Behind the Buy with Dear Neighbor
Get a first-hand look at the process of buying for a boutique with Kristy Santelli Cotter, owner of Dear Neighbor in Richmond, Virginia. She shared the ups and downs of selecting a new season and the details of her latest trip to market below.
What's the process of going to market on a buying trip? How do you know which brands to visit?
We go to market twice a year and always go to New York. It's an easy train ride and close to Richmond, Virginia, where we live and where our flagship store is located. We started going to market right before the pandemic and then took a few years off, attempting to buy via line sheets. But if you've ever tried buying off a line sheet, you know how hard it can be! Images are not enough information. You need to be able to touch and try on the clothes. Garments have to fit and feel good so you know they are the right fit for your customer.
The schedule is grueling. You're up at 7:00 am and at your first appointment by 8:00. You don't stop until you make it to dinner and then crawl into bed (at least that's how we do it!). We usually try to schedule anywhere from four to six showroom appointments. Sometimes, you see multiple brands in the same showroom—you end up seeing anywhere from six to 14 brands in a day. That's A LOT of decisions to make at once! Boutiques buy six months in advance, so not only do we have to predict the future of what our customers will buy, but we also have to predict what styles, colors, and silhouettes will be fashionable. Personally, that's the fun part, but it can be stressful.
We visit the brands we already stock—most of them show in NYC, so it's convenient. We also look for new brands to fill gaps in our buys. Last season, we really focused on buying deeper into brands that do well and cutting a few that didn't work out, but we're always on the lookout for new and exciting designers.
Do you go into it looking for specific things, or is it more about seeing what’s out there?
Both. Sometimes we are like, "We need to find XYZ," and sometimes, we're just interested in what the designers have come up with. Most of the time, we're inspired and walk away excited for the next season, but sometimes you end up thinking, "WTF did we just see?" That's fashion, baby!
Tell us about your most recent trip.
Our last trip was in February, right after Valentine's Day, which is a busy time for us because we sell lingerie. This year, we focused more on self-love and the idea of love in general, steering away from the super sexy (well, kind of—if you follow us on Instagram, you'll find some fun grooming inspiration!). So we were excited about the holiday and ready to see what was new.
Our SS24 buy was super girly and feminine, with lots of colors, eyelet fabrics, and soft, flowy silhouettes. We found FW24 to be much darker and overall more structured, but then again, we have an election coming up, so maybe that impacted designers and buyers alike.
What styles were you seeing most for next season?
BLACK. Which we love. A darker color palette and structured workwear, which is a swing from the feminine spring that just delivered.
What are you most excited to bring into the store next season?
We are most excited about the playfulness of Eliza Faulkner. Her fall collection was one of the most fun and inspiring collections. We also love the new shoe styles from Intentionally Blank and YouYou.
Dear Neighbor
