Moda Lookbook owner Angie Dunnigan doesn’t want to just sell you a pair of the latest craze in jeans or the most popular #WFH tops. Instead, she wants to help you find pieces that you’ll love wearing for your next Zoom meeting. “We love showing you how you can dress these very different body types, no matter your age, and still be on-trend,” says Dunnigan. She’s been doing just that since opening her boutique in Middleburg in late 2018, and her recently launched fashion boxes bring her style sensibility to your doorstep.
Moda Club, the monthly subscription program, grew out of the pandemic and builds on the personalized styling experience Dunnigan and her team offer in the store. The brick-and-mortar shop had a successful first year in business, and she had high hopes for growth in year two—until a temporary closure due to the lockdown caused her to pivot.
Dunnigan wanted to offer something more than just shopping on the web. “It’s one thing to shop online, and it’s quite another to have an experience,” says Dunnigan, a wife and mother to 14-year-old daughter Ava, plus two dogs and four cats. So she, husband Kevin, and store manager Libby Hoffmann put their heads together and introduced the curated boxes in September. The process is simple: You fill out an online questionnaire about your style sensibilities and your sizes, and then a collection of pieces will be sent your way based on your answers. You can keep the ones you like. If you select three or more, you’ll get 10 percent off and the $15 styling fee will be waived.
So, who are the club experts? Dunnigan and Hoffmann. They pull from Moda’s lineup of modern pieces from national and up-and-coming brands, the latter of which are largely women-owned. (Dunnigan and best friend Michelle Sadat are the buyers.) There are shoes from Dolce Vita, a new tie-dye midi skirt set from Chaser and boho pieces from its Saltwater line (a recent addition), leather handbags from Hammitt, and dresses by Camilyn Beth and Anna Cate, to name a few. Pieces are stocked for younger and older demographics and all shapes and sizes—a key factor online and at the storefront.
“We don’t want everybody to look the same,” says Dunnigan. “It shouldn’t be that way. It should be about how you feel, how you are styling your body, and how you’re embracing it.”
The store itself attracts a range of customers, from local 20-somethings seeking the latest looks to businesswomen who need a chic blouse (and cozy pants) for their virtual workplace. One of her best clients, says Dunnigan, is a 71-year-old woman who loves to be styled and wants to know the latest looks. Travelers also frequent the space; they’ll come in seeking a skirt for a day at the nearby vineyards and end up signing on to the fashion box, which ships nationally. (By the way: Moda’s eponymous look book showcasing seasonal styles is photographed at various spots in the area—the Red Fox last fall and, hopefully, Goodstone Inn for the spring.)
As for what’s next? In addition to growing her club base, Dunnigan would like to get involved with a local charity, such as an animal rescue. She hopes to do give-back days, during which a percentage of the proceeds from her shop will go toward that nonprofit. “It’s something I want to put on my 2021 stamp,” she says. And giving back, we think, is always in style. // 22 E. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-326-8925, modalookbook.com
This story originally ran in our May issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
