After about 50 minutes on a train from Manhattan's Grand Central Station and 15 minutes in a car heading north to a town called Armonk, New York, you'll find an unassuming shop on the side of a busy road. At least, that's how I found it. Other shoppers I met while walking around Luxeluxurylabels boutique I drove all over the place—including a three-hour drive from Boston—to check out the items.
The shop was started by friends and business partners Lisa Dorsett and Jessica Moran in 2016 and they have lived in this location for about five years. At first glance, it looks like an old home, complete with a full kitchen upstairs. But unlike most double story homes, this one is filled with rare and unique design pieces. A limited edition Hermès Kelly bag sits near a rack of pristine condition jackets from brands like Gucci; On the other side of the store is a rack of rare Chanel pieces. All on the other hand.
"You have to keep a close eye on these things to make it a good experience for everyone. We look and check each piece ourselves."
This is certainly not a new concept. Consignment stores have been around forever, and luxury resale apps like The RealReal have made shopping for designer pieces an even more accessible experience. But the owners of Luxeluxurylabels set out to create an intimate relationship with their clients and, of course, the clothes. "What we're offering here is something different," Dorsett told me from behind the register.
As we chat, she unpacks a few pieces sent in from customers to sell. "I know who this is, and it would be great," Dorsett says, flicking up the tabs of the giant brown box and pulling out a familiar orange box: a Hermès bag in perfect condition. In the garment bags underneath are an Alexander McQueen dress and a Victoria Beckham dress with a small stain on it. "We love Victoria Beckham here," she says. Pointing to the barely noticeable tag on the skirt, she told me that part of the service is tailoring and cleaning - especially for clothes worth it. "You have to keep a close eye on these things to make it a good experience for everyone," she explains. "We look and check each piece ourselves."
Although Dorsett and Moran started working in 2016, it wasn't until after the pandemic that things really started looking up. he is Instagram, they began making reels of their new items, working with their friend turned social media model Alicia Defoe. There is nothing particularly unique about the videos; It's just Defo dressing up and toting bags on the go, but for some reason, followers flocked. One client (who happens to be the mother-in-law of fashion designer Joseph Altuzarra) overhears me asking the owners about this and thinks, "People come from the Instagram page because we can see the clothes for what they really are."
"Fashion is fun; what's the point of pretending?" Dorsett adds. Moran describes it as follows: "How lucky we are to have these pieces around us every day? We want it to be a good experience."
Needless to say, the owners saw an opportunity to work with clients who were looking to buy and sell expensive used parts. But they also believe in extending the life cycle of fine clothing with care you may not get from the biggest sellers. They personally bring items to be tailored, customized, and cleaned when needed—adding that individual touch you might expect while shopping for new luxury items but don't always get at resale.
While a lot of their items are very luxurious, there are plenty of pieces that are contemporary, and affordable to both seller and customer. Isabel Marant, Veronica Beard, Proenza Schouler, and Rotate pieces litter the shelves throughout the store, with prices ranging from $50 to $500.
Despite some hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of price points, the owners insist the goal is not just to turn a profit; It is about their love of fashion. “We love when people come just to browse for hours,” Dorsett says, explaining that some of their most loyal customers regularly pop in just to enjoy the clothes. Tell her it's almost like a library, where sometimes you come to read and other times you're among the books and you feel their energy. "exactly!" Both owners say emphatically.
The next stage for Luxeluxurylabels is to go online. Yes, that's right - the only online presence the store has right now is Instagram, where sales happen via DM. Soon, though, anyone will be able to browse hundreds of items hand-picked and endorsed by Dorsett and Moran.
I ask them if they're worried about growing up when it's their job to make the shopping experience feel authentic and intimate, which is honestly what sets them apart. "We're control freaks, so we won't let anything get out of our control," says Moran. In other words, as the brand continues to grow and evolve, so will their love of fashion.
Image source: Luxeluxurylabels.com
Source link
0 Comments