If you ever visit the iconic Four Seasons Los Angeles, or a number of other hotels across the world, you will likely find yourself stumbling across one of the most up-and-coming small businesses in the luxury retail industry: Wheat Boutique.
Founded by young power couple Molly Shaheen and Huw Collins, Wheat Boutique is a small but fast-growing luxury lifestyle brand specializing in men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel. The idea for Wheat was sparked by a trip to Paris in 2016, on which Shaheen and Collins visited Coco Chanel’s apartment and noticed the many symbols and motifs of Wheat permeating throughout the space. After learning of Chanel’s strong belief in its power of prosperity, Wheat Boutique was brought to life.
If Shaheen and Collins’ names sound at all familiar to you, it is for good reason. If you keep up with politics or pop culture, you have likely heard their names before.
Collins rose to success on the hit TV show “Pretty Little Liars,” playing the role of evil villain Archer Dunhill. Shaheen happens to be the daughter of United States Senator and former Governor of New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen.
Though it may at first glance sound odd for two people with backgrounds in politics and pop culture to open a boutique, Shaheen and Collins both share an incredible passion for fashion. Shaheen also had an incredible wealth of business experience, and thus it only made sense for the two to open a boutique together.
Wheat Boutique first opened its doors in 2017 in York Beach, Maine. Since then, the two have gone on to open up four other locations all across the United States and even recently opened a location in the Caribbean. Each different location encompasses a different aesthetic, perfectly reflecting the aura of the city in which the boutique is in. From Beverly Hills to Newburyport, Wheat Boutique helps all of its customers feel luxurious and lavish – no matter the location.
Wheat’s business model ensures each store conforms to the style of the surrounding area, an incredibly unique model that has helped the company rise to success very quickly. Each different store caters to different trends and cultures. For example, the Maine location is home to breezy, coastal staples that are perfect for those summers spent vacationing on the East Coast. Wheat’s Casa Del Mar is a direct contrast to this, featuring effortlessly chic Mediterranean styles that draw you in immediately.
Wheat carries pieces from all of your favorite designer brands, from Canal St. Martin to Hanky Panky and so much more. It is rare to find a place in which you can buy an exquisite 18k gold tennis bracelet, a two-piece bikini, and a child’s face mask all in the same transaction – but Wheat manages to do it. Besides clothing, Wheat also carries a number of beauty products, home goods, and other accessories, with every product embodying the same luxury that their clothing does.
It is not just in-person retail where Wheat thrives, either. Shaheen and Collins also created their own clothing line, Wheat 1.17, to accompany all of the other carefully picked pieces they feature in their stores. Wheat 1.17 is inspired by Shaheen and Collins’ favorite travel locations, from Los Angeles to Paris to everywhere in between. From the London jacket to the Austin tee, each piece was designed to perfectly complement their extensive selection of other luxury brands’ items.
Even amidst the pandemic, Wheat has managed to come out on top. When the world slowed down, Wheat managed to continue its momentum. Only time will tell where else Shaheen and Collins will take their brand, but it is clear that the sky is the limit for these two.
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