This story recently appeared in The Hour – Wilton Edition.

WILTON — Since 1995, designs from Jennifer Paganelli’s Sis Boom collection have won over thousands of fans and have been featured in print, online and on TV worldwide.
But now, the longtime textile designer said she’s ready for change and wants to take her career into a new direction through her recently launched ready-to-wear clothing line, East End Lifestyle.

Her apparel incorporates the vivid colors and resort fashion she saw growing up in the Virgin Islands, as well as vintage patterns and textures from fabric documents purchased from tag sales and flea markets over the years. The clothes are produced in New York and the fabrics are polyester.
The first collection pays homage to St. Croix, where she and her graduating class of 18 from the Country Day School gathered at Point Udall on the east end to watch the sunrise in 1976.

That moment is also the inspiration behind the name of the clothing line, she said.
“We wanted easy-care, easy-fit all designed with high fashion,” Paganelli said. “Our demographic is about 28 to 65, and that’s just where we’re comfortable being.”
East End Lifestyle also features vintage finds, new jewels and accessories, and Paganelli’s exclusive artwork. She picked up painting about a year ago, after taking a $5 online class.
With the launching of East End Lifestyle, Paganelli said she wants to grow the fashion and painting pieces of her business.
“I was a folk artist before anything else,” she said. “So it’s nice to sort of be the folk artist side of me. It’s kind of how they live together — this dual marriage of this folk artist who loves fashion.”

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