Name: Karen Kleber
Photo taken @: The Cure Thrift Shop – East Village, NYC
Age: late 30s
Profession: Stylist and Professional Shopper
From: Texas
What do you do?
I’m a fashion and wardrobe stylist for advertising, catalogue and private clients.
How often do you go thrift shopping for your clients?
Every day. I’ve been here (The Cure Thrift Shop) three days straight. Because everything comes in new everyday so everytime I pass a thrift shop, I’m in.
So you have the dream job?
I have the dream job! I shop with other peoples’ money and I love it.
So what is this gold belt you have in your hand?
I have a private client, in fact I’m doing her whole Spring wardrobe, and so I’m looking for accessories for her. I’m doing an eclectic mix with vintage belts and jewelry. So I have a meeting with her tomorrow night to show her everything I have pulled for Spring and I’m going to show her this belt.
How much does this spring wardrobe cost?
Well this is a very high-end client, so (laughing) we’re looking in the thousands and thousands of dollars range.
What happens if she doesn’t like it?
What I do is over pull and over shop just to make sure I have a broad range in order for her to have a nice selection. I bring everything to her house, we try it on, the seamstress is there, and we pick what she likes. I have such a good relationship with the stores and showrooms that they let me bring it back as long as we don’t take the tags off.
Do you consider what you do eco-friendly?
Very. Because I’m in the vintage recycling business, I try to do as much as I possibly can. It’s the best way we can help the economy and environment - recycling and not buying new all the time. So this belt that I’m purchasing today, it’s going to find a nice home.
What’s the craziest accessory you’ve ever bought for anyone? Like a nipple ring or something?
Umm, no; my clients are quite conservative. But I have had some strange ones on jobs, like photoshoots. I’m trying to think, oh yeah today with the fake butt. I was doing a job where we were shooting jeans and the jeans were a little big for the model so we had to put a fake butt underneath her.
So what is that? Like underwear?
Yeah, it’s underwear with a padded little extra in the rear.
I wonder if they use recycled material for the padding?
I doubt it. I doubt it.
