If there’s one thing women enjoy as much as high fashion, it’s a bargain. But designer clothes and accessories aren’t cheap. That’s why, for more than 30 years, stylish and thrifty St. Louisans have turned to Women’s Closet Exchange, an upscale designer resale shop that offers ‘wow’ style without ‘ow’ prices. Owners Sue McCarthy and daughters Diana Ford and Laura Maurice travel the world in search of pre-owned contemporary couture. Their treasure-hunting adventures in A-list closets have even been chronicled on the Style Network’s Resale Royalty.
Treating yourself to Vuitton, Chanel, Michael Kors, Coach, Tiffany and other high-end labels just got even more accessible. In addition to the flagship shop on Gravois Road and satellite stores Clique (for teens) and Purple Cow (for expectant moms and kids), the women just opened a second location. The Vault by Women’s Closet Exchange on Brentwood Boulevard has 6,000 square feet of designer clothing and accessories for a fraction of the retail price.
“We completely redid the building, and Purple Cow is at the same location,” McCarthy says. “It’s gorgeous now—all white with gold accents. But even more impressive is what’s on the racks and in the cases. Shoppers are in for a treat.” The stock changes constantly, but recent steals included a $3,000-plus Chanel jacket for $500 and $300 Tory Burch tops for $40.
McCarthy says more than 15,000 sources worldwide send clothing and accessories for her consideration. “We sort through more than 1,000 pieces a day and accept only the finest merchandise,” she says. “We pay more than other resale shops, and we offer our clients the best quality and prices. That’s how we developed a reputation as one of the top designer resale shops in the country.” Most merchandise comes from individuals and top boutiques in the U.S., she adds, “but we get calls from Paris, Amsterdam—wherever there are fashionable women.” She and her daughters spend at least one week a month on the road, plundering the closets of celebs and socialites.
Clients fly in from all over the world, including Australia and Dubai, McCarthy says. “Four Manhattan attorneys arrive twice a year and buy their entire wardrobes from us, paying much less than they’d spend at a ritzy department store,” she notes. “These women could well afford to shop elsewhere, but they choose us. That’s because our prices and quality are the best. Everything in our stores looks brand new and is in perfect condition. And we have a strict code of ethics, taking great care to make sure each item in our store is authentic, not a cheap knockoff.”
McCarthy is thrilled her daughters share her passion for fashion. “Along with our staff, we’re a secret weapon for fashion-savvy women who want to dress like a million dollar without spending it,” she says. “We love when clients tell us, I wouldn’t shop anywhere else.”
by Tony di Martino
[Women’s Closet Exchange now has two locations, the original at 11575 Gravois Road and a new store, The Vault, at 2325 Brentwood Blvd. For more information, call 314. 842.8405 or visit womensclosetexchange.net.]
Pictured: Laura Maurice, Sue McCarthy, Diana Ford
photo: Brishen Lee Photography
