About Town

BARBARA/JEAN 50th Anniversary Party

   BARBARA/JEAN will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a party at the store on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 from 10am to 5:30pm. Guests are invited to join for hors d’oeuvres, drinks, cake, music and festivities any time throughout the day. The store will be offering its “Birthday Discount” all day – $50 off any purchase of $100 or more.

   BARBARA/JEAN has partnered with Friends of the Animal Village the day of the party. Guests who bring a donation from the Little Rock Animal Village’s needs list will be entered to win a $2500 BARBARA/JEAN gift card! Encouraged items include:

  1. Wet kitten food
  2. Wet puppy food
  3. Small bites adult dog food
  4. Bedding including bath towels, quilts, blankets or comforters. Bedding may be used, stained, and/or torn, but it must be clean.

About BARBARA/JEAN

  BARBARA/JEAN opened in 1972 when Barbara Baber and Jean Chaffin wanted to offer a local alternative to their friends who traveled out of state to shop. In the late 1970s, BARBARA/JEAN added a cosmetics and skincare department, and expanded their clothing offerings to include European designers. BARBARA/JEAN caught the eye of Women’s Wear Daily, and was the subject of a June 1982 article titled, “Barbara/Jean carves its niche in Little Rock.” In 1985, Baber’s daughter, Greer Grace, joined her in ownership of the business.

   In 1993, Grace assumed control of the company, and the store was noted in Women’s Wear Daily, People Magazine, and Vogue when Hillary Clinton wore a BARBARA/JEAN gown to President Clinton’s inaugural ball, and a BARBARA JEAN suit to his acceptance speech. The gown and suit are now on display in the Smithsonian. During that time, its cosmetic department received the Laszlo Institute’s Award for #1 Sales Specialty Stores in 1993, 1994, 1999 and 2001.

  In 2005 and again in 2010, BARBARA/JEAN was selected to partner with the Italian Trade Commission for a runway show featuring Italian designers. In August 2006, Vogue Magazine wrote a two-page spread about BARBARA/JEAN. That same year, Harper’s Bazaar selected BARBARA/JEAN as a Style Leader for fashion merchandise and outstanding customer service. In 2008, senior buyer Christine Bailey purchased the store from Grace.

  Since 2014, BARBARA/JEAN has been the exclusive runway show for the Woman of Inspiration gala, featuring Lafayette 148 New York, and the first runway presentations in Arkansas from Kaufman Franco, Carolina Herrera, and Lourdes Chavez.

  In 2019 Bailey sold the majority interest of BARBARA/JEAN to Tiffany Robinson. Tiffany began her career as a marketing assistant at BARBARA/JEAN in 2001 and has spent the last 21 years working her way up through the company. As primary owner, Tiffany has found a refocused commitment to her customers, employees, and community, and is thrilled to invite them all to celebrate this milestone with the BARBARA/JEAN team.


BARBARA/JEAN offers designer women’s clothing, cosmetics, shoes, handbags and accessories in Little Rock. To learn more and read the company’s full history, visit www.barbarajean.com. Follow and tag them on Instagram, @barbarajeaninsider.

  For more information about the 50th anniversary event, email creative@rosemaryhallmark.com.

Inviting Arkansas

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