“I never thought I’d have my own store, let alone my own line.” For Jami-lyn Fehr, the owner of MODISTE, both of her dreams have come to fruition. Fehr is transforming the Nashville fashion scene with her high-end brick-and-mortar store and e-commerce platform, focusing on “sustainability, ethics, and the highest quality materials and construction you can find.” MODISTE is the first merchandiser to provide Nashville with hard-to-find favorite designers, as well as ones completely new to the scene, with curation similar to her own signature, simple-yet-refined style. Fehr is constantly expanding the company to not only encompass more collections and pieces, but also transform it into a full-fledged lifestyle brand.
Fehr’s love of fashion began in high school, where she picked up photography, and continued to grow at Belmont University, where she would shoot all her friend’s collections. Fashion merchandising degree in hand, Fehr conceived of MODISTE shortly after graduation. Though creating and operating a boutique at such a young age was daunting, Fehr felt up to the challenge: “I always knew I wanted there to be a MODISTE brick-and-mortar presence in Nashville. It was something I felt was missing in the market. I believed I had what it took to make MODISTE successful and fill a gap.” As the project grew in scale, with Fehr developing plans to run an e-commerce site in addition to a physical store, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. While e-commerce was initially meant to be a “crucial but secondary” part of MODISTE, quarantine provided Fehr an opportunity for “a greater reach than Nashville itself.” Thus launched the MODISTE website with a specific mindset in Fehr’s head: “It pained me watching local boutiques try and make sales through social media when they couldn’t open their doors. I never wanted MODISTE to be in that position.”
The MODISTE Label is one with a singular, strong vision, yet it has expanded greatly over time. “I decided to create the MODISTE Label to fulfill the elevated and luxurious basics within the store rather than buying these more simple items from the brands I carry, but it has since evolved a bit more into including seasonal pieces as well.” Those seasonal pieces are dear to Fehr’s heart, being inspired by “stories of my father’s life in his 20s and some of the clothing he wore at the time.” Consisting of cashmere, wool knits, silks, cotton tees, women’s trousers, and more, she sees the mini-collection as “very nostalgic and sporty, yet able to be dressed up.” Just like in university, she shoots all the collections herself.
Inspired by the business model of Frankie Shop, who have both an in-house label and retailer, as well as locations in New York and Paris, Fehr has set her sights on a London storefront. That will take a larger team of course, one she is already mobilizing. “I feel like I’m in a very good place; I have a delightful young woman, Chloe, working with me as my right hand here in Nashville. She assists with shoots, stylist pulls, client relations, and e-commerce. It’s truly a blessing to have found her, MODISTE wouldn’t be the same without her.”
As for the future, Fehr is “beyond excited” to share the news of the brand new Maison MODISTE, “a short-term rental apartment that we are currently building behind our flagship store.” Though unable to share major details yet, Fehr did clue us in to the aesthetic: “It will be furnished with both modern and vintage French-inspired decor and will be stocked with MODISTE robes, slippers, candles, and more.” With a planned fall unveiling, Fehr hopes to expand MODISTE beyond the scope of a simple store, and more than anything, “to allow visitors to step into an unexpected Nashville.”
