In the Beginning
Although a woman's interest in jewelry and fashion starts when she is born, it takes time to sort out the possibilities and define her individual style.
As a child, she moved around from New York to Long Island, and New Jersey and then finally ended up a young woman in Manhattan. She worked in the city, took classes at FIT and The New School and her love of style made it easy to enjoy the vibrance of New York and to learn from it. As she evolved, Barbara learned one of the most important things about any business, being a customer and navigating the sales gauntlet in such a way that you actually got what you came for.
While raising her 3 children she was often asked to help dress and accessorize her friends for special occasions and loved doing it.
Knowing that she could use her life experience to create a better shopping experience, in the mid-nineties Barbara Vanderbilt set out to open her own business and create her own collection of jewelry and art.
Concept Becomes Reality
In preparation, Barbara went to some of the luminaries of couture jewelry and hand picked the best of the best to create her own special brand. Designers such as Iradj, Kenneth Jay Lane, Jean Louis Blinn, Ciner, Dweck, Gripoix, Goosens and Francoise Montague to name a few are all represented in the Vanderbilt Collection. These are the designers that have dressed those in the public eye for the last 80 years. From Coco Chanel, Elizabeth Taylor to Madonna and Taylor Swift.
Vanderbilt then embarked upon creating her own designs and expanded into, not only jewelry but also paintings and sculpture to provide a comfortable and exhilarating atmosphere for her clients to explore.
After a couple of years, it all came together when the Vanderbilt Gallery opened its doors in 1997 on the Island of Nantucket in Massachusetts.
She has had continued success there and throughout the states helping her loyal following and new fans make all the right decisions when it comes to their fashion needs. She is also sought after for private consultation for Weddings and Special Appearances.
Today Barbara has expanded the collection to include not only her discriminate choices in the art and jewelry department but also accessories and clothing.
Although there are many jewelry boutiques to choose from, The Vanderbilt Gallery is unique in that so many of the finest designers have come together to be represented in this one lovely place.
Come as you are, leave Dressed!