Tuckernuck's preppy path from D.C. to fashion mainstream
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Courtesy of Tuckernuck
D.C.-based fashion brand Tuckernuck — named for an island off Nantucket, with a modern-preppy vibe to match — is in growth mode.
Why it matters: In a city that often gets skewered for its lack of interesting fashion (cough, cough, blue gingham button-down), it's notable that a success story in the difficult multi-brand e-commerce landscape is taking place here.
Driving the news: Tuckernuck — launched in 2012 by D.C.-raised sisters Madeline Grayson and Jocelyn Gailliot, alongside co-founder September Votta — just opened its first outpost outside D.C.
- New Yorkers lined the block at last month's debut of the Upper East Side store — filled with Barbours and with interiors by a Bunny Williams-trained designer, natch.
- A bigger Georgetown store is coming this winter in the former Wisconsin Avenue Foxtrot space.
- Also growing: Its West End office space, now home to almost 150 employees, Grayson tells Axios. (Many of whose OOTD content plays an important role in the group's big influencer presence.)
The big picture: It's an inflection point in Tuckernuck's slow-and-steady growth, which — fueled by a curated blend of high-low offerings — hit more than $100 million in sales in 2021 without institutional investments.
The intrigue: You probably know all about the brand's Jackie dress, a viral hit among the Capitol Hill/White House Correspondents' Association dinner peeps (even inspiring an Amazon dupe).
- The brand also has something of a rep for being popular among conservatives: The red Jackie was everywhere at last year's Republican National Convention, and Puck called Tuckernuck "a favorite of the Butterworth's set."
Reality check: "We're obviously not at all a political brand," says Grayson, who's confused by all the Republican-leaning hubbub. "People [of] all ages, all political affiliations, all parts of the country are wearing [the Jackie] dress."
- And FWIW, Naomi Biden was spotted wearing the Jackie dress last year, but … in blue.
What they're saying: The economic slump that's hit the region hasn't affected the current Georgetown store's sales, says Grayson, adding that their "attainable luxury" emphasis helps.
And how does opening a store in fashionista New York compare to not-so-fashionista D.C.?
- Some of the tropes seem to play out: "Black is more popular," says Grayson, and NY shoppers are "a little more adventurous with their style."
Fun fact: Grayson and Votta both live in Georgetown now, where sisters Grayson and Gailliot grew up. (Both are National Cathedral School grads.)
- And the trio originally launched the brand above the sisters' parents' Georgetown garage.
What we're watching: Up next — more stores in top markets across the Southeast (the goal: open two annually for the next couple of years), and maybe a kids' store or gifting shop, says Grayson.