Just Her Style

ST. PETERSBURG When you think of shopping destinations, certain places come to mind. Beverly Hills has Rodeo Drive. New York City has Fifth Avenue. St. Petersburg has ... First Avenue North?
Sound unlikely? Ivanka Ska doesn't think so.

It took only one drive-by for Ska to decide to open her House of Ska in the corner space of the Princess Martha Hotel on First Avenue North. Never mind that it sits across the street from Williams Park, a refuge for transients and homeless people.

"This was my motivation," says Ska, a tall, svelte beauty, motioning toward the park. "There are 50 people who live in this park. Why not open [my boutique] here? I'm a pioneer. I want others to see you can do it here. We have to co-exist together. I want New Yorkers to come here to shop. This is going to be my Central Park."

Ska is willing to do what it takes to make her vision a reality - going as far as asking a man she caught urinating on the corner not to do it again.

"I haven't had a problem since," she adds. "I think when you're nice, people respond better."
House of Ska, which opened in February, combines Ska's love of fashion and art under one roof.
The shop is filled with her signature pieces: simple and elegant dresses, blouses and skirts with sleek cuts, feminine lines and surprising details. Silks, cottons and other fabrics are worked into playful, flippy, mod frocks for party girls. The walls are covered in original works from local artists.
Noticeably absent: slacks.

"I wanted to focus on dresses because most women love dresses," she says. "I love dresses. I will eventually offer pants, once I get a feel for the kind of pants women want."

Ska wants to prove custom-made fashion can be inventive, affordable and well-made. Her creations sell in the $100 to $300 range; an evening gown can run about $500, depending on the fabric. And everything is custom made.

In a back room, Ska and her assistant, who goes by the name Purity, use a 1948 Singer sewing machine to make samples in a size 8.

"I don't make samples in a 2 because most women aren't a size 2," she says. "Women come in beautiful shapes and sizes. We're curvy, shapely, tall, petite, and we all want to look pretty in what we wear."

The process of turning her boutique into a reality was a bumpy one for Ska.

From Sweatshops To Palm Trees
A native of Poland, she moved to St. Petersburg 17 years ago from New York, where she worked in sweatshops and cleaned houses while waiting for her citizenship. She also worked as an artist in her free time.

"I saw the Christmas lights on the palm trees for the first time, and it felt like home," she recalls of her first trip to St. Petersburg. "I knew instantly I wanted to live here."

With a strong background in sewing - Ska, her parents and her sister made their own clothes in Poland - she immersed herself in the local art and fashion scene. Ska hooked up with artist William York and started the Bohemian Art Movement, a collective to promote artists, painters, musicians, sculptors and fashion designers. She's also on the board of directors of Gala Corina, an artists collective in Tampa.

"What I love about her is her willingness to help out other artists, models and fashion designers," says Ungala, an artist who sells her work at House of Ska. Ungala, who uses only her first name, says Ska "gets people really excited about this business."

Ska's big break came in 2005, when she became wardrobe stylist for Leven Rambin, who plays Lily Montgomery on daytime TV's "All My Children." She dresses the actress for red carpet events.
Michael Plummer, president of Pinellas Park's Our Town Inc., was so impressed with Ska's talent, he invested in her business to help get her started.

"I've watched her interact with people, and I see her drive and desire," he says. "It's wonderful to see someone who has a dream and is willing to put forth the effort to make it come to fruition.

"She's an eternal optimist, and I don't think she will let things stop her that would hold other people back."

United They Stand
Ska is quick to credit others for her success. In addition to her own designs, she sells the work of other designers, jewelers and artists in her store.

"We're so much better together than we are separate," Ska says. "I can't do this by myself. I need everyone's help. We have to help one another. This city is big enough for all of us."

Ska advises aspiring entrepreneurs not to be afraid to get out there.

"If I can do it, anyone can," she says. "I'm a little Polish girl who used to work in sweatshops. As long as you're passionate about what you do, you can do it."

House of Ska, located at 401 First Ave. N. in St. Petersburg, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Mondays by appointment only. The store can be reached at (727) 822-7752 or by going to www.ivankaska.com.

5 Questions With Ivanka
'We asked Ska to tell us about her design favorites and why her boutique rocks.
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Who is your style icon, and why?
Many, but Coco Chanel has to be the one who inspired me the most. She created style that is recognized still to this day.
And my mom. Growing up, she never wore pants, always used the same lipstick color and never went out without looking like a lady.

What is your trademark as a designer?
My signature collection, "Timeless." It's a tricolor black, white and silver combination of elegance and chic. It was yesterday, it's today and it will be tomorrow.

Who do you design for?
We all come in different shapes and sizes. I try to design for everyone. I'm still growing as an artist and learning to understand what makes the best design for each body type.

What sets you apart from other boutiques in town?
I'm the only boutique that has a full-time tailor on staff and the only designer in the Tampa Bay area where you can come in and have an outfit custom-designed on the spot for your body type.

What's been the best part of owning your own business?
Every day is a new experience, from meeting new people, creating and designing to just simply being your own boss. I'm in charge of my own future. I love every minute of it.