Bringing World Wide Brands to the Vineyard, at an Affordable Cost
Aley Lewis
Smack dab in the center of Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs lies a hidden treasure that you may not have been expecting to find. Vera & Alex, a clothing, footwear and accessory boutique for newborns to age 12, is drawing a crowd. This unique store, owned and operated by Natasha Fomina, recently opened it’s first location on May 19, and with a busy season ahead of her, she predicts the demand for a children’s clothing store will be at an all time high.
With a Master’s degree in business administration and another in fashion, design and experience from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy, Natasha had a vision. While living on the Vineyard for over a decade, she realized her options were limited in shopping for her twins, Vera & Alex.
“I loved shopping for them, but at the same time, everything must be ordered off island. There was nothing locally you could buy for children. I decided it’s a niche that needs to be filled”.
In realizing this, Vera & Alex was born, no pun intended. The beautifully organized boutique, with not one item–or shoelace–out of place, doesn’t stop at just clothing. Natasha takes pride in her wide variety of brands from all around the world including Tea Collection from the United States, Maclaren strollers, Hanes, SnapperRock beach wear from New Zealand and Babiators sunglasses.
Vera & Alex also carries various organic brands to ease the scare of product rashes and irritations. Bambo Nature diapers, originating from Denmark, are skin, eco and sleep friendly, using sustainable resources and less waste to compose the products.
Along with diapers, Natasha stocked the shelves with Babo Botanicals, a line of organically created hair, skin and suncare products for children. With the 3 in 1 calming shampoo and bubble bath retailing at $15.95, it’s affordable and reassuring knowing its safe for children.
Catering to the different clientele, Vera & Alex has the largest selection of children’s footwear on the island with famous brands such as See Kai Run, Primigi (Italy) and, Livie + Luca.
Vera & Alex will be open until Christmas, but may stay open year round after a careful summary of sales once the busy season is complete. With a high demand already, Natasha has hopes to extend her love of children’s clothing and accessories to reach a teenage audience as well.
“The store is a combination of affordable and stylish products with a great range of sizes. If we offer what people want, it will ultimately be successful”.
