IF you think shower caps are boring and ugly, you haven't seen the Mimi a la Mode catalog of decorative shower caps. "Shower caps are our speciality, but pampering is what we focus on," says Mimi Basseri, president/designer of the San Francisco-based company.

The catalog features five styles of caps with about 50 choices of designs (from pink polka dots to purple pansies), as well as sleep masks and bath wraps. The initial mailing in October went to 25,000 names rented from lists such as Bloomingdales's By Mail and La Costa Spa. Through the initial target was women between the ages of 40 to 60, Basseri intends to redesign the book this fall to appeal to a younger audience.

The response rate 1.5%-3% for each of the three editions released so far has met exectations, while the average order of $60 has exceeded them. Instead of purchasing just one cap, to Basseri surprise, customers, "have been buying a few. One for themselves, and two as gifts."

A note to our customers: Most stores feature only one or two styles from our line. If you want a store to carry more items that you see in our website, tell your buyer to try a broader selection in his/her next order.

Our primary goal of the Mimi A La Mode website is to present our entire line.