by Fine Lingerie Expert Margaret Shrum

Revealing Margaret

Mastering The Art of Lingerie

After graduating from Fashion Careers of California in sunny San Diego, Margaret packed her bags and began her career in fashion in San Francisco working for Bebe. Margaret also created and designed her first line of bustiers, known for their highly decorative 80’s style. Exactly one year later, Margaret moved to the Big Apple and was offered a sales position at Barneys New York in the Lingerie Department, which she embraced and helped grow the business, literally doubling sales each year for a period of over eight years. She began in sales, was promoted into management and recruited into buying. Her role directly involved her in the merchandising and buying of over ninety international lingerie lines.

At Barneys New York, she attended the Paris Lingerie trade shows, helped create private label and worked with artisans and designers to build unique collections for the Barney’s clients. She had the privilege of working with designers and vendors from La Perla, Andra Gabrielle, Danielle Hanson, Prada, Jil Sander, Grazia L’liani, Kristina Ti, Cappucine Perrari, Chantal Thomas, Sabia Rosa, Collette Dinnigan, Fifi Chacnil, Carine Gilson, Hanro, Donna Karan, Laurence Tavernier and many more fine lingerie collections. She also was part of the team that opened the first La Perla flagship boutique on Madison Avenue in 1995.

During these early years, Margaret selected lingerie, fit and styled numerous celebrities including: Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Sally Fields, Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Barbara Streisand, Rosanne Barr, Gena Davis, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Glen Close, Diandra Douglas, Marissa Tomei, Debra Harry, Kate Capshaw, Paulina Porizkova, Kate Moss, Brooke Shields, Annie Lebowitz, Catherine Denueve, Mary Tyler Moore, Danielle Steele, Betsey Johnson, Mariah Carey and many more.

She also advised many celebrity men select gifts for their loved ones, including, Jerry Seinfeld, Bono, John Malcovich, Johnny Depp, Daniel Day-Lewis, Tom Cruise, Tim Burton, Liam Neeson and more.

Working hands on with celebrity clients, literally fitting thousands of women in fine lingerie contributed to the solid foundation for her life’s work. Her expertise and passion continued to grow from there. After enough tireless encouragement and support from her clients, fans and closest friends alike, she decided to finally step into the spotlight herself, so that she could touch the lives of so many more women worldwide….and that’s exactly what she did.

It’s Margaret’s hope for every woman — including her own daughter — that she enjoy her size, shape and age at every point throughout her lifetime.

In her own words:

I like to think of myself as a “sensuality stylist.”

My interests began when I was a little girl, playing dress up with my Mom’s glamorous clothes, gowns, jewelry, accessories and high heels. I loved how I looked, especially when I put on a little of my Mom’s signature perfume, Chanel N°5, and her bright red lipstick.

My favorite thing to do was get all dolled up and walk through my sunny San Diego beach neighborhood—I was a courtesan at age 5! I flirted with the little boys, the neighbors and even the dogs! What bliss it was to feel as though the entire world was waiting for me, Margaret, to appear.

Yes, my journey as The Lingerie Goddess began back then, and my love of all things feminine and sensual became my life’s passion, one that has sustained me through my own life struggles. And today, I can think of no greater delight than to teach other women how sensuality brings not only great pleasure—but transformative strength!