Fashionistas of all ages flocked to American Dream on February 14th, eager to be the first to browse the racks at the grand opening of The ADdress a 34,000 square foot department store dedicated to modest fashions, accessories and other items.

With a full array of women’s and children’s attire, The ADdress features nearly 30 different brands, many of which had never previously sold their products in a physical store.

“We have people who are small business owners, who started in their basements, their attics and their parents’ basements and in their bedroom and they’re opening now in a brick and mortar location,” The ADdress manager Ranana Witty told Yeshiva World News. “They already have a following, and now we’re just making it come to life.”

“I started off doing gown rentals and saw the need for modest gowns,” explained Chaya Malka of Malka Majesty Gowns, whose line of modest wedding attire sells at an average $300 price point. “People were buying gowns in department stores and trying to build them up to make them modest, but it wasn’t really working out. Out gowns are fully modest so they need no alterations, although we do include a two inch seam allowance in every gown, which takes us up to a size 22.”

Leah Pruzansky traveled from Baltimore to American Dream to promote her Bliss line of dresses. The brand places a strong emphasis on fit, selling items that are universally flattering, with an eye towards current trends. Pruzansky described her line as core pieces, available in sizes XXS to XXL at a price point of $99 to $189.

“People could just buy the in-style look, but with our line, you don’t have to worry about making it tznius,” said Pruzansky. “We do it for you.”

Rivky Itzkowitz’s Impact Fashion brand focuses on inclusivity, with modest dresses in sizes 2 to 24.

“For so long we have been told if only we were a little bit smaller, we would feel better in our clothes and that’s just not true,” said Itzkowitz. “If you focus more on body shape and how you carry your weight, you can dress for that, no matter what your size.”

Simi Flohr has been wholesaling her Point collection of modest basics around the world for the past five years. Being able to add a physical location at The ADdress to her online presence was an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up.

“We’ve been selling on Instagram and now we get to be in American Dream?” noted Flohr. “Who wouldn’t want to be here – it’s a dream come true.”

Witty estimated that several hundred shoppers visited the store within the first hour of its opening and lines formed to use The ADdress’s 17 dressing rooms and at its cash registers. With Monsey Trails running one trip daily from Brooklyn and Williamsburg, and another from Monsey and New Square, no sales tax on clothing, Sunday shopping hours and a significant second floor expansion showcasing men’s clothing and bridal wear coming this summer, The ADdress is aiming to become a popular destination for shoppers.

“The selection is good, there are nice choices and it’s a pleasant shopping experience,” said shopper Ilana Maimon of Israel. “It’s great to see everything in one place and I’m glad that I was able to be here when they opened.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)