Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Lepire.
Lauren, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always had a love for vintage clothing, even as a child. My first job was even at a vintage clothing store, which only made my passion and knowledge for it grow. A few years later, I was one of the early eBay stores, listing and selling pieces from my college dorm room. People still remember me as “the girl with the clock”, as I used to model all of the clothes myself with a Mondrian clock hanging in the background. Around this time I would frequently visit Julien’s located on Melrose, where the owner understood my eye and became my mentor. He expanded my knowledge of antique fashion, designer vintage and true haute couture, which opened a whole new door for me. My collection of prominent designers, museum quality couture, and pristine one-of-a-kind garments quickly grew and got me invited to be a dealer on 1stDibs.com. I had a private showroom during all of this where private collectors, movie costumers, and major fashion houses would schedule appointments to shop my collection. Years later, I along with my husband decided that it was time to open a brick and mortar boutique in late 2017, neighboring the prestigious Beverly Hills Marriott Hotel.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Lots of struggles over the years. The loss of my mom in 2012 hit me really hard. She battled a rare type of bone cancer for years, so taking care of her while running my business all on my own was extremely hard. Before her passing, my stepfather filed for a divorce and attempted to take everything my mother worked so hard for. It was a long legal battle which was emotionally and financially exhausting. Still, I pushed on and grew my business into what it is today. Another major adjustment as been the way people shop. As I said, I started selling online early, but adapting to the cultural shift and social media has been tricky. I’m from a pre Facebook, pre Instagram generation, but completely understand it’s importance. Even then, it’s changing so rapidly that it feels like it’s hard to keep up sometimes. I was fortunate to establish an online presence early on, but still felt that in a city like Los Angeles it was important to have a storefront. Because we’re intentionally a destination spot we have to push hard to get the word out about the boutique and get people through the door to shop in person.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Timeless Vixen – what should we know?
We offer rare designer vintage and haute couture, specializing in Victorian through 70’s with some special modern pieces sprinkled in. I hunt for the world’s most iconic and unique garments, hitting fashionable estates, exclusive private collections, celebrity closets and amazing storage rooms. I take pride in every piece, ensuring that I exceed our customers’ expectations with their unique purchase from our carefully curated collection. These designers are artists, and I consider everything we offer as art in its own right. I constantly hear “they just don’t make them like they used to”, and I whole heartedly agree. I’m rescuing these special pieces in fashion history and finding them the perfect home where they can be worn, or just simply just appreciated again.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
Well as I previously mentioned, I was fortunate to have the best mentor I could ask for. Knowledge and experience is everything in this business. The vintage market has become quite saturated with dealers who have made it clear they don’t know as much as they claim to. I can’t tell you how many times I browse Instagram and come across dealers misleading their audience, claiming a piece is possibly an haute couture Dior when it obviously is not. I can only attribute this to not having the proper mentorship, because I like to at least give people the benefit of the doubt they wouldn’t do it on purpose just to make a sale. However, its also not my job to correct people every time….that would consume my life. Instead, I strive and wish for a vintage community, especially in a city like this where you can easily become sheltered. The younger generation of dealers like myself should come together and build relationships instead of seeing each other as competition. What we all offer is unique, so if a client of mine is looking for something I don’t have I would love to be able to send them to someone that does. I truly love what I do, and making my clients happy is everything.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1100 South Beverly Drive
- Website: www.TimelessVixen.com
- Phone: 13107347989
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: TimelessVixen
- Twitter: TimelessVixen
Image Credit:
Timeless Vixen
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