Vintage Advantage

As I mentioned in Thursday’s post, I went to an amazing vintage boutique called FROCK, down in Nolita. I promised to share a little bit more about this fabulous treasure chest of couture and high-end vintage apparel.

shop owner, Evan Ross with jewelry designer, WendyB

(both in vintage shades available at FROCK)

First of all, the space is great and I really appreciate how everything is sectioned off by color! According to owner Evan Ross, that is how most people prefer to shop and it forces them to see all of the beautiful pieces that they may have passed over if they were just looking in one particular section, like cocktail attire or sweaters, for example. This makes perfect sense to me. I color code my closet. Well, I actually section off categories first (i.e. jackets, dresses, skirts, pants, etc.) and then I arrange by color. Anal much?

View looking toward the back of the shop

Anyway, Evan is extremely knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I highly recommend paying him a visit and allowing him to pull out some wonderful pieces and style you. As I perused the racks, I happened upon a fantastic Louis Feraud dress. The fabric and the volume spoke to me and even though I knew it would be “too much dress” for me, I simply HAD to try it on! Evan was excited to see it and quickly accessorized me with the perfect red belt and Lucite necklace (an absolutely magnificent piece that I already had my eye on!). Below is the final result…

 Dress: Louis Feraud Couture, 1982: $1,550

Belt: red snakeskin, circa 1980: $150

Lucite Necklace from the 50's: $1,100

Shoes: in dressing room at Frock

I’m so in love with this shop and I am interested more than ever in vintage merchandise. I am very disappointed in what’s happening with fashion as of late (with the exception of couture and some other great ready-to-wear designers). I think vintage is newer (in concept) and more interesting than anything you will see in SAKS. In fact, many high-end designers actually purchase vintage pieces and copy them (exactly) for their collections. Then, of course, the moderately priced labels copy the high-end designers and the budget chains eventually copy the moderate labels and suddenly, we see a version of this beautiful Feraud dress in Target! OK, I’m feeling ill. Let’s get back to FROCK…


I had such a lovely visit and became very intrigued by this wonderful little shop, so I asked Evan Ross to answer some questions I could share with all of you…


STACY: How long have you been in business?
EVAN: I’ve been in business now for 7 years -- one and a half as a showroom and the rest as retail.

STACY: Can you give a brief little background as to how you got involved with vintage merchandise?
EVAN: I got into vintage a long time ago starting in high school and then even more in college when I was a "club kid". The collection at the showroom/store started to grow when I was collecting pieces and using pieces during my 11 years as a stylist. I used the pieces for advertising, music videos, celebrity purposes, etc.

STACY: Where do you get most of your product?
EVAN: Pieces come from all resources: private collections, auctions, scouring out of the way places around the globe and from vintage dealers.

STACY: Who are some of your best customers and some famous ones too?
EVAN: The best customers are those with an individual sense of style and an appreciation for quality. At FROCK our vintage wears are for those looking for what we call modern vintage. It is timeless vintage -- clothing that doesn't look like costume. It’s indicative of an era, but not pigeonholed to that era. Some famous clients are Patricia Field, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and the Olsen twins.

STACY: Do you think vintage has gained popularity in the last several years?
EVAN: Vintage has been popular since the "Sex and the City Era", but has seen a resurgence once again as of late. People are interested in individual style. With everything so mass market and produced, vintage clothing affords the wearer to exhibit singular style. You'll never end up on the “who wore it best list” because you'll be the only one. Vintage at FROCK's level also affords the wearer the chance to wear clothing of a certain quality that would be at an unattainable price point in the present day.

Wendy Brandes in vintage Bottega Veneta shades she purchased at FROCK

FROCK is located at in New York City at 170 Elizabeth Street between Spring and Kenmare. They offer a range of apparel, handbags, jewelry and accessories from the 50's through 80's. Also, FROCK carries Linda Derector’s collection of vintage sunglasses (as pictured on WendyB above and on Evan & Wendy in the first photo).

FROCK
170 Elizabeth Street
NY, NY 10012
212.594.5380
Frocknyc.com