MOD.VIN: A Clothing Shop for the Couture-Minded Comes to Kingston’s Rondout

The Hudson Valley has long been a haven for eclectic, funky shops selling all manner of vintage clothing. While many stores cater to tourists looking for a quick little fashion pick-me-up before heading back home, those specializing in lovingly preserved high-end clothing that’s meant to travel with you through life are a rarer find indeed.

That’s the fashion sweet spot that Marquez, founder of MOD.VIN, a newly opened clothing boutique in Kingston’s Rondout district, is aiming to fill. “I try to find pieces that never go out of style and that you keep for a long time,” says Marquez. “One of the reasons I carry a lot of designer pieces is because they are wearable pieces of art as opposed to fashion fads that immediately go out of style. There’s also a lot of history associated with the established fashion houses.”

Marquez’s appreciation for fashion and textiles began at a young age, often accompanying her mother to fabric stores, learning to sew clothing herself at age five, and then later studying art history in college where she acquired an interest in art and fashion.

Over the years, she has amassed an impressive collection of designer, couture, and high-quality modern and vintage clothing. Now, many of those pieces are available for purchase online and in-person at MOD.VIN’S intimate, curated boutique on Broadway also available to the public.

MOD.VIN'S inventory includes both modern and vintage women’s clothing and accessories from renowned design houses such as Versace, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Gucci, and Poiret alongside one-of-a-kind pieces worn at red carpet events or from the personal wardrobes of celebrities such as Julianne Moore, Courtney Cox, the late Natalie Cole, and actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Marquez also offers a consignment program in-store and online, providing other fashion collectors an outlet to sell their pieces by tailoring them to buyers, which she describes as "sort of like a dating love match for clothing."

In addition to couture and designer pieces, fashion lovers will find interesting pieces made from long-lasting, quality fabrics like silk and wool priced around $100 or under. Outside of vintage clothing, the shop is also a stockist for new lingerie from luxury English brands Myla London, Dora Larsen, and Fleur of England, as well as Calida men’s loungewear from Switzerland that includes a 100 percent biodegradable Tencil™ fabric line.

While serious fashion collectors will instantly feel at home at MOD.VIN, Marquez aims to create an inclusive atmosphere for everyone who stops by the store. “The boutique is client focused so you come in and feel taken care of…no matter who you are,” she says.