Some people have an eye for fashion. The minute you see Erica Miller, you know she has it.

Miller owns One Brilliant, a women's chic clothing and accessories boutique in the heart of Aspinwall. Her sense of style is apparent in everything from her put-together outfit to the items that seem to call your name the minute you open the door.

"You know how they say some people are just born with it," says Suzanne Mauro, a stylist accredited by the Association of Image Consultants International -- and a customer. "She is just born with knowing what will work for a client based on just looking at the person. Erica is one of those women who has that flare. I trust her, because she knows the brands she carries so well, and she always has unique and amazing pieces."

Miller, who opened the shop in 2006, has carved a niche in which her customers know what to expect, Mauro says. One Brilliant is a destination for women from all over Western Pennsylvania, Mauro says, because Miller will order a piece if she doesn't have it in the store. That ability comes from her rapport with the designers she carries.

Prices range from $110 to $300 for jackets; $98 to $300 for dresses and $20 and up for jewelry.

"She gets it," Mauro says. "She does her research, and she knows the trends, and she knows which trends work well in Pittsburgh. She also has very good business sense."

Miller believes that fashion has no age. Her 75-year-old mother wears some One Brilliant items.

"There are a lot of women, young and older women, who know fashion and want to look fashionable," Miller says. "Our goal is to help them find something that is right for them. There are a lot of women who come in here for one item and leave with an entire outfit. We have seen lots of transformations here. We get them to try something on they never would have tried before because it might be too edgy for them, but often we find they really like it. Clothing and accessories are so much about trying them on."

There are plenty of stylish people in Pittsburgh, Miller says. But some women are tentative about wearing something trendy or fashion-forward because of their concern about what other women might think.

"Sometimes, it is hard for women to try something new, because they are worried about it, but they just need to be open-minded about trying something they might never have worn before," Miller says. "And I promise I am always honest about whether I think something looks good or not, because we don't want someone to leave here with something that doesn't look good on them."

She recommends starting with what she calls a "basic black uniform," then add accessories, shoes, jackets or vest to create different looks with help from store stylists with one-on-one shopping attention.

Assistant buyer Corrine DiBenedetto says she believes that personal service creates a fun experience.

"We know what our customers like, and when something comes in they might like, we make sure and contact them," DiBenedetto says. "We want everyone to look fabulous when they walk out the door."

When you own a local business, you have to earn and build customer loyalty to keep people coming back, Miller says.

Anita Moran of Aspinwall is one of those regular customers.

"Erica is wonderful," Moran says. "She really gets it. She knows how to make a customer feel comfortable, because she is so personable, and you can find different and unique things in her store. When you buy something at One Brilliant, it will be an item that has longevity. I just love shopping there."

One Brilliant

Where: 1 Brilliant Ave., Aspinwall

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, until 7 p.m. Thursdays

Details: 412-781-3443 or here

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One Brilliant Boutique

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