Costume designer opens revamped fashion shop Chapterhouse Boutique in Lindenhurst
Costume maker and tailor Allison Schmidt opened Chapterhouse Boutique in Lindenhurst. She carries curated second-hand clothing, upcycled fashions and handmade pieces. Credit: Chapterhouse Boutique
From curated secondhand pieces to revamped styles and bargain thrift items, everything old finds new life at Chapterhouse Boutique in Lindenhurst.
"My focus is on sustainability and upcycling," says Allison Schmidt, 40, whose store is open weekends and offers private shopping hours by appointment. She named her 3-month-old shop after a revitalizing home base in Dune.
"The whole mission is about extending a garment’s longevity," she continues. "It’s about doing what we can to resell things, repair things and keep the garment moving."
Many of Schmidt’s previously owned vintage and contemporary pieces are from her own collection amassed over the years, plus a network of friends and associates. Prices range from $15 for a dress to $350 for an Oscar de la Renta frock from the 1960s.
"I also have original pieces that either I've made, or friends have made," says Schmidt, who studied fashion design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. "I was fortunate because there was a focus on physical construction," she says.
Schmidt parlayed a degree into a career as a costume designer and tailor. At Chapterhouse she offers alterations and sewing lessons. During the week, she works as a craftsperson at a costume shop in New York City.
Her Long Island roots are relatively new. During the pandemic, she was living in Salem, Massachusetts, when she was introduced to Howard Grene, of Merrick, in an online yoga class.
They met, married and bought a house in Lindenhurst two years ago. "It was one really nice thing that came out of an otherwise totally difficult time," she says.
Since moving to Long Island, she’s worked for shops that have made costumes for such Broadway shows as "Sweeney Todd" and "The Who’s Tommy." She also spent a summer as the costume shop manager at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport.
Launching a business that combines her passion for fashion and expert tailoring skills was the fulfillment of a personal dream. She’ll be hosting occasional pop-up events including artist spotlights and yoga-meditation sessions she posts about in advance on Instagram.
"The shop has always been something that I’ve wanted to do," she says. "I’ve talked about it for a long time."
Chapterhouse Boutique, 208 North Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, 516-693-2336
