NEW YORK, Aug 2, 2002/ --- Fed up with the sight of cashmere sweaters on display in July and pronouncements from the powers-that-be that women must have a certain bag come fall or they'd be designated uncool, Stacia Valle opened her own clothing boutique in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, called (with tongue placed firmly in cheek) Dernier Cri, or "the last word."

"There are no rules here," says Valle, a pixie-haired fashion hound who assumed a little of her anti-establishment ways from her time as tour manager for Third Eye Blind.

"My customers are those who wear a wife-beater with a pair of Preen pants, or $5 vintage shoes with a $600 Tata-Naka dress...And as you can see, there's no fall clothing on display just yet - honestly, it's too hot outside to try that stuff on!"

Rather, in lieu of Luella Bartley's wool knickers -- which will be in store soon -- the rock 'n' roll-infused space is filled with sexy, feminine, somewhat season-less items from many an insider favorite.

There are tailored blousey dresses from Catie et Marcs, batiked cotton skirts from Circle by Mara Hoffman, ankle-ruched pants from Development, and pretty, pin-tucked blouses from Julia -- many of them exclusive to the store.

Example: "Katy [Rodriguez, co-designer of Catie et Marcs] called me one day and told me she had a vision of doing some pieces in pinstripe for the store -- I told her, 'Bring 'em on!'" recounts Valle, who knows the Resurrection co-owner from her own days working at the vintage boutique.

Dernier Cri

And, everything in store -- from the Mimi Turner skinny slacks to James' boy-brief bikinis to the Grey Antics strapless jumpsuit -- has been tried and tested by Valle herself, who describes herself as "5'6, not a greyhound, and brutally honest."

If something doesn't look right on you, she'll let you know. And vice versa.

"One woman was trying on a bikini and she was saying it made her butt look big, and I was like 'You know what? You look hot, and let me just tell you -- guys really like some butt on a girl'... I remember flipping through a fashion magazine with Stephen [Jenkins, Third Eye Blind's lead singer] and he pointed to some major supermodel and said 'That poor girl has no ass!'"

Dernier Cri
869 Washington St.
(btwn. 13th & 14th)
New York, NY
Tel: 212.242.6061