Duchess & Memoir Issue #29

Edwardian meets mod in this newly made old-fashioned Portland boutique

By Susan Beal
Published: September 1st, 2006 | 12:00am

Sure, über-indie-friendly Portland has plenty of cool shops carrying handmade and vintage. But what if you’re looking for a made-to-measure 1940s-style dress (in your favorite color, of course), or some one-of-a-kind cards embellished with a motif you dreamed up? Seyta Selter and Brooke Krawetz, proprietresses of Duchess and Memoir, respectively, have joined forces to offer all things ultra-customized — from suits to stationery — under a single charming roof.

Selter, an obsessive vintage collector, and Krawetz, “a lifelong lover of fine and fancy stationery,” celebrated their merger in spring 2006 with a gala party, serving butter-mint cookies and spiked Victorian lemon-ginger punch. Since then, they’ve expanded their range exponentially — in addition to clothing and accessories from Ferdinand Homestore, Queen Bee Creations, Lucky LooLoo, designer Anne Bonney, Trashy Diva, and Mabel & Audrey, the co-owners have quite a few offerings of their own.

Krawetz carries a selection of readymade cards from smaller presses, including, she says, “lines that weren't already available in town, which was a challenge!” She’s also working with four independent letterpresses (Little Tree Press, Milkfed Press, Lark Press, and Good On Paper) to offer an unprecedented selection of personalized paper goods, from informal stationery to swanky wedding invitations. “People can come in and flip through a binder filled with examples by all of the artists I carry,” Krawetz says. “Then they choose what they want, I place the order, and voila! Within a few weeks it’s ready.”

On the Duchess side, Selter, a firm believer in the “superior loveliness of styles from the late 1800s through the 1960s,” just premiered their Made-To-Measure Tailored Collection of men’s three-piece suits. Their 1930s Atticus and Dashiell are dapper, but the early favorite is the “inarguably sexy” Carnaby, a sleek-fitting 1960s mod style. “Customers can pick a suit model and choose the fabric they desire from my vintage collection,” Selter says. “Then I brandish my tape measure and make sure they are getting accurate fit, as well as style.” Four weeks later, the lucky fashionister will be decked out in the pinstripes or seersucker of his choice.

In addition to Duchess’ well-established line of custom-sewn skirts, jackets, and frocks for women in sizes from 4 to 20, new designs for fall will include black wool dresses ornamented with handmade lace collars. Krawetz will be designing Edwardian and 1920s-style wedding dresses to complement the men’s formal suits. The designers also plan to collaborate on a collection of hand-knitted sweaters made from vintage patterns.

Combining their shops into one fashion-forward emporium has paid off handsomely. “There are now so many fascinating objects to look at that our customers can’t help but be drawn in,” Selter says.

Duchess & Memoir are located at 909 N. Beech St. (at Mississippi) in Portland, Oregon, 503.281.6648. To learn more, check out duchessclothier.com and memoirpdx.com.