After Nearly 50 Years in Dallas, Clotheshorse Anonymous Readies for Sparkle Season With Designer Labels for Less
The Longstanding Luxury Consignment Store Sets the Standard for Dallas Shoppers
BY PC Studios // 10.26.21Jan Kennedy and Nancy Ungerman, two suburban moms, sold designer wares from their carports before opening a store.
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With designer collections from Chanel, Hermes, Valentino, and Yves Saint Laurent lining the well-procured racks at Clotheshorse Anonymous, it’s easy to forget the store’s humble origins. For more than four decades, Clotheshorse Anonymous has set the standard (and the style) for Dallas luxury consignment, coming a long way from the North Texas carport where it all began.
Clotheshorse Anonymous is very much about the new, now, and luxe, just as it was in 1972 when Jan Kennedy and Nancy Ungerman, two suburban moms, planted the seeds for what Clotheshorse Anonymous would someday become. The duo deep dove in friends and neighbors’ closets, finding designer treasures that deserved another go at cocktail parties, weddings, and galas, ingeniously reselling the pieces to other women.
They soon traded their driveway operation for a locale befitting the designer labels they were selling, and despite the antiquated hoops the women endured for a bank loan, Kennedy and Ungerman became small business owners to an enduring concept—luxury retail consignment.
Fast forward almost 50 years, and Clotheshorse Anonymous continues that same love for fashion and attention to the bottom line. The boutique is the ultimate destination for consignors and shoppers alike, thanks to attentive customer service, wide selection, and hearty pay-outs for those who choose to sell designer wares to the store.
“Luxury resale is booming right now,” Clotheshorese director of operations Jennifer Mayrath says. “People are excited to (safely) be going out again and they are ready to sparkle.”
Rescheduled weddings and delayed galas due to Covid are back on the calendar, along with travel and a full slate of holiday parties. Athleisure isn’t going anywhere any time soon, but it’s shifting to the background while dazzling sequins and elegant black gowns take center stage. There’s also a strong interest in fall florals and colorful dresses with a sophisticated air. Popular designers, including Alice & Olivia, Badgley Mischka, Monique Lhuillier, Halston, A.L.C., and Veronica Beard, are just a handful of upscale labels consigned at Clotheshorse Anonymous.
“Our shoppers are looking for party dresses and evening gowns at a great price,” Mayrath says. “Our consignors are ready to let their pieces find a new home after they were photographed in it, or have just worn it as much as they would like.”
There is a sense of urgency, however, since there are rarely multiples of anything consigned at the store. If a shopper sees something on the store’s website or social media channels, it’s wise, Mayrath says, to scoop it up.
Luxury handbags are always a popular segment in the resale industry and every piece is verified through Entrupy, an AI-powered authentication solution service. The store accepts a variety of designer bags, but specific brands such as Balenciaga, Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton are eligible for immediate payment.
Favorites like Chanel and Louis Vuitton bags are always in and out the doors quickly, as are all small luxury leather goods. Accessories and jewelry (David Yurman, Alexis Bittar, John Hardy) are other high-demand categories and — hint, hint — perfect for holiday gifting.
Sustainability is an additional upside of consignment retail, giving an item a second life. Clotheshorse Anonymous donates any unsold items to a rotation of charity organizations, extending the use and benefit of each piece.
“A lot of people consign so they can go out and get something brand new,” Mayrath says. “They know somebody will enjoy that bag, dress, or jewelry as much as they did.”
It’s just another full-circle moment for the venerable retailer that has become a true fixture on Dallas’ luxury shopping landscape.