Working for Claire’s provides a good quality of life for Jacobs, who’s a true believer in (and user of) the products she’s promoting.

Dickinsonians with a flair for the fun side of fashion are the focus of our cover feature for summer. You’ll encounter designers Sophie Simmons ’94 and Kate Duvall ’04, company co-owner Scott Beaumont ’75, marketing professionals Jeff Funk ’91 and Marisa Jacobs ’78, boutique co-owner Debbie Dickson ’82, and photographer Doug Inglish ’91 and get a peek at how the presidential style of William G. Durden ’71 evolved.

• Sophie Simmons ’94
• Kate Duvall ’04
• Scott Beaumont ’75
• Jeff Funk ’91
• Marisa Jacobs ’78 (below)
• Debbie Dickson ’82
• Doug Inglish ’91
• William G. Durden ’71

Glitzy Business

Marisa Jacobs ’78 knows fashion by the numbers

By Barbara Snyder Stambaugh

There’s an elaborate world out there of hairdo gewgaws and faux gemstone doodads—and it’s big business. Schoolgirls in Germany go for citrusfarbigen perlen. In France they like grandes creoles noir. In the United States a pink tulle star-studded pony-o might be this summer’s hot fashion accessory.

If it all sounds like Greek to you, chances are it makes perfect sense to a teen-age girl. The young female set takes this stuff very seriously. Every bauble, curlicue and frill has to be just so. And, perhaps, no single corporation has done a better job of recognizing the bountiful market for the playful elegance of a young girl’s fashion desires than a chain of 3,000 retail stores in eight countries called Claire’s.

Claire’s proves fashion isn’t just for grownups. But, then again, these stores aren’t just for kids, says Marisa Jacobs ’78, Claire’s vice president of corporate communications and investor relations. She shops there for basic accessories like hair clips and barrettes.

“The stores are diverse enough to appeal to all kinds of teens and young women—the fem, preppy and goth,” Jacobs says. “And all of their mothers can find something, too.”

Still the stores are teen-centered. Statistics gathered by teen magazines show that Claire’s brand recognition for its target demographic is almost 100 percent. Sales this year will top $1 billion with a market cap over $2 billion—all based on an average price-per-item of only $4. And, believe it or not, the company does absolutely no advertising.

It’s a corporate dream come true.
But Claire’s impressive brand recognition stops just short of perfect. Besides its client base, the company has another audience to reach—investors. Many of them don’t know about the chain.

Jacobs’ job is to get the attention of the business-minded men and women who spend less time thinking about dangly rhinestone earrings and more time thinking about where to invest their clients’ retirement funds.

“I am the primary contact for securities analysts, financial reporters and institutional investors,” Jacobs says from her tasteful office on the ninth floor of the Empire State Building. “I facilitate relationships. Claire’s CEO and CFO have to be visible. I manage their exposure, prep them for interviews, assist with the writing of the annual report—every aspect of the business that is of interest to investors.”

After earning her law degree from Columbia University, Jacobs’ career path first took her through a large New York law firm, where she was on the fast track to the legal major leagues. But she grew weary of the punishing work schedule … long days stretching into nights and weekends.

“I had no hobbies, and I was becoming resentful,” she says.

Then the new field of investor relations caught her attention.

“Not many people had heard of it,” she says. She combined her solid financial and communication skills as a securities lawyer with a few career moves to develop skill sets in specialized communications like public relations, corporate and crisis management and branding—and a new career was born.

In the finest tradition of liberal-arts education, Jacobs’ work requires her to excel on both sides of the “left brain/right brain” fence: logical vs. intuitive, objective vs. subjective, numbers vs. words.

“I was an English major at Dickinson and an accounting minor. The combination has been great for me. I’m prepared in both areas. The ability to write, edit, speak and have knowledge of finance helped me in law school and as a young attorney. After all, transactions are always about money.

“If you come to investor relations with just a financial background, you may not have great communication skills. Same the other way around. You have to be able to write a compelling presentation, engage your audience, but you also must understand the intricacies of finance.”

Jacobs loves the work and appreciates the sanity of her schedule. Unusual as it may sound for a New York City attorney, she even has a personal life. For their 10th anniversary of dating, she and boyfriend George Garver were married in October, and they honeymooned in New Zealand.

It’s clear from Jacobs’ jaunty sense of humor that she recognizes the glitzy fun of her company’s product line.

“Working for Claire’s makes me very popular with my neighbors’ children.”