White House Black Market gained coverage in 2008 when Michelle Obama wore the brand's Tank Leaf Print Dress as a cohost of TV talkfest The View. Prior to taking her position at White House Black Market, Noce served as President of Ann Taylor LOFT and also spent time at Lerner New York Division of Limited, Inc. Noce stepped into the role of White House Black Market brand President. The purchase price for the specialty retailer was $90M, with $85.6M in cash and about $4.4M in Chico's common stock. purchased White House Black Market after the privately held firm went public. His endeavors were successful, and in 1997, the company began converting existing stores to this White House Black Market combination concept.
A few experiments followed, where Sarmiento the founders housed both White House and Black Market under the same roof. After a decade of selling exclusively white merchandise, the brand launched a new retail format – "Black Market"- in 1995. In 1991, with the help of National Retail Group, a North Carolina-based consulting firm, The White House began its national expansion. The boutique performed extremely well, catering to an upscale clientele of women. The White House only carried women's clothing in shades of white. The company began in 1985 when cofounders Patricia Smith and Richard Sarmiento opened the first store called The White House, in Baltimore, Maryland. Store exterior, White House Black Market 1980s and 1990s