Don started in the men’s wear business at age 15 in Southern California by developing a retail foundation while working with the finest upscale specialty stores in the Los Angeles area. In his mid-twenties, he expanded his career as an independent sales rep before moving to New York City in 1976. There, under his own name, he launched a line of exclusive neckwear and clothing, which he sold to the finest stores in America.  In 1978, Don co-founded Plateau Designs with his wife Patricia. This company became the umbrella under which he created, designed, marketed, and provided sales for the highly successful Meronasport brand, establishing an entirely new category in clothing: Athleisure. Don is credited for creating the category, still used today as the resurgence of athletically inspired clothing is peaking ever more. This brought Don the nomination in 1980 for both the American Fashion Critics Award (Coty) and the Cutty Sark Award for the Most Promising New Men’s Wear Designer.

The years that followed allowed Don to continue to contribute his keen design sense and marketing direction to a long and prestigious list of industry clients. Clients have included the giants of denim, premier sports apparel companies, and major retailers. He is credited with the image turnaround of the Puma brand where he was the consulting design director of the US apparel division. Don held a similar position with Reebok establishing their design department in numerous categories of active apparel.

A grand conceptualizer, Don has mastered every aspect of the apparel business. From independent sales rep to men’s wear and accessory designer; from women’s wear merchandiser and designer to sales and marketing consultant; from branding and packaging creator to retail store consultant and private label designer, he conceives of every collection with a unique and well-schooled eye.

A California native, Trish graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  After eight years as an educator, she left teaching for fashion design through a merger by marriage.

Trish was the co-founder of the highly successful Merona Sport brand for men, women and children. With her guidance and creative input the foundation was established to grow this brand into an $85 M leader, revolutionizing activewear and creating a new category of clothing: Athleisure, a popular segment of today’s style.

For more than twenty-five years, Trish has acted as head designer of Plateau Designs, a company she co-founded with her husband, Don, in 1978. Over that period, she has articulated the colors, styles and details that have defined collections for such clients as Puma, Reebok, Head, Ellesse, Levi Strauss, Lee, Saks Fifth Avenue, Eddie Bauer, Marshall Fields, Dillards, American Eagle, Cluett Peabody and Hartmarx.

Trish’s talent is known in many categories: active wear including golf, tennis and yoga, and refined sportswear including leather outerwear and cashmere sweaters, both women and men’s. Her design approach is based on a timeless simplicity where emphasis is placed on quality knits and wovens through thoughtful construction details. Her goal is to provide versatility of function through product and image.