We have all uttered the phrase “maybe she’s born with it” more than we care to count. But this statement has never rung more true than when we walked into the Kaws-filled home of Marci Hirshleifer. Yes, that Hirshleifer. For those of you who might need a refresher, Hirshleifers is the legendary Long Island boutique carrying everything from the Valentino dress you only thought existed in dreams to those impossible-to-find Nike x Off-White sneakers. Over a century old, Hirshleifers was founded by Marci’s great-great-grandfather and has been passed down in the family ever since. As Hirshleifer tells it, “Growing up, I knew my family owned a clothing store. I remember going to our Forest Hills store and playing on the cash register. But my first real fashion memory was my mom letting me pick out my Sweet 16 dress from Hirshleifers. It was a red Moschino dress with a car-wash bottom, and I was obsessed.”
But don’t think for a second that she was just given the keys to the kingdom. “When I first started, my grandpa was really adamant about me learning all aspects of the business. After I learned most of the back-of-house processes, I came up and was working on the floor. Now I’m the head of our VIP personal shopping department and do women’s buying with my aunt Lori Hirshleifer. My cousin and I are now the fifth generation of this business. We work with my mom, two aunts, and an uncle. I feel really lucky to play a part in this business and continue our family tradition.”
If you are suspecting that Hirshleifer’s home is just as chic as her workplace, you would be 100 percent correct. From the moment we walked in, we were surrounded by Gucci pillows, CHANEL surfboards, Kaws statues, and more Off-White sneakers than we should mention. While her home is flawless, similar to the store, it is a family affair. “I’m constantly looking for inspiration on Instagram and the internet, and I pretty much always consult my uncle David. He has an amazing eye when it comes to interiors. He does all of the store designing and sources furniture and art.”
Hirshleifer’s laid-back (but insanely chic) wardrobe overflowing with Gucci and Céline gave us a strong lesson in investing in statement pieces and coming up with a signature look. Driving back to the city from Long Island, we were still oohing and aahing over our experience. Let’s just say, after a day spent with her, we are officially putting in our applications to be unofficial Hirshleifers.
Click through to see her enviable shoe collection and to read more about her career, inspiration, and personal style. Plus, shop her closet here.
