Hot Flash: Fresh Salon Spa Style buys for Fall #FollowtheBuyer

Days after the conclusion of New York Fashion Week, Fresh Salon Spa Boutique (1819 Main St., Suite 118) owner Ashley Guttridge and boutique Manager Eduardo Anaya headed to the big apple for the Coterie Market, a high-end women’s contemporary clothing market, which took place after what most fashionistas would consider the most important week of February.

The duo spent three days buying at market and then hit a few showrooms in the city. Buying is fast-paced.
“Back to back appointments every day,” says Anaya about the trip, during which four to five months’ worth of clothes are bought.

“You’re looking at pieces that haven’t been mass produced yet,” says Guttridge. “Sometimes what you’re seeing is fresh off the runway.”

With some of the higher-end brands, buyers sit in an office (much like Guttridge’s office at Fresh) and clothes are brought out to them.

“It’s nice after buying for a few days, being able to sit and have people just bring you options,” says Guttridge. 

When buying, there is a lot more than the obvious questions — “what looks good” or “what seems to be trending” — that play into buying the perfect pieces. Guttridge’s biggest challenge when buying for Fresh is finding options that cater to a wide variety of people.

“Because we are a salon and spa and boutique, we reach a larger demographic. It’s really about focusing on buying those versatile pieces that span different age groups,” says Guttridge.