Alumna’s star shines bright in Big Apple
She might have turned a few heads with her stylistic, avant-garde look when she’d walk into class at Stetson, but Abigail Breslin knew in her soul what she was born to do – be different.
That difference has been parlayed into a successful business in New York City, WanderLust Fashion, which includes wardrobe styling for Bloomingdale’s, Major League Soccer and private individuals, creating a widely-read blog, and partnering with Fox News and the Huffington Post on all things in the fashion world including covering the infamous New York City Fashion Week.
A native of Wayland, Mass., she and her friend Emily Bache grew up in this small town feeling they were unlike her ‘preppy’ peers, as she describes it. “Our favorite pastime was getting together after school, dressing up in unique outfits and walking around the neighborhood. It was our way of rebelling,” Breslin recalls.
After high school, Bache attended Hofstra University on Long Island and Breslin, who wanted to move far from the cold northern weather, selected Stetson University. “I chose SU for the atmosphere, people, teachers and the quaint town feeling which lends itself to creativity and originality,” she said. She credits business professors Robert Boozer, professor of management and international business, and Rebecca Oliphant, associate professor in the Prince Entrepreneurship Program, for embracing her passion for her craft. “I enjoyed having Abigail in class,” said Professor Oliphant. “She thought ‘outside the box’ and followed her passion. I am very proud of her.”
With her 2010 Stetson Marketing degree in hand, she and Bache (pictured left, with Breslin, right) converged in Manhattan, found a small apartment, took various jobs, educated themselves and began The WanderLust Girls, a fashion blog which quickly caught the attention of the fashion industry.
In June, 2011 they created WanderLust Fashion LLC and began doing freelance wardrobe styling and personal shopping for high-end clientele. Their connections in the fashion world were beginning to pay off.
Along with the Head Stylist at Bloomingdales, they would choose appropriate clothes, shoes, jewelry, swimwear, lingerie and accessories for the models, then create the looks and dress each model during the photo shoot for this store’s exclusive catalog for its cardholders.
In March 2013, Breslin remembers receiving a telephone call from a friend who immediately needed her expertise. It seems Macklemore and his band were scheduled to perform on Saturday Night Live. He had the suit but no accessories to go with it. Breslin and Bache quickly chose the shirt, tie, watch and shoes to make him stand out.
Their coverage of Fashion Week on their blog, partnering with Fox News Channel and the Huffington Post, quickly gained them new clients. But they also developed interesting features for OK! Magazine. “One of the fun pieces we’d create was a ‘Look for Less’ post where we’d capture pictures of celebrity looks and find the items for less,” Breslin explained.
At an event for Major League Soccer, the girls met the Communications Manager of the League who wanted to enhance the players’ look and prestige. They contacted several men’s suit brands, arranged for the suits to be transferred in various sizes to the photo shoot location, gathered all the accessories and dressed and styled each player for the photo shoot.
She also frequently appears on local networks discussing fashion trend forecasting as well as assisting affluent individuals in personal shopping and design techniques. “We’ve helped many clients better understand what to buy or personally go with them to shop,” she said. She also lends her hand to charity fundraisers.
Breslin is building a unique, high-profile career and business in an industry she has loved since she was a young girl. She may have turned heads at Stetson with her clothing choices, but in New York this fashion entrepreneur truly stands out. She is a rising star to watch.
by Mary M. McCambridge
Twitter/Instagram: @WanderLustGirls
