Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Vaughan.
Hi Wendy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Born and raised in Houston, Texas and studied Fashion Merchandising at the University of Texas in Austin. Moved to Los Angeles where I opened my first boutique in West Hollywood called Bird in 2001. After 13 years in LA, I missed my Texas roots and decided to relocate back to Austin to be closer to family. In 2015, I opened Bird off South Lamar and then opened Wood & Rose in 2018 before shuttering Bird to focus solely on the second shop. I obviously had grown so much personally and professionally since opening my first store and Wood & Rose felt like the evolution of years of knowledge and experience in the fashion industry that I had acquired.
Alright, 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?
Retail, by its very nature, is not a smooth road. There are challenges in predicting what women will want to wear six months in advance not to mention the economic climate at the time all our orders come in. As a small business, its not feasible to align with everyone’s fashion preferences but what has helped Wood & Rose stay relevant is to remain authentic and true to our vision.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I believe fashion should be fun. As women we have so many parameters around what we can or can’t wear. I believe if you feel beautiful in it, you should wear it.
Wood & Rose is a clean modern space specializing in unique, fashion forward European and American established and emerging designers. My aim has always been to create a comfortable, low pressure environment for women to feel inspired to experiment with their own individual style. Shopping at Wood & Rose is a very tactile experience so luxurious fabrics that feel amazing on the body are a staple here. We are also known for carrying bold colors and prints. Wood & Rose is about individuality vs following fleeting trends. Quality, timeless, and feminine with an edge. I still wear clothing that I sold in my shop 20 years ago and continue to get compliments on.
I am most proud of weathering the ups and downs of retail for over 24 years and the repeat business that I have built.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopwoodandrose.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopwoodandrose
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8UBNBX8CZmPpwNHH7
