After 24 years of dressing the “who’s who” of Los Gatos, and other Bay Area locales, Leslie Robidoux is closing her brick-and-mortar storefront.
Last week, I dropped by Bettina’s of Los Gatos for a quick chat with its creator and owner Robidoux. At press time “STORE CLOSING SALE” banners were in the windows, and what little merchandise remained, was flying out the door.
Robidoux, the youngest of six children stated, “I was really a tomboy, and I didn’t want to go to the mall with mom. I went; she dragged me. I wanted to play with my brothers. But yeah, that is how it started. And I just fell in love with it. It became natural to me and I’m pretty good at it.” Her upscale clientele will tell you the same—she is pretty good at it.
Bettina, anglicized as Betty, was Robidoux’s Italian mother’s first name. As a child, Robidoux’s mom would take her shopping at the South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa. “My Italian mother would drag me through the Plaza,” she recalled. “Mom taught me how to dress. My whole life I loved to dress.”
The shopping-with-mom days also helped to foster her excellent fashion sense. Robidoux continued, “I used to have these trunk shows with my friends,” she said. “I’d have clothes—and this woman embellished her pants—and then one would make jewelry, and we’d have these little parties.”
Trunk shows are a special limited time retail event where collections of attire (clothing, accessories, shoes, and even jewelry) are brought directly to clients, usually in trunks. Clients might try on items at these shows and purchase directly or order a custom outfit. The designer offering the trunk show is able to put together collections for individuals, or at parties, creating collections that would fit the lifestyles of those attending. Robidoux has been able to carry quality merchandise at Bettina’s location and will continue to bring well-known brands in her trunks to private homes.
Trunk shows
“When I moved here, (offering trunk shows) they got too big,” she said. “And my husband was like, Just get a store. So, that is how we started, 24 years ago.”
Like many in this area, Robidoux started out in the computer world. “I always love to dress people,” she said. “As an executive, I would dress all my co-workers. It was my passion.”
(Drew Penner / Los Gatan)
Gee, you look good!
“I would just be honest to people and tell them (both men and women), I don’t like the way it looks,” Robidoux remembered. “And sometimes, I wasn’t the most popular person, but at the end of the day, they kept coming to me, because they liked the way I made them look; the right age, the right height, the right edge with the right coolness.”
Robidoux added, “What is most rewarding for me, is when my customers—friends—come in to tell me how everybody told them how great they look. These people kept me going. Basically that is what I do for clients. They say, I would never (have) picked that out. I change them up, and they would come back in real happy.”
Future plans
Bettina’s final day is scheduled for Jan. 31, though the shop may be entirely empty before that date. After the door closes that final time, Robidoux and her husband, Ray, plan to head for the slopes and take a ski vacation in another state.
“It’s been over 24 years, and I have made many friends and had a wonderful time,” she said. “The store doors will be closed soon, but we will continue to have our fabulous brands and style for men and women available to you via trunk shows. It will be a one-on-one with me to pick your wardrobe and have it ready for the season at a great price. It will be in your closet before you know it. I have top brands cultivated, doing trunk shows out of the house or in private homes. Also offering one on one seasonal collections. It’s kinda going full-circle.” A personal shopper who makes house calls?
After surviving the pandemic and working from home in sweats, today it is crucial to look good not only for oneself, but to go into the office with confidence in appropriate professional attire. I understand one should dress for the next position up when climbing a corporate ladder. This is the ultimate service for a busy man or woman who needs to look professional.
After vacation time, Robidoux plans to continue dressing others with an online presence. In my brief conversation with her she stated that skiing and golf are in her near future. I think that customers will seek out her expert wardrobe advice for years to come online.
I probed a bit more about why she decided to close now.
Here’s how she responded.
“Twenty-four years is a long time—too many hours. Okay?” she said. “It’s time for me to have some fun.”
