Carol Fisher Linn
Making your hobby a real job; isn’t that everyone’s dream?
You never know whom you might meet in Ellicottville, especially at Fall Festival. Anyone who has ever spent time in our far-from-ordinary village recognizes what a delicious melting pot this community is. Not only is it a sports community, but Ellicottville also leans heavily into the Arts. Several weeks ago, this newspaper’s editor had the joy of meeting Briana Hunter (Bri, aka Breezy) and Dakota Follis-Ziarko, founders of Fashion House Collective – a funky and unique vintage clothing and accessories brand.
In this writer’s conversation with “Breezy” she revealed this: “Our motto is ‘If unique is what you seek,’ and we live by it! We love curating one-of-a-kind vintage finds, giving clothing new life, and creating opportunities for people to express themselves through fashion.” Reflecting on their time here in Ellicottville, she continued: “For Fall Fest, we brought a huge selection of vintage clothing and accessories, including vintage fur coats and ostrich feather boas. With the leaves changing, the beautiful fall weather, and the energy of the festival all around us, it was the perfect setting to bring our collection to life.”
Buffalo based, The Fashion House Collective is a mobile, pop-up rather than a fixed storefront offering custom couture, reworked vintage clothing and festival fashion. They frequently appear at local events and regional festivals like the Moda Market on Bidwell Parkway in the Elmwood Village and the Borderland Music Festival in East Arora. Earlier in October, they popped up in front of Villagio Restaurant at Fall Fest. They revisited their old friendship with Villaggio owner, Nick Pitillo, enjoyed a superb (as usual) meal and live music and then spent the weekend playing dress-up with Ellicottville’s visitors. Says Breezy, “Seeing everyone have fun with fashion, try something unexpected, and embrace their own style made the weekend such a blast. For us, Fashion House Collective is about more than vintage clothing. It’s about creativity, individuality, sustainability, and making people feel beautiful and confident in what they wear. Fall Fest was the perfect place to celebrate all of that while connecting with an amazing community.”
Previously having owned a Tex-Mex restaurant and catering service in the Elmwood Village neighborhood of Buffalo, Breezy found a way to express her creative fashion leanings in that bar. The menu may have said Tex-Mex, but the lounge had an Aztec flair. The ladies room even had a pink disco ball lighting it! Frequently hosting neighborhood gatherings, she was a well-known fixture in the community making her switch to just fashion a “breeze,” turning her hobby into her job.
Growing up outside of Potsdam NY. where the winters are probably even colder than ours, Breezy enjoyed the outdoors by skiboarding and figure skating. Yet, she always kept fashion on the front burner. “Breezy” recalls learning to love sewing at a very young age with her grandmother teaching her the tricks of the trade. Always sketching designs, even as a youngster, she created her first figure skating competition costume, Cinderella, out of a light blue prom dress. Attending fashion school at Buff State, she then went to GCC in Batavia to enlarge on her fashion/ sewing skills.
Their advertising says, “unique vintage, reworked pieces, hand sourced, crafted, one-of a-kind specializing in events, styling and private shopping.” Wouldn’t it be great fun to go through your closet and pull out an oldie but goodie that needs a freshened-up look with a groovy fashion touch? I’m imagining my beloved grandmother’s old Persian lamb coat cut down into a swingy jacket, or several coats whose pieces sewn together may remind one of Dolly Parton’s “coat of many colors.” Breezy indicated a find of vintage upholstery material that they might rework to create pants of many colors. The partners’ goal is to continue doing pop-ups, to collaborate with other artists and brands and perhaps someday establish a Fashion Hall with all creators under one roof.
The last word goes to Breezy: “We’re so grateful to have been part of such a beautiful weekend and look forward to bringing more unique finds and good vibes to future events!” @very.breezy & @moshi_moshi_kota and insta: the.moda.market.