How the Los Angeles-based stylist cornered the vintage rental market.
Have you ever seen a photo of Elizabeth Olsen and thought: “Wow... she looks stunning”? How about Sophie Turner or Gugu Mbatha Raw? Well, chances are, they were styled by none other than L.A.’s own Jordan Grossman.
The 32-year-old stylist and vintage collector made her name working alongside renowned stylist Elizabeth Stewart (who you may know from her collaborations with celebrities like Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Viola Davis, and just about any other megawatt A-lister you can think of).
These days, Grossman’s running her own show. In 2022, she founded Clothed LA, the meticulously curated designer and vintage clothing rental house loved by stylists like Mimi Cuttrell, Tabitha Sanchez, and even the SNL costuming department.
I had the chance to catch up with Jordan Grossman following her recent collaboration with shopGoodwill.com. Read our conversation below:
Kaitlin Owens: When you first started collecting clothing, what drew your eye? How is it different from what draws your eye now?
Jordan Grossman: Corsets! I started collecting Vivienne Westwood corsets in high school from ShopGoodwill.com. At the time, they were not overpriced. I think I paid $80 for one. I also went to an Orthodox school most of my life, meaning it was uniforms only. Anytime I saw something amazing, even if I could not fit in it, I would purchase it. With my allowance, of course.
KO: What inspired you to start ClothedLA?
JG: I was exhausted with paying prices upwards of $1000’s for rentals. I wanted to start a place where stylists could still enjoy vintage without spending all the money they had. I also needed to cure my shopping addiction. That is why partnering with ShopGoodwill.com is the best for collectors. The prices are fair.
KO: I’m interested in hearing more about the practical, business side of setting up ClothedLA. How did you get the clothes? What does it typically look like when a Stylist rents from you? How is it behind the scenes?
JG: At first, the majority of the clothes were mine for about 1.5 years. I started buying from cool places and asked this store, Jennie Walker Archive, if she would want to rent her clothing. Somehow, she said yes. I have no idea how I convinced her. Since then, she has moved her ENTIRE store and herself into Clothed. From there, I started meeting more consignors, as we call them — the people whose clothes we rent and pay monthly. Stylist Tabitha Sanchez has the vintage world on lock, so she introduced me to TONS of vintage collectors looking to rent their pieces. Stylists will come into the showroom and pull a rack of clothes or a few items depending on the piece. Some stylists just need a pair of shoes or a specific item. It varies per stylist. We get the weirdest requests sometimes. Everyone wants a faux fur coat. A Westwood Corset. Some form of Miu Miu.
KO: How did your partnership with ShopGoodwill.com come to be?
JG: I stalked them. I literally sent 1,000 DMs to every Shop Goodwill Instagram account. I finally was able to get in touch with their team and I am so happy to be bringing my finds to stylists and talent.
KO: Do you have a dream client/event?
JG: Someone who listens and is open to ideas. A client that knows they are hiring you for a reason — AKA, to be a stylist. If it was the 1970’s: Barbra Streisand. My style icon.
KO: Is there a particular piece you've sourced that has a funny/interesting story attached to it?
JG: This was not funny at the time, but now it is. I went to this house in LA that had tons of Chanel. The wife had passed away, and the stuff had been sitting there for 10-15 years as is. Long story short, after loading my car with tons of vintage Chanel and Mugler, a few weeks later, my husband said my car smelled rotten. I had gone out of town for 5 days. I have a TERRIBLE sense of smell, so it is hard for me to notice anything. Turns out a mouse had been living in those clothes, and he must have died from all the Chanel piled on top. I guess if you are going to die, Chanel might as well kill you? 🌀
For a closer look at Jordan’s work, visit www.jordangrossmanstyling.com or the Clothed LA Instagram account (@clothed_la).
Kaitlin Owens is a vintage fashion writer, movie buff, lover of good eats, and a women’s size 7.5 (if any shoe brands are reading). She is the Editor-in-Chief of Dilettante Magazine. You can find her on socials @magdilettante.
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