Elza Fair

--Story by Christine Carrillo,

SHE IS

Taking care of all your personal shopping needs.

DOING UNTO OTHERS

By placing just one phone call and not having to spend a dime,

people of all ages put their faith in Elza Fair, a personal shopper

at Macy’s, who acts as its designated shopper.

After a few pertinent questions like size, hair and eye color,

skin complexion and style preferences, Fair begins her three-hour

quest for the most suitable items for her clients, their families and

friends.

“I try to know what they’re looking for, like what the reason is,

work or fun,” said Fair, who admits that she never asks how much the

client wants to spend. “I try not to ask because it’s so personal and

I can usually get that information based on the brands that they

like.”

STARTING THE SEARCH

After receiving her clients’ description, Fair ventures into the

different Macy’s departments searching for the retail items she

believes will best suit each one of her nearly 300 clients.

As part of the Macy’s By Appointment department, customers can

have the benefit of looking toward a Macy’s salesperson, like Fair,

to lend their time exclusively to them and their particular needs.

“Most of the customers don’t like shopping and just don’t have

time to pick up clothes,” she said. “It’s a commodity for them and

it’s the dedication that you don’t get from the floor, they really

appreciate that.”

Even though Fair has primarily women clients, she also shops for

men, couples and families attempting to meet their very different

requests. From her youngest client, 11 years old, to her eldest,

older than 80, Fair tailors each one of her trips through the store

to help her find the items she believes will capture her clients’

personalities.

SIZE COUNTS

While trying to find an outfit that reveals the personality of

someone she’s never met does put forth a challenge, Fair has found

that her biggest challenge actually lies in finding the right size.

“It’s difficult when you have a hard-to-fit customer,” she said.

“There are some body types [some brands] just don’t fit ... and a

hard-to-fit customer takes a longer time.”

From clothes to shoes, cosmetics to gifts, the former Brazilian

secretary has found that shopping for others, regardless of how hard

it maybe, and dedicating herself to her clients exclusively has been

very rewarding for her.

Shopping for about three clients a day for the last two years,

Fair has attuned her shopping skills for other people but can’t seem

take on a the recreational shopper role. Fair, who doesn’t enjoy

shopping for herself, has found that shopping for her family members

now feels like work -- not that she minds.

A SEASON ON THE BRINK

With the holiday season approaching, her clientele will increase

dramatically but her commitment to her work won’t experience much

change. Fair has found that shopping has become so much a part of her

life that whether at work or on vacation she’s always got shopping on

her mind.

“As a personal shopper I’m always working every time I go to a

store,” she said. “I’m always looking for things that would be good

for my shoppers.”