop Henry Lear in East Hampton and Amagansett.
Lawrence
Unfamiliar.
James
Yeah, we don't get out there much.
Lori Herschleifer
No, they have great picks. Different. Very different from us.
Lawrence
You know, with a whites pharmacy in Montauk. That's about it.
Lori Herschleifer
I like them too.
Lawrence
Just getting shut down.
Lori Herschleifer
Travesty, really.
Lawrence
Gentrifugate.
Lori Herschleifer
All the whites or just that one?
Lawrence
I think just that one.
James
All the whites.
Lori Herschleifer
All the white pharmacies.
James
When you go to another store, is that, for lack of a better term, opposition research?
Lori Herschleifer
No, it's shopping.
James
Okay. You can separate in that. In that moment when you step through the threshold.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
When you're invited in like you would a vampire, you're like, I'm just here to buy for me.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes. Generally, like I walk into Prada, that's for me.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Which is my favorite?
Lawrence
Is there. Is there a brand or a label in her that isn't in her Schleifers. You would love to have in one day Prada. Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Goyard.
James
Oh, is that hard with Prada being right up the way?
Lori Herschleifer
No, because we carry Fendi and Fendi is a shop and we carry. Who else? Bottega. Bottega has a shop here. So we have.
James
So that's not a problem. The proximity. So then how.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
So how would you go about getting a Prada or a Goyard into her schlipers? What is that? Is that just like.
Lori Herschleifer
It's a lot of work massaging a.
James
Relationship over the years.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes. Yeah. It is.
James
Is okay.
Lori Herschleifer
It is.
James
We feel bullish on those coming in.
Lori Herschleifer
Maybe I. Hopeful. Let's put it that way.
Lawrence
Okay. Are you. Do you make the circuit around? Like, are you. So you're overseeing such a huge operation, you're kind of like, I can't leave hq. Like, are you. Or are you doing, like, the buying circuits in Europe and going to, like, shows and. And all that?
Lori Herschleifer
We go. We used to go, like, 10 times a year.
Lawrence
Wow.
Lori Herschleifer
Chanel shows six times a year and everything else shows at different times.
Lawrence
That's too much time going through tsa.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly. So now. Now it's just twice a year that we go for women's.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
So. And we do the. We go. We go only generally to the Chanel show because we don't have time. The rest is just appointments.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
But we're always searching online for new vendors, and people reach out all the time. So.
Lawrence
Really, is that a nice. Is that a way brands could get in? Her Schleifers is to hit your DMs.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Are they ever any good?
Lori Herschleifer
Sometimes.
James
How do you say, no, thank you so much, but we're gonna pass.
Lori Herschleifer
Thank you so much. We're gonna pass. Thank you so much. I shouldn't reveal my secret.
Lawrence
No.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
You. You. You leave them on Red for 3 years until they re DM you.
James
What do you. How do you feel?
Lori Herschleifer
Sorry about that.
James
What are your expectations for Blazey Chanel?
Lori Herschleifer
I'm optimistic. I really am. I'm excited. I'm excited to see what he does. He was fantastic at Bottega. So generation. Yeah. Yeah.
Lawrence
Do you pay attention to, like, the designer musical chairs because you're like, oh, I want to see, like, thank God Kim Jones is out at Dior. Or my. I said that, not Lori. Or, you know. Yeah. Can't wait to see, you know, what Phoebe does, you know, and when she launched her own. Etc.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. You have to. I. I do like to follow them. I like to know what. Who's going where and what it's going to mean for us.
Lawrence
Are you tapped into, like, the rumor mill?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Okay. You're just like us. Yeah. You're just observing.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
Lawrence
An enthusiastic fan. Wait, we were mentioning the stores in East Hampton. What other stores do you like to shop at around the world? Like, when you're in Paris, where do you go?
Lori Herschleifer
Not some. If we go to, like, name stores.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Brand stores.
James
Right, right.
Lori Herschleifer
Word. I'm trying to. Yeah. More than.
Lawrence
I mean, Lawrence mentioned oppo research. What about, like, inspiration.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
You chopped for looking to, like. Oh, like, this is an interesting retail experience.
Lori Herschleifer
We try. Not easy to find, though. It's not. There's not much left.
Lawrence
Do you ever. Do you ever know if the ops are doing their oppo research here?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know.
Lawrence
We need security.
James
About that.
Lawrence
We need some facial recognition software.
James
Yeah. Put pictures.
Lori Herschleifer
We have a lot of security here, but I don't know.
Lawrence
You do have a lot of security here. We do notice that. That.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Is it to ever have to, like, tackle trying to run out with some.
Lori Herschleifer
Really not a lot, but, yeah.
James
What's the other. What is the loss prevention situation here?
Lori Herschleifer
It's really. We're very lucky. Very good.
James
Because. Well, when James and I pulled up, I was making a joke about when we were just waiting for Rob. I'm like. It feels like we're casing this whole joint. They're. I'm not trying to reinforce anyone's negative behavior, but this might be a good place to rob. Just this whole.
Lori Herschleifer
Hey, thanks.
James
Just hypothetically, you know, do the.
Lawrence
Do you have any, like, input on the security where it's like, yo, this guy. Oh, you know this guy. DM me. He's like 6, 4. He ran the 4, 640, played college football, Division 1. Maybe we get him a little. Look, see here?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
I would not be. I would not be a deterrent. Well, I'll just say that.
James
I mean, we should have been stopped when we walked through. We luckily had Rob escorting us, but I feel like they're like, what are these bozos down here?
Lawrence
Laurie, if you could only wear one designer to toe for the rest of your life. Who you going with?
Lori Herschleifer
Chanel.
Lawrence
Really?
James
You said Prada was your favorite.
Lori Herschleifer
Prada is my favorite. Chanel. I guess Chanel. Because it's the history.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
There's so much history there. And I love what Carl did. Love.
Lawrence
Did you ever meet him?
Lori Herschleifer
I did.
Lawrence
Was he a fun hang?
Lori Herschleifer
I didn't really hang with him. I said hello.
Lawrence
Okay. Was he drinking a Diet Coke?
Lori Herschleifer
No, he was at Colette.
Lawrence
Did he have his. What's his cat's name?
Lori Herschleifer
Chupette. Chupette was not with him. He always went after the show, which a two, always a Tuesday. He would go in the after, like, hours after. He would go to Colette every time, after every show. So if you were there, you were lucky enough to see him.
Lawrence
Oh, so you knew?
Lori Herschleifer
I knew.
Lawrence
Was he wearing the gloves? Big chrome guy, too?
James
Yeah, absolutely. Did you guys take a picture?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Have you ever been starstruck by a fashion person?
Lori Herschleifer
By a fashion person? Not that much. Maybe. Maybe. I see. I used to see Nicholas Gask here and in Saint Barts. That was kind of like a pretty.
James
Cool thing that's like, for you. That's like a celeb sighting.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, exactly.
James
Well, because you must have an amazing, like, celeb VIP clientele that comes here, right?
Lawrence
We have some Steven Victor. Yeah, Mutual. Mutual, homie.
James
Yeah. Shout out Steven from the show.
Lawrence
I think we're gonna. We're gonna be signed to Victor Victor soon.
James
Starting the podcast division.
Lawrence
Yeah. How'd you become friends with Steven in.
Lori Herschleifer
Rob met him.
Lawrence
Really?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, that's. Yeah, Rob met him.
Lawrence
Does Rob. Who, by the way, for those listening at home that are enjoying this episode, Rob, Lori's son advised you that you should come on throwing fits.
Lori Herschleifer
Correct.
Lawrence
Do you hate him for that or do you.
James
Is he grounded?
Lori Herschleifer
He's 34 and he's grounded.
Lawrence
Does he. Does he put you on to, like, especially the men's side of things. Does he put you on to, like, cool happening in culture?
Lori Herschleifer
Definitely. Yeah. Definitely.
Lawrence
Seen Victor throwing fish.
James
Only the best.
Lori Herschleifer
Only the best. Only the best for his old mother.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Did Steven. Victor, what Ferrari did he drive out here?
Lori Herschleifer
It was cool, whatever it was.
Lawrence
Yeah, yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
He said, come on, we can take a picture on the back. I'm like, you want us to sit on that? He's like, yeah, okay.
James
He's got enough of them, so don't worry.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Has he introduced. Yeah, he's awesome. He's very zah, as he says, Very true, very Z, very trim. Has he introduced you to any of these artists?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Are you friends with any rappers?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Really? They don't come out here.
Lori Herschleifer
Not so much.
Lawrence
Really.
James
They shop it online.
Lori Herschleifer
Well, little yachties. Shops.
Lawrence
Oh, boat. Yeah.
James
Because this has got to be. If I'm. Okay, just hypothetically, if I'm like a rapper and I love fashion and I have money burning a hole in my pocket and I'm in the tri state area, why not come.
Lori Herschleifer
Why wouldn't you come here? Right.
James
You got it.
Lori Herschleifer
All right. We have a lot of sports people. Oh, we have athletes. Otherwise known as athletes.
James
Yes. Okay.
Lawrence
Sports people.
James
She's a. She's a huge sports people fan.
Lawrence
Yeah. Play the hoop ball. Could you go fit for fit with any rapper in the world and just dust their ass?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know about that.
Lawrence
We think so.
Lori Herschleifer
That's why we're asking you.
Lawrence
We think so.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, cool. Thank you.
Lawrence
You don't think so.
Lori Herschleifer
Okay. I think so.
James
What do you think of this kind of head to toe adoption and hype around brands that you love and have known about for many years. Like chrome hearts.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Are you into that, or is that kind of like this conspicuous consumption in standing almost in for taste?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, it's a mix of the two. I say sometimes it's really cool. Like, it can be pulled off well. Yeah. Done well.
James
And then other times.
Lori Herschleifer
And then other times, not so good.
James
Tacky.
Lori Herschleifer
A little. A little much Head to toe in one designer.
James
Have you ever done that?
Lori Herschleifer
Head to toe in one designer?
James
Yeah. I know James asked hypothetically, if you had to. Guns ahead, but do you ever just actually, like, walk out the house and.
Lori Herschleifer
You'Re like, oh, yeah, I do, actually. Unusual Chanel. There you go.
Lawrence
But it's not, like, logo.
Lori Herschleifer
One season, though. It's usually I new and like. Like, this is old.
James
Right.
Lawrence
Are you a vintage hunter of, like, vintage of specific areas of Chanel, Specific designers from different houses?
Lori Herschleifer
I look every now and then. I wouldn't say I really work at it, but I would love to find some of the older pieces. Like in Paris, if we have time. We try to get some of the thrift shops and see what's there.
James
Are there, like, dealers that reach out to you because they know, like, what. Like, what you're into? Like, is that.
Lori Herschleifer
That more jewelry, too? Yeah.
Lawrence
Interesting.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Like, vintage jewelry.
James
They know that Lori's gonna swipe. She's coming.
Lawrence
She's still got some rooms on the floor.
James
There's a little real estate left.
Lawrence
Yeah. Maybe up by the empty fingers. Some real estate by the elbow. If you. Laurie, if you could only acquire new bags, new shoes, or new jewelry. Which one are you picking? Hard questions.
Lori Herschleifer
That's a tough one. I would have to say jewelry.
Lawrence
Really?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Your one true love.
Lori Herschleifer
My.
James
Yeah, that's the.
Lori Herschleifer
Well, I love them.
James
All right, but that's.
Lori Herschleifer
I do love.
James
That's the tip of the.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Top of the peak.
Lori Herschleifer
I love jewelry.
Lawrence
Are you a big watch girly?
Lori Herschleifer
I am, but I don't really buy them for myself. David, my husband, generally. Yeah, generally.
James
What's the rotation? I said a lot of Rolexes.
Lori Herschleifer
Is it a lot of Rolex?
James
Do you have a chrome Rolex?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't.
Lawrence
Oh, thank you.
James
The stocks are listening.
Lori Herschleifer
David's listening.
James
Is listening.
Lawrence
What's coming up? Valentine's Day.
James
Valentine's Day, yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
We'll remind him.
Lawrence
Yeah. Nothing says love like a chrome Rolex.
James
Do you guys share watches?
Lori Herschleifer
Not really.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
They all yell at me because I wear the chrome bracelets and it ruins the watches.
James
Oh, it scratches them up. It's character.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm sorry. That's what it's for.
Lawrence
That chrome is invincible.
Lori Herschleifer
Right?
James
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
So they call.
James
It's like a desk diver where it's like, why do you know they won't.
Lori Herschleifer
Let me wear their watches.
James
What are the.
Lawrence
What are the shoes that you wear the most often?
Lori Herschleifer
Probably ballerinas.
Lawrence
Yeah. Oh, like as a type.
Lori Herschleifer
As a type. You mean a brand?
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Chanel ballerinas.
Lori Herschleifer
No, no, actually, no. The row ballerinas. Probably. Or liar.
Lawrence
Right. The meshy ones.
Lori Herschleifer
The meshy ones or the grommet ones?
Lawrence
What are the grommet ones? I don't know what those are.
Lori Herschleifer
They've. They have grommets.
Lawrence
I don't know what a. Walls and grommets.
James
The dog claymation.
Lawrence
That I know.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
It comes to a product and I. And I know I'm asking this because I saw you did this with the New Balance Mu Mules. When you see something and you're like, I love this. How many multiples are you getting?
Lori Herschleifer
Personally?
James
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
A few.
James
And like to keep like on ice. And then we get a rotation.
Lori Herschleifer
Usually it's a different color.
James
Okay. Right.
Lori Herschleifer
Or it'll have some trim that might be different.
James
Just a little detail. Different color laces.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly.
Lawrence
Do you have like a very popping depop shop? Like when you're tired of something, you're like, you know what, Time to go. Time to find a new home.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Not for me anymore. Or I ended up not wearing this. Like, what do you do with your old stuff? A lot of giveaway to homies and family.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yeah.
Lawrence
So Rob is in the Mew Mew Ballerinas right now.
James
The grommets. Yeah. Wallace is in the grommets.
Lori Herschleifer
No, not my son.
Lawrence
So it pays to be your friend. It does get the. The trickle down drip.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly.
James
You're a big re. Gifter.
Lawrence
Well, hey.
James
Or.
Lawrence
But we're friends now.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
I'll take a Birkin, you'll take a skirt.
Lawrence
Any chrome bracelets? Okay. Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Those stay for life.
Lawrence
Duvall. What was the guy's name?
Lori Herschleifer
Who?
Lawrence
The jewelers. The jeweler. Duvall.
Lori Herschleifer
Daryl. Darius.
Lawrence
Darius. Any Darius? Any spirit Darius.
Lori Herschleifer
Like, who's Duval?
Lawrence
Can you explain? Who.
Lori Herschleifer
Who.
James
Who's Darius?
Lori Herschleifer
Darius is a jeweler. This is based her jewelry.
James
Her.
Lawrence
Her.
James
Darius is a woman.
Lori Herschleifer
Darius. Daria.
Lawrence
That's one of them.
Lori Herschleifer
This is hers too.
James
The Scorpion.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
And where's she based?
Lori Herschleifer
California.
James
Okay. And is that. So that's your jeweler. Right. And you go in there. Are you kind of like a Rapper and you're getting like a custom thing done, or is it.
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
We just buy her collection.
James
Oh, okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Got it. She's in the Rolodex.
Lori Herschleifer
She's exactly.
Lawrence
What's a. What's a really large purchase you've made that you now kind of regret? Like, maybe. Do you still get, like. So, like, you know, as amateurs, Lawrence and I get so hyped on something and we just black out. And you, you know, throw the plastic down and then you get. And you're like, I didn't really want this. Has that ever happened to you?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't think that happens to me anymore.
Lawrence
You've. You've gained the knowledge to, like, be a critical shopper for yourself.
Lori Herschleifer
I think so.
Lawrence
But in your younger days, you would, like.
Lori Herschleifer
Definitely. It's hard not to. You like to. I. I think I liked a lot more when I was younger. Brought it dialed in now. Exactly.
Lawrence
Did you have a style phase when you were younger that you look back on now and you're like, oh, cringe.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, maybe. Maybe wearing triple S sneakers.
James
Oh, I mean, you would not. Big dogs, yo. Get in line. There's, I think, a lot of people that regretted those talking about it.
Lori Herschleifer
We were talking about it yesterday. Can you imagine? Did you ever wear them?
Lawrence
No. Well, the worst part. The worst part was that it was also in the era of like, skinny amiri jeans. And so it's like twig ass, leg cartoon, cartoonishly gigantic foot.
Lori Herschleifer
Try walking up the stairs in those.
Lawrence
No, thank you.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, they were something. They were something.
James
But you probably sold a millionaires, so.
Lori Herschleifer
It'S like we did.
James
If the downside is that you also got caught up as a fashion victim. Whatever.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Kept the lights on.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Is Balenciaga still moving units?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes. Bags are selling nicely. Yeah.
Lawrence
Do you stock that mall?
Lori Herschleifer
Men's.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Not. Not in the lady side.
James
Have you ever met girls? Him?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
What's he? Okay, what is he like? Because he's incredible on social media, but that's a lot of times different than. I'm just saying.
Lawrence
Cuz also, they are doppelgangers.
James
Yeah. We do. We have a similar hair. Well, you haven't seen my hairline.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh. Oh, yeah.
James
Imagine. I had gold grills in, too.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yeah. Those are pretty new on hid the grills. Yeah.
James
What is he like?
Lori Herschleifer
He's pretty cool. He's a really nice guy.
James
Can you ask him to come on the show?
Lori Herschleifer
Sure.
James
Thank you.
Lawrence
Laurie, have you ever done grills? Have you ever done dental work?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Is that. What. Why not?
Lori Herschleifer
I'm old.
Lawrence
Yeah, but it would look kind of. What about like a single. A single frame?
Lori Herschleifer
No, I'm gonna pass.
Lawrence
Okay. What about like.
Lori Herschleifer
I don't like going to the dentist anyway, so that would, you know.
Lawrence
Well, I don't know if your dentist fits your girls. What about like a tooth gem? The Gen Z thing?
Lori Herschleifer
Can you stick it on? On?
Lawrence
It's temporary. Stick it on. You can take it off when you want. I think it comes off naturally in like a few weeks, few months.
James
I think a longer but.
Lawrence
Yeah, but it's like just thinking of new frontiers for jewelry for you. Because again, we're running.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm running out of space. Right?
Lawrence
Yeah, yeah. Do you. What's your, like, your process for getting dressed in the morning? Are you like, I'm. It's a Chanel day? No, it's a Birkin day. What.
Lori Herschleifer
How did it usually starts? I would say with the shoes.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
From the ground up.
Lori Herschleifer
From the ground up? Yeah. Foundation or something. I'll just. I'll like. Something will catch my eye on the closet that I hadn't worn. And I'll start with that. And it just grows from there.
James
How many closets do you have?
Lori Herschleifer
I have one large closet and then I have two others, but they're. They're small.
James
How much space does David get?
Lori Herschleifer
David has a nice sized closet. Rob's room that he grew up in has become David's closet.
James
That's incredible.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Get Rob out of the house. I want to buy more gear.
Lawrence
Do you have to have like a crazy storage unit situation?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Really, everything fits in the one.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Are you organized or is it.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm very organized.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
Spreadsheet. Like spreadsheet.
Lori Herschleifer
No, but do people have spreadsheets for their closet?
James
I think there are some nerds out there that probably have spreadsheets for sure.
Lawrence
Like collectors. Yeah, definitely. Yeah.
James
Archivists, et cetera.
Lori Herschleifer
Right, right. Well, that I get.
James
But your closet is organized by designer or category. How do you.
Lori Herschleifer
Category?
Lawrence
Okay, so it starts with the shoes. Maybe a piece that you haven't worn in a while catches your eye.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, yeah.
Lawrence
And then is it jewels last?
Lori Herschleifer
Jewels are last.
Lawrence
Just like because it.
Lori Herschleifer
Just because they. They're sitting in the. In the tray.
Lawrence
Right. Do you have.
Lori Herschleifer
Go on at the end.
Lawrence
Do you have like a jewelry combination that you come back or combinations that you come back to again and again?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
That's interesting.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Just. Cuz it's easy. You don't have to think about it so much. Right. So it's just there and it's just.
Lawrence
Whatever works with the mood or the fit.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
What. What do you.
James
What.
Lawrence
What is today's like. Do you have a name?
Lori Herschleifer
Like, no name.
Lawrence
What's, like, the mood? How would you describe this? This moment, this jewelry moment?
James
Just throwing a fit.
Lori Herschleifer
It's just. Yeah, exactly.
Lawrence
Were you.
James
Okay. And obviously we talked about the Instagram post. Did you have, like, a prolonged thought about what you were going to wear on the podcast or were you like, I'm just going to do me.
Lori Herschleifer
It wasn't prolonged, but I did have to think about it.
James
Okay, that's. I feel like that's flattering.
Lawrence
What did you leave? What did you leave? What were the drafts that you left on the cutting room floor?
Lori Herschleifer
None. This was it. This is.
Lawrence
Oh, so you were so the first.
Lori Herschleifer
It. I took out of the closet because this goes in. This is in the other closet, and I just went with it.
Lawrence
It's like I'm going with the big Chanel.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Felt right.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Cozy, comfortable.
Lori Herschleifer
Very com.
James
Good for yap sesh.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly.
James
Love that.
Lawrence
Lori, besides having ample closet space, what's your favorite part about living in Long Island?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, I like to be close to work.
Lawrence
Yes.
James
Four minutes, I believe.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly four minutes away. That would be about it. Wait, so Long island is beautiful.
Lawrence
The bagels.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, no, bagels are good.
Lawrence
Okay. Do you spend a lot of time in the city?
Lori Herschleifer
Less and less. Just because. I know, right? Because the traffic is just so.
Lawrence
It's better now.
Lori Herschleifer
It's better now. Yeah. We went in last night for dinner to make friends for dinner. It took us like 45 minutes to get in. That's nothing. It's usually two hours.
Lawrence
That's insane. Well, how long did it take?
Lori Herschleifer
On a Thursday night?
James
Night. We were cruising, though.
Lawrence
Well, we were going against traffic and I was a little aggressive in the Audi. Yeah. In my brother's out, you know, just whipping it down the HOV lane.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm sure he'd love that.
Lawrence
I had to illegally exit the COVID because I didn't realize exit 36 is right there. What are your favorite restaurants in New York? In the city?
Lori Herschleifer
I love Elios in the Upper east side. I like Italian food, so I like. Now I'm not going to be able to think of the name that's down. No.
Lawrence
Do you. Do you cook yourself at home?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Look what happened the other night. Oh, no. Stay out of the kitchen.
Lawrence
A knife and a burn in the same night.
James
Yeah. Chrome hearts.
Lori Herschleifer
Knife. No.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I was like, what is going on? So maybe I should stay out of the kitchen.
Lawrence
What's your go to dish that you like to cook for family?
Lori Herschleifer
Chicken. I'm a big chicken person.
Lawrence
It's chicken. Chicken.
Lori Herschleifer
Like a roast chicken.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Roast chicken, potatoes.
Lawrence
Okay. Laurie, who are your style icons?
Lori Herschleifer
Carla, Carl, Lagerfeld. My mom. Oh, yeah, My mom was. Yeah.
James
What was her style like, if you had to describe it?
Lori Herschleifer
She was awesome. She. She is alive. I don't mean to say was, but she doesn't.
Lawrence
But herself sucks now. Yeah, no kidding.
James
She fell off.
Lawrence
Hence the past tense. Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
She wore everything, but. She wore everything. She was very chic. Always beautifully dressed.
Lawrence
Was it like a scarf? Was it, like, of the time, Chic elegance?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Did she ever, like, deviate and kind of, like, would she, like, eccentric at all?
Lori Herschleifer
Not so much. She was very. It was cool, but it was like a trend. She was very. I can't even explain what she was like, how she dressed, but she was always dressed to the nines, completely put together. Put together.
James
What does she think of your style? Is she almost like, less rings?
Lori Herschleifer
No, she doesn't. Unfortunately, she doesn't recognize that anymore, so.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Did she. Did you kind of glean your personal style from. Did it start with her, like, your personal style journey?
Lori Herschleifer
I think maybe it did. I used to walk. Yeah, it did. All I ever wanted to do was join the business. Like, I grew up wanting to do this, so she was a big part in me joining, you know, watching her.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Your mom, Karl Lagerfeld. That's it.
Lori Herschleifer
No Carolyn Kennedy.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Classic.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. Yeah.
Lawrence
RFK Jr. No, not so much. Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
That's a pretty bad tan.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
When it comes to your husband, David, and his style.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
How much input do you have on what he wears?
Lori Herschleifer
None.
James
Oh, yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
None. No, he has his own. His own style.
James
We used to have this theory.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
And maybe you. And we've kind of moved a bit away from it. It was this whole idea of as two men who love clothes as clothes. Horse. It was that if your girl hates your fit, that's when you know it's good. What do you think about that? Like, if you tell David, like, I don't. Like, this is. You think in his mind, he's like, oh, yeah, I'm doing it. Or do you think.
Lori Herschleifer
You mean just to be difficult or to.
James
No, not to be difficult. Just in terms of, like, I don't know, what are we talking about? Men dressing for other men dress.
Lawrence
Men dress for men.
James
Yeah. Men dressing for the boys.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Really?
Lawrence
It's not like, yo, the girls are going to love this outfit. It's like, oh, the guys are going to love my fit.
Lori Herschleifer
I get that. Yeah, Yeah, I get that.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
But he is definitely his own person. He doesn't. If I say no, it doesn't matter.
James
What is his.
Lawrence
Did his style evolve?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
Lawrence
In your rel. In your time together?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
Lawrence
Did he used to dress like he was a banker?
James
So, yes.
Lori Herschleifer
He used to be in these, you know, fitted, like, type tight suits, uptight suits.
Lawrence
But now what? He's in love. Vintage Armani. The. The, you know, oversized, boxy.
Lori Herschleifer
Now he's into his denim period. Oh, yeah.
James
What. What is his favorite denim brand? Is it R13?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
Oh, what. What jeans does he like?
Lori Herschleifer
You'd have to ask him.
James
Okay. Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Unfortunately, if he is. But he's collects. But he knows from everything if he.
Lawrence
Is a watch when he's gifting you. It's watches is when you're gifting him. What are we. What are we doing?
Lori Herschleifer
That's hard.
Lawrence
Really.
Lori Herschleifer
Very difficult to buy for him because he.
Lawrence
What do you get the man that has it all?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
More jeans.
Lori Herschleifer
Not more jeans, more bracelets.
Lawrence
What'd you get him for the holidays?
Lori Herschleifer
He got a watch, but he picked it, you know?
Lawrence
Oh, really?
James
So you're like, yeah, I operate with my wife the same way I'd like.
Lawrence
And.
James
And there's this idea of obviously it. Obviously the thought is what counts, but for me personally, it's almost like, yeah, it's like, I want this thing.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. So you're gonna get it.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Y.
Lori Herschleifer
Or you'll get it and say thank you.
Lawrence
Yeah, exactly.
Lori Herschleifer
That's usually what happens.
Lawrence
And then you can borrow it and it up with your. Is he. Him not being on social media? Is that his choice? He's like, I don't want to.
Lori Herschleifer
Like, you got this, honey.
Lawrence
Like, you got this.
Lori Herschleifer
That is his choice.
Lawrence
Get it. That you're so popping and that you're so, like, devoted to it.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, he totally gets it.
Lawrence
He, like, it's good for the bottom line.
Lori Herschleifer
We try to get him involved every now and then Jasmine will try to get him into something. He's like, nope, I'm not doing it. No.
Lawrence
Tik Tok ban.
Lori Herschleifer
He was.
James
I think he's like, finally Lori will be off her damn phone.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Does he like. Does he. He's like, lori, please.
Lori Herschleifer
No, no, he's. Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Do you read the comments on social media or are you just like, sometimes. No, don't do that. I mean, I'm sure they're overwhelming positive for us. They're overwhelmingly negative.
Lori Herschleifer
Are they.
James
No. But people do hate us, if that's what you're asking.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Some people do.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Why?
James
I can. I have no idea. I really don't.
Lawrence
You tell us.
James
Us.
Lawrence
Why don't you tell them to stop being so mean to us?
Lori Herschleifer
Do you read the comments?
Lawrence
I try not to. Yeah.
James
We've learned.
Lawrence
I've removed myself from, like, various corners of the Internet.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
That are devoted to just talking about how terribly I dress and how terrible it can be.
Lori Herschleifer
So. It can be so mean.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Really mean.
Lawrence
Trolls.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Scary.
Lori Herschleifer
It is.
James
That means I don't have this problem.
Lawrence
Maybe.
James
That's unbelievable. My approval rating is like 100.
Lawrence
Horse loves the hate. Maybe that's why David stays off social media.
James
He's smart.
Lawrence
He runs Hirsch Life Furs Men's. How do you evaluate his job performance?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, he does a lot more than that, but he does pretty good.
Lawrence
Okay. All right. Are you his boss?
Lori Herschleifer
Not really. No.
Lawrence
Your sister? That is Right.
Lori Herschleifer
No, we. We actually call him the fourth leg of the table.
James
Oh, he's fine. He's earned his spot on Mount Rushmore.
Lori Herschleifer
I'll say. And more.
James
Good for him.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, he does a great job.
Lawrence
When did you know he was the one?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, we're married 38 years.
James
Congratulations.
Lori Herschleifer
And we're together 42 years.
Lawrence
So you're still not sure?
James
Yeah, we're still figuring. We're feeling it out.
Lawrence
But was it like on that first date? It was Syracuse or was.
Lori Herschleifer
It was not on the first.
James
Like, who's this guy? This tight ass shirt. Yeah, I want a banker. Yeah.
Lawrence
He took me to. Took him to the French restaurant in.
Lori Herschleifer
Syracuse and he used to be a club guy. So the second. Oh, was that the first night? Maybe the first night after Link, he took me to area. I don't know if you.
James
Yeah, yeah, we're familiar.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. So that was how that go. It was interesting.
James
Okay. That's new experiences.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Just trying to show you his world.
Lori Herschleifer
The club and I was. Used to be a Ranger fan. So then the second day, he took me to a Ranger game.
Lawrence
You used to be a Ranger fan? You're not a Ranger fan anymore?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
Well, they're. Well, they're actually having a bad year, but they're go blue shirts.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, okay.
James
This is a pro Rangers podcast.
Lawrence
Okay, so Henrik was Henrik Lundquist as a. As a suitsman and a fashion guy. Was he customer here?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
Sha. Avery.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh.
Lawrence
Oh, he must have been.
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know.
James
Again, these are sports players that Lori might not even know if they walk through the door.
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Right.
James
Just another. Just another. All customers are treated equally here at her.
Lawrence
Just another jacked six foot three guy.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Lori, if your house was on fire and you could only save a single piece of clothing or single accessory, what.
Lori Herschleifer
Are you grabbing my virtual bag?
James
Yeah, that's the one.
Lori Herschleifer
That's the one.
James
What was your relationship like with Virgil? Because we know that you Hersh lifers early supporter and we know that Virgil was a huge fan. What was. Can you tell us, give us some insight into that relationship?
Lori Herschleifer
He was just a really special human being and so talented. So we just, I don't know, we just clicked. We saw his again, his first collection at off for Off White. He showed us the collection with Julia and it was in this tiny room. There were like 20 pieces and just from there just continued to grow. Then he was nice, he wanted to come visit us. We came out to our house in East Hampton. We had lunch. Yeah, he had lunch with us. Um, yeah.
James
Is that hard like doing business with someone that you like become like, have you then developed this like real personal relationship? It's one thing to be like. Right. We've had this brand for a long time. It's a two way street. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. But when you become so close to somebody, does that make the business element harder?
Lori Herschleifer
No, because he didn't really, it seemed he was separated from that. He wasn't really involved in the day to day business.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Didn't feel like business.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, it didn't. And he did this. We did a special. I don't know if you guys know, we had the bedroom. When he did the bedroom collection, we had a pop up of the bedroom. So that was really cool. He came and he signed people sneakers.
James
Oh, that's awesome.
Lori Herschleifer
For a while.
James
Yeah, there was a line that day, I'm sure.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, there was definitely a line that day.
Lawrence
Yeah, more off White sales than Chanel that day. Do you have. What about like, do you have a. A cherished or prized possession that maybe didn't cost a lot of money? That just like what Besides maybe this Virgil bag which maybe cost a lot of money?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
That has, you know, the sentimental value is like beyond fund. Any dollar signs?
Lori Herschleifer
Maybe some of the art we've collected over the years that we, you know, didn't pay a lot of money for, but worth a lot now.
James
Is that a passion of yours and David's collecting art?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Okay, does that. And when you. Is that for home or is that for the store?
Lori Herschleifer
For home.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
For home.
Lawrence
I think there's a cause Snoopy. Is that right? Or Snoopy series in.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, yes, there were there.
Lawrence
Right?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
Lawrence
I read the Covetour article right next to the Chanel surfboard.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
You ever surf on that Chanel surfboard in Montana? Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Can I. Okay. This is a question that I love to get your opinion on living a life of luxury. And like, what luxury is? Does that, does that necessitate a lot of money? Like, are luxury and having. And wealth, monetary wealth equal? Like, is that the same thing? Or can one live luxuriously, dress luxuriously without necessarily spending or having a lot of money?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, I mean, it doesn't have to be expensive to be luxurious, does it? I mean, it could be something that's lower priced or luxury to you, to the person wearing it. Not necessarily be expensive.
Lawrence
Right.
James
What does luxury mean to Lori Herschleifer?
Lori Herschleifer
Luxury is something that I. I mean, what does luxury mean to like, the.
James
Ability to work with family and be successful? Is it, you know, the freedom of being your own boss?
Lawrence
Like.
Lori Herschleifer
Like, I guess all the above. I mean, I feel very lucky where I am currently in life and you know, it hasn't always been like this, but I guess that is a luxury, you know, time.
James
Is that a misch.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Do you think that's maybe a misconception that people have about like what is now this Hirsch lifers empire that you and your sisters built, but they like, maybe like, oh, she came from, you know, easy, an easy situation. Or does that, is that something that you hear at all? I know you don't read the comments, but is that like, do you ever feel that, I mean, you take your hard work for granted maybe?
Lori Herschleifer
I think people do. I think people know though, through the generations that we all work hard and we're. We weren't handed right. Everything on the silver platter. Although many people do think that, I'm sure.
James
Does that bother you? Like them?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I have broad shoulders. I lift weights.
James
Still here, I'll fight you.
Lawrence
From the perch that you have over the whole industry and from being on the floor, seeing what people are wearing, seeing what's selling, what's not selling. What are some trends in fashion that you think need to stop? Let's write the course right here.
Lori Herschleifer
Wow, trends in fashion. Well, sometimes it's just not everything needs everything on it, like painted and bedazzled and, you know, it's nice to. That's why Extreme Cashmere is so lovely. You know, it's just simple and pared down. Phoebe is beautifully. It's Elegant. It's chic. It doesn't have too much going on. It's just sometimes it's nice to not have so much.
Lawrence
Are you going to be in receiving on the day that Phoebe Filo. You know it.
Lori Herschleifer
You know it. We get it every morning. We get a delivery email.
Lawrence
Oh, really?
Lori Herschleifer
Come in the door.
James
So you check tracking like everyone else. Okay.
Lawrence
Do you ever, like, sabotage, like, tell your sisters, like, oh, it's the Phoebe's coming tomorrow just so you can get first dibs.
Lori Herschleifer
I would have just dealt with Marcy. She'd be right on that.
James
Is there a healthy competition between the sisters and then your niece in terms of like. Like, do you guys wear the same stuff? Or if it's like, someone gets it, it's like, okay, she's. She got the mew me. New Balance. I can't wear them. Like, is there.
Lori Herschleifer
No, no, no. We're all fine with each other getting whatever ever.
James
Who has the best style out of all of you?
Lawrence
You're looking at her, right?
James
That was a stupid question or you don't want to answer?
Lori Herschleifer
I'm. I'm going to pass on that one.
Lawrence
Marcy's swag is pretty sick, though.
Lori Herschleifer
I'll say. Yeah.
James
Do you think you would be if we asked Marcy the style icons question? Are you number one, you think?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know.
James
We got to ask her.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
We'll get to the bottom of it.
Lori Herschleifer
She's here. You can ask her.
Lawrence
We will. Are you a fee. Are you becoming a Phoebe Philo collection collector?
Lori Herschleifer
I am not yet, but I'd like to be.
Lawrence
What about her time at Celine?
Lori Herschleifer
I have quite a few of her old Celine.
Lawrence
Do you have the Kanye blouse on the blouse Shirt?
Lori Herschleifer
Which one?
Lawrence
The one they wore. Coachella.
James
Yeah, the women's blouse that Kanye wore at Coachella.
Lawrence
It's like, white, but has kind of like a. Like a green and orange.
Lori Herschleifer
I have that one.
James
Okay. That's classic.
Lori Herschleifer
I love that.
Lawrence
If you're ever trying to give it away. You got my email.
James
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
I didn't have that from when we had the collection because I was that stupid to let it sell. So I had to buy it. I had to find it and buy it.
Lawrence
Do. What's the opposite of buyer's remorse, where it's like you let something go and.
James
You'Re like, regret sellers. Regret sellers. Regret, opposite sellers.
Lawrence
Remorse. Do you have a lot of that? We like. I should have.
Lori Herschleifer
I have myself. Yeah, I do. I do.
Lawrence
That's why you just got to take Pokemon. You got to catch Them all.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, but then we wouldn't sell anything.
Lawrence
True, true. How much more profit would the company make if you weren't going hitting receiving.
Lori Herschleifer
Every day and more. See and Shelly, I parent.
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Counting is like all at wholesale. Yeah. So okay, let's pair it down. Not everything has to be so over the top. Or maybe like if you're going to put a fit together one over the top thing.
Lori Herschleifer
Exactly.
Lawrence
Logos. What thoughts on logos?
Lori Herschleifer
I'm okay with logos.
Lawrence
What about like the like Logo Mania?
Lori Herschleifer
Some Logo Mania I think is cool.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Some.
Lawrence
Some. Not all.
Lori Herschleifer
Not all.
James
It's not all created either.
Lawrence
Equal.
Lori Herschleifer
No, definitely not.
James
When you wear something like. Okay, we're talking about. You're excited for the, the Phoebe stuff. Are you gonna, when you wear that, are you like I'm gonna wear it kind of like how not Phoebe intended but how it's presented or like I'm gonna put it with all my maximalist style.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm probably gonna break it down.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I tend to do that.
Lawrence
When you, when you see something similar question like when you see a collection or, or you're making a buy or you're like this. Yeah. It's not necessarily how the brand is presenting it in their, you know, marketing or presentation. But I can already my brain is working. I'm going to take it and work it into Lori's swag.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. I mean that's basically what we do with that when we merchandise the whole store because we're, we're buying shoes, we're buying ready to wear. So you're trying to work everything like make merchandise it as one closet, you know.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
Basically. So someone can. Every collection should have things to go with it.
Lawrence
Did that take a few years to hone your brain and your thinking?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
When did it click for you?
Lori Herschleifer
It's still clicking.
James
It's a, it's a process that's never ending.
Lori Herschleifer
It is, it is. It's hard. I mean we buy a lot. We probably have a hundred collections in the store.
James
Damn.
Lori Herschleifer
So to merchandise that as one so someone can really fill their closet is not easy.
Lawrence
Is that a, is that a pitfall of a lot of retail where they just like, like are mirroring what the brand is giving them and just like.
Lori Herschleifer
It might work for them.
Lawrence
Slack on merchandising?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, no, it might work for them, but. But you know, when you're as large in space as we are.
Lawrence
Right.
Lori Herschleifer
You need it to work together.
Lawrence
Right.
James
Is that the, almost the downside that there's so much stuff here? Like if there was like, there's so much. Is that ever. You're like. Like, would you ever. Because I. I have to imagine that, like, you're only growing. Like the brand list, right. Has ever been a point where you're like, well, maybe we should, like, pair back?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, we. Well, we don't look at it as a whole and say we have to pare back because there's too many collections. But just if it's not performing after a period, it's more like that. An edit.
James
When you drop a brand, how hard is that to do as clearly a wonderful, beautiful person?
Lori Herschleifer
It's not easy.
James
That's Shelly's job.
Lori Herschleifer
No, that's not Shelly's job. That's my job. It's not easy.
James
It's a hard conversation.
Lori Herschleifer
It's a hard conversation. Yet is.
James
And why you just be honest.
Lori Herschleifer
You're like, yeah, you have to be honest. It is not everything's for everybody, you.
James
Know, it's like breaking up with someone.
Lori Herschleifer
Right?
Lawrence
We hear that from. We have heard from the brand side that a lot of brands will take input from merchandisers and retailers. They're like, hey, here's what we are seeing working for us. May, like, do you have any of that in this collection or upcoming collections? Do you give that input to labels?
Lori Herschleifer
We'd love to. If they ask for it, yes.
Lawrence
But they don't.
Lori Herschleifer
Not often.
Lawrence
Hubris. What do you go?
James
Well, there's also the idea too, to James's point, of like, exclusive product that's made for specific retailers. Is that a big part of what you guys do? No, no, not exclusives.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
No, I wish.
Lawrence
Do you want an exclusive throwing fits shirt?
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
Lawrence
Really?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Say less.
Lawrence
Little shopping shop.
James
We, you know, we do in store events and we bring. We put asses in seats, we bring people out. Just saying.
Lori Herschleifer
Do you really?
James
Yes.
Lawrence
There might have to be a bar, though.
James
We might need a Moet vending machine.
Lori Herschleifer
What kind of in store events do you do?
James
We do hosting. We do live podcasts, we do meet and greets. We do it all, I swear to God.
Lori Herschleifer
Are you.
James
Wait, you really. You're incredulous right now. You can't believe this. I'm not even joking.
Lawrence
We'll send you our media kit.
Lori Herschleifer
All right. I think I need to see it.
Lawrence
Just a bunch of Instagram links, but we do. We have before.
Lori Herschleifer
Wow. Good to know.
James
In Manhattan, in Brooklyn, Lawrence, you just.
Lawrence
Experienced the breakup of.
James
Wow.
Lawrence
Cool.
James
Yeah. Send it to Shelley.
Lawrence
What? What are. What's some trend? What are some trends in fashion, clothing or otherwise? You would Love to see more of.
Lori Herschleifer
Trends in fashion. That's a hard question for me, because.
James
You know it when you see it.
Lori Herschleifer
Versus yeah, kind of. I. I don't really. It's going to sound stupid, but I don't really look at it as a trend.
Lawrence
Just generally speaking. You're not. You're not like, trend, trend, trend?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I don't.
Lawrence
Ballerina core, Croette core. You're not like, come on.
James
The mob wife aesthetic?
Lori Herschleifer
No. I mean, yeah. Really? No. I mean, yes. Ballerina is a. Is that. But other than that. This. No.
Lawrence
All right.
Lori Herschleifer
Trends, huh?
Lawrence
Do you think that. Do you think in the women's wear, they are. We. Y'all are moving, like, towards simplification?
Lori Herschleifer
Where are you from?
Lawrence
I'm from New York, y'all. Yeah, I said y'all, y'all. I don't know why I said y'all.
Lori Herschleifer
Okay.
Lawrence
Y'all women.
James
Y'all females.
Lawrence
Yeah, women shop. Like, simplification, please. So you're not like, a stickler for trends.
Lori Herschleifer
You're just like. I'm not. In fact, at the season. Yeah. The end of the season, when they write that whole trend list, I'm like, oh, really? That's a trend?
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
You're like. I'm just moving everything. I'm moving units. Macroeconomics.
Lawrence
Lori, how much money you make?
Lori Herschleifer
That's.
James
We ask everybody, but.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, okay.
James
Don't.
Lawrence
What? Okay. Besides clothes.
Lori Herschleifer
Not enough.
Lawrence
Not enough.
James
Oh, we want more.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Never satisfied.
Lori Herschleifer
No. Okay, why are we here?
James
That's good point, right?
Lawrence
Besides. Well, let me ask you.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Besides clothes, what do you like to spend your hard earned money on? Why are we here?
Lori Herschleifer
Art? Wine.
Lawrence
Oh, love wine. Girly. What we sipping on? What we sipping on this weekend, Lewis?
Lori Herschleifer
Chardonnay.
James
O. Oh, Chardonnay. Is Chardonnay. Having come back, I feel like I've heard that.
Lawrence
Is Louis Chardon.
Lori Herschleifer
I only drink Chardonnay.
Lawrence
Is L Chardonnay from Long Island?
Lori Herschleifer
No, it's from California.
Lawrence
Okay. You're not sipping on Duck Vineyards.
Lori Herschleifer
I am not.
Lawrence
Or a Wolf Estate? Is that the Wolfer?
Lori Herschleifer
Wolfer? That's right near my house.
Lawrence
Hampton's Water, baby.
Lori Herschleifer
Hampton's Water I like.
Lawrence
Oh, really?
Lori Herschleifer
Have you had it?
James
No, it's good.
Lori Herschleifer
It's really good.
James
My mom buys it. It's.
Lori Herschleifer
His mom buys it.
James
You should check out a little. You ever hear of a Candle Jack Jackson?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Do you ever splash out crazy online? Like, do you buy, like, rare bottles?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Okay.
James
Is there rare chardonnay?
Lori Herschleifer
I don't know. They must be, right?
James
It's like. That feels like a people's. Like a democratic people's wine.
Lawrence
You only drink chardonnay. That's your one grape.
Lori Herschleifer
No, I. I'll drink red.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
David doesn't drink red. So if we're opening a bottle, it's going to be a chardonnay.
James
He wants the chardonnay.
Lawrence
We're the. We're in the Billy Joel Holland. Bottle red, bottle white.
Lori Herschleifer
Well, there you go. Bottle vodka. Yeah.
Lawrence
And driving.
James
And a car. And the car keys. Ever been to Hersh Lifers?
Lori Herschleifer
He has.
James
Okay. What did he buy? Can you say he was with.
Lori Herschleifer
When he was married to Katie Lee?
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
No, it was before they were married. I think it was when they were engaged.
James
Oh, he was, like, taking her shopping.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
So was he the. So that's funny, right? There's.
Lawrence
Is he the reason why there's no longer a bar here?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
James
We have to move the Moab betting machine out. When he was here, was he kind of like the husband? The. The stereotype of the husband shopper where he's just, like, falling around? He's sitting down.
Lori Herschleifer
He's.
James
It was.
Lori Herschleifer
We used to have a table, a round table upstairs. They were in the evening department, which no longer exists. And he actually was sitting at the round table and a client's mother sat down next to him. They shared a bagel.
James
They shared a bagel.
Lori Herschleifer
They shared a bagel. She had a bagel in a shop in a brown bag and hanging out and. Yeah, it was so lovely. He was, like, made best friends with.
Lawrence
So Billy Joel was in the cock chair. As a. As a retail empire owner, are you familiar with the concept of the cuck chair?
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
It's where husbands go and sit while they're shop.
Lori Herschleifer
I got it.
Lawrence
Do you have, like, chairs around there?
Lori Herschleifer
We have a Chrome Hearts one. That's perfect.
Lawrence
Oh, is it a beanbag?
Lori Herschleifer
It's so soft. It's wonderful. It's not a beanbag.
Lawrence
I'm a ghost. Sit my ass on that.
Lori Herschleifer
You are quilted.
James
So it's the. It's the cuck husband daycare. Yeah, for Herschel.
Lawrence
But it's not. It's not sterling silver. It's not like, cold and hard. It's.
Lori Herschleifer
No.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
All right.
Lawrence
Because chrome furniture is. Is a big part of their business, right?
Lori Herschleifer
It is, yeah.
Lawrence
I'm trying to, like. I remember seeing a house on, like, Archdis where, like, Archdeacon Swear they had, like, in chrome Heart's big door.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, nice.
Lawrence
Anyway, okay, so wine, art, Anything else? Travel.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, travel.
Lawrence
What's on your. What's on your travel destination bucket list.
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, my bucket list. I would like to go to Africa, but my husband does not want to go.
Lawrence
I'm going on to. On Tuesday. I'm going to Uganda. You want to come?
Lori Herschleifer
You are?
James
Yeah.
Lawrence
Nice, Wanda.
James
Then.
Lawrence
Uganda.
Lori Herschleifer
Nice.
Lawrence
Yes.
Lori Herschleifer
For how long?
Lawrence
A week. Yeah. No, I'm not going to bring any of my Chanel.
Lori Herschleifer
You're not?
Lawrence
No.
Lori Herschleifer
What about your jewelry?
Lawrence
I'll probably leave that at home. I'm going to be wearing these boots I'm bringing.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, they're comfortable.
Lawrence
Next time I see you, these, like covered in mud and gorilla.
Lori Herschleifer
That sounds so cool.
Lawrence
Okay, so like safari.
Lori Herschleifer
I would love to go on safari.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Okay. So Africa.
Lori Herschleifer
I'd like to go back to Tokyo.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Well, you loved it. When's the last time you went?
Lori Herschleifer
Rob and I went five years ago or six years ago. Right before cherry blossom season.
Lawrence
Did you do a lot of shopping there?
Lori Herschleifer
Oh my God. We had to buy a suitcase.
Lawrence
Do you. Okay.
James
I mean, that's how you know the trip was successful.
Lori Herschleifer
We had to buy a. I always say.
Lawrence
I always say go.
James
We didn't need to buy Ramo. You could have bought a cheaper suitcase.
Lawrence
But okay. I would say go there with a half an empty suitcase and like put a suitcase in the suitcase.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
When you to a place like Tokyo, did the retail experience, like, did you bring back? You're like, guys, we gotta, yeah. Try to, you know, aspire to be on that level.
Lori Herschleifer
But you can't be on that level here.
Lawrence
Where were you? Where'd you shop in. In Tokyo?
Lori Herschleifer
Everywhere. I don't think we missed a store.
Lawrence
Okay. Dover Street. The, the, the, the Prada store is crazy, right? Or is it the shell store?
Lori Herschleifer
The Prada store is crazy.
Lawrence
The Hermes store. That like the, the frosted glass.
Lori Herschleifer
It was everything. Everything.
James
So you come back from Tokyo and you're like, take the Moet vending machine and replace it with a pan.
Lawrence
Good food.
Lori Herschleifer
The food was okay. We got a little ill, so. Yeah. Yeah.
James
That's a shame. So we want to go back to Tokyo. We want to go to Africa on.
Lawrence
Sorry.
James
Anything else?
Lori Herschleifer
I mean, we were just in Australia because Rob and Nar got married there.
James
Oh, congrats around.
Lori Herschleifer
Thank you.
James
Betrothed.
Lori Herschleifer
Yes.
Lawrence
It really is a family affair.
Lori Herschleifer
It really is. They met here. Cuz she works here.
James
Who is running hr?
Lawrence
The sister.
Lori Herschleifer
The. The middle sister.
Lawrence
Yeah. She's slacking.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, exactly.
Lawrence
What's the. Her lifer's policy on intern business relationships?
Lori Herschleifer
I guess we don't have one. Are we Supposed to?
Lawrence
No. Hey, man.
James
Love is love. Lori, Right?
Lawrence
Yeah.
Lori Herschleifer
Thanks.
James
Woke.
Lawrence
Yeah. Love is love.
Lori Herschleifer
How's Oz house?
Lawrence
Australia?
Lori Herschleifer
It was so cool.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Sydney, Melbourne. Where were you?
Lori Herschleifer
Brisbane, near Brisbane. Like an hour and a half from Brisbane. It's called Gold. The Gold Coast.
Lawrence
Beautiful, beautiful avocado toast and beautiful shirtless sick cunts. Koala bears with syphilis and all that.
Lori Herschleifer
All that.
James
All the good stuff.
Lori Herschleifer
Held a koala bear.
Lawrence
Is it hard? Really?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Was that gross?
James
Since the whole thing are really mean.
Lori Herschleifer
They say they're mean, but he was lovely.
James
He was like, I like her swag.
Lori Herschleifer
I'm with it. He was in a sanctuary, so he.
James
Was, you know, docile.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. When you drugged.
Lawrence
Yeah, Drugged up. When you trap. Is it hard for you to travel with packing where you're like, I need to really limit my.
Lori Herschleifer
We only go carry on.
Lawrence
No way.
James
What? That's a policy.
Lori Herschleifer
My husband will not let me pat check luggage since forever.
James
How do you edit?
Lori Herschleifer
You edit. You edit and you become a really good packer.
Lawrence
Do you plan fits out ahead of time? You're like, I'm gonna throw in my most versatile.
Lori Herschleifer
I usually. I don't plan the outfit, but I make sure everything works together.
Lawrence
Right, Right.
James
A vibe.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. And if you're going. Yeah. If you're going somewhere, they do laundry. I mean, you can get.
James
That's true.
Lori Herschleifer
Your underwear clean.
Lawrence
I. Yeah.
James
It's expensive.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
But. Yeah, that's fair.
Lawrence
How long were you traveling this. This trip?
Lori Herschleifer
Eight days, ten days.
James
Oh, in a carry on.
Lori Herschleifer
Well, we shipped all the wedding stuff.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Okay.
Lori Herschleifer
I mean, that we did.
Lawrence
Damn. That's crazy. That's honestly the most surprising thing about you, Laurie. We learned a lot about you. Say, that's the craziest thing.
James
What did you wear to your son's wedding?
Lori Herschleifer
I wore a Kate dress.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Beautiful.
Lori Herschleifer
Thank you.
Lawrence
Was the. Were the rings chrome?
Lori Herschleifer
Oh, no.
Lawrence
Does chrome do wedding rings?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, of course they do a. I'm not wearing it. They do a band that they called the TFL Bands for True Love.
Lawrence
What?
James
A Chrome.
Lori Herschleifer
Totally chrome. Yeah.
Lawrence
Right?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
For ever.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
Well, Lori, we want to thank you for coming onto the only podcast Matters and hosting us out here in your beautiful store. Before we get out of your hair and you get back to working the floor and making sure people are on their P's and Q's, do you have any constructive criticism you would like to give us?
Lori Herschleifer
No, I think you guys are awesome.
Lawrence
Oh, we would. No, honestly, be really honest. Come on.
Lori Herschleifer
Honestly. Just don't wear that jewelry again.
James
Did this go better than you thought it would when you were, like, a little nervous?
Lori Herschleifer
I was very nervous, and you didn't come off really easy.
Lawrence
Could you edit my stack real quick? Like, what are you. What would you keep. What would you get rid of?
James
This is why you pay for the video, folks.
Lawrence
Okay, so she's.
Lori Herschleifer
So, no, I got to straighten it out first. I told you about the OCD stuff going on here.
James
All right. But this is going to be a clip for sure. James's jewelry edit courtesy of.
Lawrence
We got the bangles, we got rings, and we got bracelets and.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, I like the color.
Lawrence
Yeah, I do.
Lori Herschleifer
I like the color a lot.
Lawrence
This is from a. I think it's called Secondhand Silver Love. I have a 10% discount code I can of you.
James
What a guy affiliate.
Lawrence
Are these like, 40 to $60 each?
Lori Herschleifer
They're very nice. I don't think I'd get rid of everything. Anything. I like the color combination a lot.
James
Would you wear any of this yourself?
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, I would. Throw in a turquoise. I love turquoise.
Lawrence
What do you think about this guy? Because this actually is a collaboration we did with a little brand called Maiden Name that unfortunately is no longer with us.
Lori Herschleifer
That's cool. All right.
James
What's that? Is that tiger eye? What is that? What's that?
Lawrence
I don't know. Not tiger eye?
Lori Herschleifer
No. It's like an animal. Amber.
Lawrence
Yeah.
James
Okay.
Lawrence
Okay. So what are we keeping. What are we losing now that we're. Now that we're. Well, be brutally honest.
James
Okay, well.
Lawrence
Well, constructor criticism time.
Lori Herschleifer
Okay, well, it looks better already.
Lawrence
Oh, wow. You.
Lori Herschleifer
Honestly.
Lawrence
This is merchandising. You're keeping it all?
Lori Herschleifer
I'm keeping it all.
Lawrence
You didn't like when it was in a pile?
Lori Herschleifer
No, see, look, now. Now you could actually make a sale if you wanted to. Right? There you go.
Lawrence
Do we.
Lori Herschleifer
What do you.
Lawrence
What are you offering here?
Lori Herschleifer
I'm not offering anything, but all you're.
James
Missing is a trench coat.
Lawrence
I'll offer it. Yeah, I'll. Anything you want for the employee discount.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, it looks great.
Lawrence
Thank you.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
I want to thank you for coming on to the only podcast.
James
Thank you, Laurie.
Lawrence
Where can the kids follow you? What would you like to plug? Yeah, there's a store that they should come to.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah. 2080 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset. Come visit.
Lawrence
Ask Lori for a selfie. She's like, you know, used to it now, I think.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah, I'm getting better at it.
James
Get a flick. Spend the whole day.
Lori Herschleifer
Bring your family. Yeah.
Lawrence
Eat some kids.
Lori Herschleifer
Go to Young's Farm.
Lawrence
What's, what's what's what? Should we order Young's Farm for lunch?
Lori Herschleifer
Well, you can't really order. There's pre made sandwiches.
Lawrence
Perfect. Easy.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
James
Taking the guest grab and go.
Lori Herschleifer
Yeah.
Lawrence
While I'm zipping back to the city in the alley. In and out, shout out. Ian. All right, Lori, thank you for coming on the only podcast.
James
This is wonderful.
Lawrence
You're the best chef. Take us out.
James
You are no dummy, but you're kind of acting like one.
Lawrence
You used to crush it in in.
James
School, outsmarting opponents on the field, and.
Lawrence
Now, well, you're still smart, but not exactly challenging yourself.
James
You could be advancing nuclear engineering in.
Lawrence
The world's most powerful navy. You were born for it.
James
So make the smart choice. You can be smart or you can be nuke smart. Become a nuclear engineer@navy.com nukesmart America's Navy forged by the sea.
Lawrence
Hi, I'm Chris Gethard and I'm very.
James
Excited to tell you about Beautiful Anonymous.
Lawrence
A podcast where I talk to random.
James
People on the phone.
Lawrence
I tweet out a phone number. Thousands of people try to call. Talk to one of them. They stay anonymous. I can't hang up.
James
That's all the rules.
Lawrence
I never know what's gonna happen.
James
We get serious ones.
Lawrence
I've talked with meth dealers on their way to prison. I've talked to people who survived mass shootings.
James
Crazy, funny ones.
Lawrence
I talked to a guy with a goose laugh, Somebody who dresses up as a pirate on the weekends. I never know what's gonna happen. It's a great show. Subscribe today. Beautiful Anonymous.
Podcast Summary: "The Lori Herschleifer Interview with Throwing Fits"
Release Date: February 5, 2025
In this engaging episode of Throwing Fits, hosts James and Lawrence sit down with Lori Herschleifer, a prominent figure in the luxury retail industry and a key player in the family-run department store, Hersch Lifers. The conversation delves deep into Lori's personal style, the intricacies of running a multi-generational family business, the evolving landscape of retail, and the intersection of social media influence with high-end fashion. Below is a detailed summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.
Timestamp: 01:40 – 05:00
The episode kicks off with a comprehensive fit check, where Lori showcases her meticulously curated outfit. She is adorned in:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (02:04): "I do wear a bunch of anklets, but unfortunately they have to be covered in the sock today."
Lori emphasizes her love for vintage band tees, collecting them through her daughter-in-law's purchases, ensuring each piece holds personal significance.
Timestamp: 05:24 – 14:45
Lori shares insights into her extensive jewelry collection, which includes:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (09:38): "People often ask on Instagram if I can show them a stacking video or how to grow. So, yeah, it's pretty crazy that that has happened."
Lori discusses her maximalist yet cohesive styling approach, where each jewelry piece complements her overall look without overwhelming it. She attributes her impeccable taste to instinct and personal preference rather than formal training.
Timestamp: 08:42 – 19:38
Hersch Lifers, founded in Brooklyn in 1905, has evolved from a simple fashion retailer to a prestigious multi-brand department store. Lori recounts the store's journey:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (16:22): "The three of us sat down one day and said, we're not sure we can make this work, but there you go. We just did it."
Facing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Lori explains how the family adapted by enhancing their VIP shopping programs and transforming the store into a destination with added amenities like Young's Farm.
Timestamp: 15:30 – 28:50
Lori delves into the dynamics of running a family-owned business, highlighting:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (12:37): "We do everything from buying to managing the sales floor. There's nothing I would have someone else do that I wouldn't do."
The conversation touches upon the impact of losing the patriarch, Rob, and how the sisters navigated the sink-or-swim reality post his passing, fostering a resilient and cohesive leadership team.
Timestamp: 28:50 – 39:00
Discussing the ever-changing retail environment, Lori outlines strategies that have kept Hersch Lifers viable:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (19:01): "We just went every direction. We increased our Chanel buys, we added shoes, there's nothing we don't carry now."
She also discusses the importance of exclusive partnerships, such as the in-store Chanel boutique, distinguishing Hersch Lifers from other department stores.
Timestamp: 32:14 – 44:19
Lori reflects on her role as a brand influencer through her personal social media presence:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (32:53): "It's just who I am. It's my business. It's my home, right?"
She acknowledges the pressure of influencing but embraces it as an extension of her role within the store, ensuring that her personal brand and Hersch Lifers’ identity are seamlessly intertwined.
Timestamp: 44:19 – 59:00
The discussion navigates through current fashion trends and Lori's perspectives:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (65:46): "Sometimes it's just not everything needs everything on it, like painted and bedazzled."
Timestamp: 59:00 – End
Lori shares heartfelt anecdotes, including:
Notable Quote:
Lori Herschleifer (81:09): "Everything you do with that when we merchandise the whole store because we're buying shoes, we're buying ready to wear. So you're trying to work everything together like making merchandise as one closet."
Legacy and Family: Hersch Lifers stands as a testament to multi-generational commitment and the strength of family bonds in sustaining a luxury retail empire.
Adaptability: The store's ability to evolve with market trends and embrace technological advancements has been crucial in navigating challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal Branding: Lori's authentic online presence serves as a powerful tool for brand promotion, blending personal style with business objectives seamlessly.
Fashion Philosophy: Emphasizing balance over excess, Hersch Lifers advocates for timeless elegance and thoughtful accessorizing, steering clear of fleeting trends that lack cohesion.
Community Engagement: By transforming the shopping experience into a destination event, Hersch Lifers fosters a sense of community and exclusivity, attracting a loyal clientele.
This episode offers an intimate look into the world of high-end retail, the complexities of managing a family business, and the delicate balance between personal and professional identities. Lori Herschleifer's insights provide valuable perspectives for anyone interested in fashion, entrepreneurship, and the dynamic interplay between legacy and innovation.
For more insights and stories from Throwing Fits, visit www.throwingfits.com on Substack.