Chez Ami is the network-marketing distribution company for Patsy Aikens Designs, a 30-year-old children’s clothing company out of Raleigh, NC. The company was founded in 1979 when its namesake began designing and selling children’s clothing through a local boutique. Aikens used her own young children as models and play-testers during the company’s first years.

According to an online interview with Patsy Aiken published on the website Clever Parents, Aiken first started her company by selling wholesale to vendors nationwide but switched to the network marketing business model when it “was becoming more difficult to deal with” those vendors.

When her husband, a former Navy aviator, left the service, he joined the company, and the two moved to North Carolina from California.

Today, Chez Ami offers Patsy Aikens Designs during two selling seasons as well as year-round through consultants and online.

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs: Vision, Mission, and Goals

Chez Ami/Patsy Aikens Designs does not provide a vision or mission statement on the company website. There is also no information available as to whether the company is involved in any charitable efforts.

However, the company’s clothing lines do seem to reflect a value on more traditional gender roles, in everything from the types of clothing offered to many of the colors clearly meant for either boys or girls. In addition, the company apparently markets its business opportunity to stay-at-home women as opposed to already-working mothers; at least, the interview with Patsy Aiken indicates that the vast majority of its consultant force consists of at-home moms.

Patsy Aiken and her husband, Joel, also obviously value entrepreneurship and the virtues of a family-owned business as the company continues to be family owned and operated.

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs: Company Management

As previously stated, Chez Ami/Patsy Aikens Designs is run by the husband and wife team of Patsy and Joel Aikens, with Patsy serving as company president and her husband acting as CEO. Patsy Aikens remains very active in overseeing the design of approximately 200 new pieces per season. There is little biographical information readily available about either Patsy or Joel that is not directly related to their roles in the company.

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs: Products and Services

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs offers several lines of clothing for children from babies up to approximately 10 to 12 years of age. The products are primarily offered during two selling seasons : Spring/Summer and Fall/Holidays.

A scan of the Fall 2010 catalog shows primarily dresses and leggings for girls and pants with assorted tops for boys. The company also offers several pieces of hair jewelry for girls in each of of its fall lines.

The Fall lines are presented as color-coordinated selections for girls and boys under the names Apple, Birch, Dogwood, Magnolia, Maple, Pear, and Twig. The company will also offer a “Twirls” line of dance and gymnastics wear for girls starting in July of 2010. There is no word as to whether Chez Ami plans to offer gymnastic or dance wear for boys as well.

Chez Ami/Patsy Aikens Designs are also rather pricey for children’s clothing. One dress – which is featured with a separate top – in the company’s Apple line retails for $48, while a boy’s striped long-sleeve polo in the same line retails for $47.

Given children’s growth rates and these prices, it’s easy to imagine that many Chez Ami consultants sign up originally to enjoy the 40% discount on purchases that the company offers.

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs: Compensation Plan

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs does not provide specific information about its compensation plan online. In addition to the 40% discount on purchases, Chez Ami claims it pays consultants retail commissions, performance bonuses, and reimbursement for “Accurate Data Entry.”

Consultants must pay a $50 Seasonal Commitment fee twice a year in order to remain active with the company.

However, while the company doesn’t talk in specific numbers about its compensation plan, Chez Ami does spell out some very concrete benefits for consultants. During each of the two selling seasons, consultants receive a free trunk of sample products for which they are not required to pay postage. The company processes credit card transactions for free and ships directly to customers’ homes so consultants do not have to carry inventory.

In addition, Chez Ami says it provides consultants a mentor, who will walk them through their first two seasons, as well as online services. Chez Ami does not publish its Internet policy, however, so it is unknown how much independent online marketing the company’s consultants are allowed to engage in.

Chez Ami/Patsy Aiken Designs: Public Record

The Better Business Bureau does not list any information for Chez Ami as a separate corporate entity, however it does give Patsy Aikens Designs an “A” rating. Neither Patsy Aikens Designs nor Chez Ami are corporate members of the Better Business Bureau or the Direct Selling Association.

Miscellaneous Notes About Chez Ami/Patsy Aikens Designs

The bottom line about Chez Ami/Patsy Aikens Designs is that there isn’t enough information available to advise as to whether this is a solid income opportunity.

Obviously, parents who enjoy the company’s designs and who would like to save money have a solid incentive to become involved as consultants; however, it’s important to note that those savings will be decreased by the $100 in yearly fees.

But with no information readily available about the specifics of the company’s compensation plan and very little public record, the best advice we can give about Chez Ami/Patsy Aikens Designs is to ask a lot of questions before signing up.

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