Phillip Salem has dreamt about owning his own clothing store since as long as he can remember. He grew up in Akron, Ohio and to this day maintains a deep love for his hometown, vying that he would rather have a vacation home there rather than in any tropical location. But with one goal in mind, he left for New York City to attend The Fashion Institute of Technology in 2006. He quickly built a name for himself as WFIT’s New York Fashion Week Senior Correspondent, handling backstage show coverage and interviews with celebrities and designers. In addition, he hosted an event with Elle Magazine’s top 5 editors, including Joe Zee and Kate Lanphear, for "ELLEvated,” and reported celebrity news on StyleCaster.com’s weekly online show “Celebrity Buzz.” An onscreen natural, Salem went on to host and executive produce “Entertainment Intervention,” an all-access look into the best shopping, dining, and entertainment New York City has to offer.

Already exposed to not only the fashion world, but the ins and outs of the City as a reporter, Salem realized there was no home in downtown Manhattan for men’s and women’s brands in the contemporary and designer market. After graduating in May 2010, Salem began to conceptualize what is to become OWEN - a luxurious shopping experience that not only inspires people through clothing, but captivates and ignites the client's artistic mind through a non-egotistical and creative atmosphere. Curating the designer matrix himself, Salem has mixed emerging designers and eminent brands, many of which cannot be found elsewhere.

“Fashion to me is a preference, not a rule, so I focus on pieces that are modern, structured and detail oriented - with a subtle flair for the dramatic”.

Believing personalized service has been lost from the retail world, Salem sees that the difference is in the details, from client relations (The OWEN training manual's first page reads, "Everyone that walks in the door should be treated like Beyoncé) to the friendly inviting atmosphere.” This May 2012, Salem will open the doors to his dream, an 1,800 sq ft boutique in the fashionable Meatpacking District.

A strong believer in giving back, Salem dedicates his free time to the International Volunteer Organization in Africa and South America, developing educational activities for the elderly and underprivileged children. Salem also is an active volunteer at New York Cares supporting non-profit agencies, public schools, and homeless shelters.

For More Information:
Georgia Mack
georgia@riopr.com
Melissa Leung
melissa@riopr.com