For February, Tina Burgos is the person that inspires me. She's the owner of Covet + Lou, a place and e-shop in Boston, where curated objects meet lables like Rodebjer and vintage Dries Van Noten. So, here is a very special interview for you…
How did the idea of Covet + Lou appeared?
I've always had a career in fashion. For 10 years I co-owned a small boutique, called Stel's, in Boston. For various reasons, including the birth of my twins, we closed the shop. Still desiring to own a retail shop while having more flexibility to spend time with my family I developed the concept for Covet + Lou.
What inspires you most while you choose and curate the items in your store?
Most of the buying decisions I make are based on my own personal aesthetic. I am trying to maintain a carefully curated selection while expressing the Covet + Lou lifestyle. Much of what I stock in the shop represents items I myself would wear and put in my home.
Covet + Lou is supplied with very eponymous, silent labels – Kapital, Ace & Jig, Gabriela Atigas are just to name few. Was it hard to find these niche, but bold labels when you started?
I've always been a champion of independent, under-the-radar designers. In many ways, this is the creative talent that keeps the fashion industry interesting and moving forward. Over the years, Stel's fostered and developed many of these collections. So I relied on my past relationships to land these brands for Covet + Lou.
I love your VINTAGE category – where do you find these treasures?
Even though it takes so much work, this is my favorite category! It's amazing to me what people deem as trash. I diligently hunt thrift stores, estate sales, antique malls and flea markets for my pieces. There is a wealth of mid-century product in the Midwestern states and more traditional, colonial items in the New England area. At some point in the near future I'd love to head to the Southwest and see what amazing things I can find there.
What do you appreciate most in clothes you wear yourself?
There has to be the perfect balance of form and function in anything I wear. My days are extremely hectic as I run the business and manage my family. So in addition to wearing clothes that appeal to my sense of style, these items have to be versatile and comfortable enough to work in a variety of situations.
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