Kirsten Hampton is wearing a Prada jacket and Chanel quilted purse from her store, worn. PHOTO BY JESSICA GERMAN
In an airy loft space reminiscent of trendy design neighborhoods such as San Francisco’s South of Market or New York City’s Tribeca, a new boutique is bringing couture consignment to Sonoma in an arty and unintimidating way.
As the creative community has always broken ground in new and untried locations, WORN, as the store is called, now brings its “cool” factor to the Springs area of Highway 12. Owner Kirsten Hampton searched the area for a space that would provide the right context for the clothing, shoes and accessories in which Worn specializes, and fell in love with the 25-foot ceilings and muted natural light in the industrial building where she opened her store.
“Women who like couture are, by and large, adventurous,” said Hampton. “They like coming to a place that is not overrun with mobs of shoppers, where they can take their time choosing different pieces and trying them on.” The shop is arranged in an open and understated way, making it easy to peruse the Chanel, Valentino and Hermes suits and jackets, the Betsy Johnson frocks, Prada purses and shoes, Pucci, Gucci, and Loro Piana blouses, sweaters and pants…names that are music to the ears of the true fashionista.
But Worn is not elitist; Hampton also chooses clothing that is useful for everyday wear, especially for women in jobs where they need high-quality, stylish apparel that can see them through their business day. Once a woman finds a line that fits her well and that she is comfortable in, Hampton can search out other pieces from the same designer and provide them for the customer.
Hampton has plans for holding parties in the space, where a group such as members of a wedding party can take over the entire store and drink champagne and try on clothes. Brides can even have original matching jewelry designed for their bridesmaids. “We can provide a ‘play’ day for them, where they can make the place their own for the day in a relaxing environment that is completely private.”
Worn features apparel less than three years old that is priced at 20 to 30 percent of retail. It is chosen for its condition and how clean and well-cared for it is. Consignments are kept for up to three months, depending on the season and the uniqueness of the article. The store retains 60 percent of the sale price, the customer receives 40 percent.
Hampton, who is a native of St. Helena, lived for years in San Francisco, where her creative curiosity took her through careers as an advertising copywriter, an executive and personal assistant, and even into the world of film. A desire to come back nearer to her roots and family prompted her move to Sonoma in 2007 as well as a belief that Sonoma is ready for fun, fashion and more adventurous shopping experiences.
WORN is open Wed.- Fri. noon – 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and other days by appointment. 17620 Hwy. 12 (at Lichtenberg); 707.996.7696 (WORN).
