Famous for her incredible personal style, Mollie Mae announces the opening of her new vintage concept store in the heart of Gustavia and reveals her new way of life on the island to embrace the vintage.

PHILLIPPE COMBRES: What is your earliest fashion memory? 
MOLLIE MAE: Fashion represents many things for me. It&rsquo;s more than just clothes. It&rsquo;s like a history, a reflection of all family trends and styles from past eras and ages, influenced by different cultures, seen and transported through the fashion choices of younger generations. I was always inspired by my mother who had a very distinct look: golden skin, brown fur boots, and big brown hair. From a young age I loved wearing heels and leather patchwork boots - my dad confiscated those when he saw the size of the heel. I had an emo phase, only wearing bandannas and black lipstick, my parents prayed for the best. I&rsquo;ve always explored and played with fashion. I can always remember being curious and having fun with the way I dress. Living in a small village in the middle of France meant many people had a lot of opinions. All I can say is, look at me now. Because who wants to look like everybody else anyway? I don&rsquo;t want to fit in!

PC: You have a deep love and instinct for fashion, how did you come up with the idea of opening your own vintage store in St Barth?

MM: I have been looking for myself for years, looking for something that truly makes me happy, and a romantic luxury vintage store on a Caribbean island sounds like a dream. St Barth is my chosen home, and after meeting Kristian Stark, fashion icon but also the love of my life, here - I don&rsquo;t want to leave ever. It just feels like the natural course of life for me. It fits.

PC: How would you define the style of Mollie Mae Vintage?

MM: The style of Mollie Mae Vintage shifts through the seasons. It evolves every day to something new, constantly being inspired by life, new people, new cultures, new cities. The vibrancy and quirkiness in my personality shows through my carefully curated selection of vintage. Everyone is welcome, we have a something for everyone, every mood and vibe. More important than just style, it leaves you with that happy, warm feeling. That feeling that you just found something with a story that is truly unique and perfect.

PC: How long have you been coming to St Barth, and what makes the island so special to you?

MM: I first came to St Barth&rsquo;s as a traveler, a backpacker hitchhiking around the island barefoot my first year. Here we are 4 years down the line. I wake up thankful for the life I live here, blessed every day, surrounded by beautiful people helping me succeed. I discovered what true love was and the importance of making your life exactly what you want it to be. St Barth was everything I was looking for. But, life here can be challenging, even people you don&rsquo;t like, you will probably still have to see them every day... fashionably.

PC: How has St Barth influenced your perspective on fashion?

MM: St Barth developed my luxury fashion sense a lot, St Barth&rsquo;s has expensive taste, but not necessarily good taste. Although my favorite outfit will always be a ripped shirt bikini, with no shoes, on my scooter. In the low season, I love how it feels like a small village and everybody is just laid-back, beachwear all day. In the high season, the sparkles and glamorous lifestyle come out again, I always love seeing how foreigners dress in St Barth. It&rsquo;s showtime for everyone, every night.

PC: Do you see vintage fashion as a sustainable option for today&rsquo;s world?

MM: I have deep opinions on today&rsquo;s world and the situation of global pollution. I think vintage fashion is the solution. Not all vintage is expensive, and I always push and tell people to buy vintage. Fast fashion is the worst thing that has happened in our generation. It is the death of real style and uniqueness, it&rsquo;s simply not cool. The lack of craftsmanship, ethics, the mass production, the slavery, it is a sick trade. In terms of the consumers health, not only are we consuming chemicals, with fast fashion we are also wearing them. Invest in vintage, these clothes stand the testoftimeandmaybeonedayyourdaughterwillbehappy to wear her mother&rsquo;s 30 year old vintage Dolce &amp; Gabbana skirt, still in perfect condition and still trendy.

PC: What are the must-have pieces in your boutique?

MM: I love a bit of a surprise, I do not want to say much. I&rsquo;m very proud of each piece I have collected. I source each piece individually, everything is hand-picked by me. Every piece has a story, an origin, a previous life. I have many boots and silk sheer crepe dresses, those are my favorites. I&rsquo;m always excited to hear what my clients think and listen to demands for better sources every week, and give a more personal shopping experience.

PC: Can you name a few of your favorite brands and designers?

MM: Blumarine, Chanel, Roberto Cavalli, Dolce &amp; Gabbana, Galliano, Dior, Chrome Hearts, Miu Miu, and so many more... but also some smaller brand vintage too. Because it&rsquo;s not just about the logo, but how you style it and find what works for you.

PC: Is the store exclusively for womenswear, or will there be some pieces for men as well?

MM: We welcome everyone. I will be launching the store with a collection of men&rsquo;s vintage as well as women&rsquo;s pieces. Old baggy jeans, vintage shorts, vintage t-shirts, but also small trinkets and cool collectible pieces, not to mention a vintage collection of one-of-a-kind custom jewelry, a collection of beautifully crafted gold jewelry from Child of the Sea.

PC: Could you tell us more about Child of the Sea?

MM: Child of the Sea is a jewelry brand founded by my talented friends Cheyenne and Nico Mignot. Born and raised on an island, they&rsquo;ve crafted a stunning line that captures the essence of their heritage and creativity. Their designs explore the art of gold craftsmanship and the magic of gemology, bringing to life the spirit of the sea and the allure of treasures from old pirate legends. This collection features pearls, gold, and exquisite gemstones.

PC: Why did you choose to have this jewelry collection in your vintage store, and what sets it apart from other jewelry brands?

MM: Their love for the ocean and adventure has shaped not only who they are but what they create. Child of the Sea isn&rsquo;t just a jewelry brand, it&rsquo;s a reflection of their journey. They make pieces from the treasures they find, the waves they ride, and the spirit of adventure that drives them. Each item is unique, carefully selected, and designed with exceptional taste and attention to detail using sustainable gold that reflects their commitment to responsibly sourcing the jewelry.

PC: As a young entrepreneur, what challenges have you faced in bringing this project to life?

MM: The hardest part is to not to keep every piece for myself. I&rsquo;ve learned to let go, I&rsquo;ve spent hours and hours online and in in-person negotiating and sourcing the perfect pieces. Vintage doesn&rsquo;t always come in perfect condition so repairing every piece is time-consuming, and it can also be challenging to curate fashion for all different body shapes, sizes, styles and moods.

PC: The theme of this issue is &ldquo;Surf is Art&rdquo; What is your connection to the surf world?

MM: I think the energy of the surf world is a similar energy to the fashion world. I think it&rsquo;s cool going to watch my friends surf in my ripped vintage Levi&rsquo;s shorts and a vintage silk lace 1920s top. Nobody knows what I&rsquo;m wearing but me, but it&rsquo;s all about energy and how you show yourself, how it makes you feel. Each surfer has their own style and technique just like every fashionista has their statement piece and go-to look.

PC: What is your ultimate dream in life, and who are your heroes?

MM: My ultimate dream in life is to be happy to be healthy, to be loved, family safe, everyone well dressed. But also to have done something in my lifetime that is bigger than me, something that helps people, makes people remember me, makes others feel good about themselves, creates connections and lifts each other up. The sooner I surrounded myself with people who truly want to see me succeeded that&rsquo;s when I got closer to my dream. I was named after Amelia Earhart, American female aviation pioneer. A strong-minded woman who was to be the first woman to circumnavigate the world. Lost somewhere in the pacific, she chased her dream.

PC: For this L&rsquo;Officiel fashion shoot, you were photographed by the iconic Laurie Lynn Stark. Can you tell us about the experience?

MM: Shooting with Laurie Lynn is a blessing. You will never meet a mind like Laurie&rsquo;s. She is a beautiful soul and someone that I look up to every day. I&rsquo;m so grateful to have her guidance this moment in my life, as a mother, as a friend, as a photographer and business woman, I love her dearly and can listen to her for hours. I will always learn something new with Laurie, she is truly unique and one of a kind. An angel.&nbsp;

Photography by Laurie Lynn Stark

Mollie Mae Vintage
Rue Oscar II, Gustavia
@molliemaevintage

My Way Mollie Mae

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