INTERVIEW: LoveShackFancy Founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen On LSF’s Second Hamptons Location, A Home Collection Debut, And More

Finding the right bridesmaid dresses can be nearly as stressful as finding the bride’s pièce de résistance. That’s why when Rebecca Hessel Cohen was unable to find the perfect dresses for her besties to wear during her fairy-tale wedding, she designed them herself. The gorgeous gowns garnered rave reviews and eventually led to the founding of LoveShackFancy (LSF).

LoveShackFancy opened its first outpost in Sag Harbor in 2013, and eight years later, LSF will open its second Hamptons boutique location in Southampton.

We caught up with Hessel Cohen about the newest LoveShackFancy store, latest LSF collection, an exciting new addition to the home collection, and much more.

You founded LoveShackFancy after creating bridesmaids dresses for your own wedding. Was design something you were always interested in?

RHC: I have always loved clothes! I began my career working in editorial at Cosmopolitan and am so grateful for everything I learned there. When planning my wedding, I couldn’t find the bridesmaids dresses that I was dreaming of anywhere. I had a specific vision of dresses that were vintage inspired and easy to dance in. I designed my own and the whole experience led me to dream about designing more and sharing these styles with the world.

This marks LoveShackFancy’s second Hamptons outpost. What drew you to Southampton?

RHC: The Hamptons are so special to me. I spent my childhood here with family and it is also very significant for LoveShackFancy as Sag Harbor is the location of our very first boutique. Southampton has always been a go-to shopping destination for me when spending the summer in the Hamptons. This whole area brings such happy memories for me and I am so happy to be opening our second boutique here.

How will the Southampton store differ from the Sag Harbor location?

RHC: While our Sag Harbor boutique has more of a rustic cottage aesthetic, our Southampton location has a beachy feeling. The coastal and traditional mood of the village influenced our design for the store. The palette for the boutique is mostly blue and white, but with pops our signature LoveShackFancy pinks!

The Southampton boutique will also carry a few items that can’t be found in our other boutiques – including Larroude shoes, Edit .58, Shourouk and hats from Sarah Bray Bermuda.

The store will feature unique antique accents from around the world that you personally sourced. Could you speak to the store’s aesthetic?

RHC: I draw inspiration for LoveShackFancy from so many unique places and planning the décor for this boutique was a similar process. We found antique chandeliers from Dallas, where we recently opened a boutique, Victorian hooks from London and more. I love seeing it all come together to make a unique jewel-box space.

LoveShackFancy’s home collection is branching into wallpaper, which will be highlighted at the Southampton store. How would you describe your personal interior style and what inspired the inaugural four prints?

RHC: My personal interior style is truly inspired by romance and femininity. Being feminine is something to be celebrated, nothing to be apologetic for. When designing our home collections, I like to bring the feeling of my own home into our stores with our curated antiques, prints and beautiful flowers. When designing I am endlessly inspired by vintage designs. Spending weekends growing up in vintage shops, I forever have a love for ruffles, bows, and all things with a romantic and feminine sensibility, which you can find throughout everything in the world of LoveShackFancy.

With our wallpaper, we are bringing some of our favorite vintage-inspired floral prints to wallpaper. I love to layer different prints and colors throughout the rooms in my home. I am excited to now be able to start this style on our walls and am feeling so inspired by the new collection.

Tell us about the latest LoveShackFancy collection – and what can we expect this summer?

RHC: We have some really exciting collaborations coming up! In addition to launching wallpaper, we will be continuing to expand our home collection in other ways as well. We’re also launching an exciting collaboration with Hurley that I can’t wait to share more of as well.

It seems as though we’re finally starting to get back to normal. As there will be more opportunities to socialize with friends and family, what are your summer style must-haves?

RHC: I truly love to entertain so I am already dreaming up tablescapes and matching the table linens with my dress for the evening. Some of my favorite pieces right now are the Storey Maxi Dress and Adela Maxi Dress. I also love our new LoveShackFancy x Alison Lou jelly hoops.

What does an ideal day/evening in the Hamptons look like?

RHC: Since growing up, being in the Hamptons has always meant spending time with family. With that in mind, my ideal day would begin it with my daughters, my husband and a decadent breakfast before a walk on the beach. I am happiest and most inspired when I am outside in a garden in my Sagaponack home, surrounded by flowers so my ideal day would definitely involve some time spent there. A tradition we’ve kept alive from my childhood is during summers my mom always hosted dinner parties for all of our friends on Friday nights in my childhood backyard. I love to entertain to this day so my ideal Hamptons day would end surrounded by friends for a dinner party that would lead to an incredible dance party.

LoveShackFancy Southampton (11 Main Street) will open on Thursday, May 27.

For more information, visit www.loveshackfancy.com.