Elissa Margulies
Designer

Designer Elissa Margulies knows hats – in fact, she's famous for them. In the early 1980's, she and husband Michael Ross founded Forget Me Not, a hat manufacturing company that tapped into the Junior's market with a force. Picked up by major retailers like Contempo Casuals, Margulies' creations were discovered by stylists, and before she knew it, Forget Me Not hats became the trademark of the hit television show Blossom. Forget Me Not was all the rage, sold in national catalogs and department stores, such as Lord & Taylor and Bloomingdales.

Margulies and Ross sold the company in 1998, and discovered Boulder, Colorado, on a cross-country trip. After only three days, the couple bought a house and decided to set down roots. Margulies loved hiking in the mountains but soon found the combination of sun and high altitude gave her fair complexion rosacea. She began to search for a hat that offered maximum protection and a sense of style – and came up empty handed. "The hats I found with the best coverage were just plain ugly. When I'm outdoors, whether on a hike, shopping, or walking my dog, I want to look fabulous," says Margulies.

After researching the sun protection industry and learning which fabrics and colors function best, Margulies co-founded Physician Endorsed with husband Michael Ross in 2002. In 2005, the couple moved back to sunny Florida, bringing the corporate headquarters with them. Margulies is the creative force behind the dynamic line of hats, sunglasses and accessories designed for both style and skin care. Her hats are tested and endorsed by an independent medical advisory board, rated UPF 50+ (equivalent to SPF 30), and offer consumers a fashionable and safe way to spend time in the sun.

The EPA states that wearing a hat and sunscreen is an inexpensive and effective way to prevent damage from the sun. Margulies agrees, and believes we should all look fabulous doing it. "Why look like Elmer Fudd when you can look like Audrey Hepburn?" Margulies says. "Physician Endorsed provides consumers a fashionable, functional, sun-safe alternative."