NEW YORK — In the village of Sag Harbor on the east end of Long Island, there’s a small shop with a large message.
“Every brand that we sell is owned by a woman — at least 50 percent owned,” said Patricia Assui Reed, the founder and owner of Matriark.
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“The idea is to support women in business and give a percentage of the profits to women-focused charities. When you look at all these big stores, they focus on the well-known, bread and butter, big luxury brands, whereas few women’s businesses get the support and funding they need.”
Aside from setting Matriark’s merchandising squarely on women-owned brands, “There’s not a very fixed criteria,” Assui Reed told WWD. “But I am the curator. It has to be beautiful and I do want to know where things are made. I want to know who the founder is and what her story is.
“I research everywhere — Instagram, shopping around, trade shows, asking friends. Brands currently in the store introduce me to brands they know. Brands contact me directly. Matriark is eclectic and inclusive of different styles because we recognize women have multidimensional lives. When I select the brands, I am interested in the founder-designer, their style and ethos, what they believe in. Besides quality and style, I want the products we carry to be unique, soulful, and to have a story. Nobody needs more stuff for the sake of it, and I don’t want to offer the same brands everyone else carries. Personally, I like casual and modern clothes that makes me feel put together without a lot of effort. I have kids, dogs and a full life and I want my clothes to be beautiful but never precious.”
The 1,100-square-foot Matriark shop, at 133 Main Street between the LoveShackFancy and Goldie’s stores, sells fashion, accessories, shoes, jewelry, beauty, fragrances, wellness, art and a bit of home, though in the off-season there’s a shift to selling more home and gift-oriented products. Forty-five brands are currently displayed.
Among recent best-sellers, Assui Reed cited Leret Leret cashmere sweaters, Ulla Johnson dresses, Camila Sarpi jewelry, Le Jardin Retrouvé diffusers, and Harlem Candles.
Other fashion brands include Anna Sui, Chufy, DVF, Maria Cornejo, Elena Makri, Kilometre Paris, and M. Patmos. Jewelry includes Camila Sarpi, Chee Lee, Haute Victoire and Young Frankk.
Shoes include Amrose Paris, Ancient Greek Sandals, and Le Monde Beryl, and there are handbags from Kozha Numbers, Maya Bags and Ulla Johnson.