Studio Dem, a creation of Michelene Auguste is the culmination of the model’s largest manifestations. Inside the store, customers will come across an easygoing ambiance paired with creations that are one-of-one by Caribbean designers and vintage items. But also within the store located in Williamsburg, there is an air of distinction brought forth by Auguste who craved a space that was wholly hers that could serve as a communal gathering space. Initially opening as a pop-up in Lower Manhattan back in 2019, the now-Brooklyn location feels like a “divine arrangement,” according to the shop owner.
She describes Studio Dem as a vintage connoisseur’s dream, “a Caribbean home” with a “welcoming community.” It’s a place where you can expect to hear laidback music and reggae. Auguste aims to spearhead events that showcase her pride in her roots in Trinidad and Tobago. For instance, she constantly enjoys shedding light on West Indian artists, aside from carrying their designs in the boutique.
Originally from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, Auguste shares that her spark for entrepreneurship stems from a creative woman who is pivotal in her life: her grandmother, Molly Ahye. She paved the way for Auguste, and her mother, a former flight attendant would come home with countless magazines that Michelene obsessed over. The clippings would inspire Auguste to start creating clothing at the age of 11. As a youngster, Michelene was equally dedicated to ballet and dancing. “I thought I was going to be a ballerina, but I was more into fashion and beauty. But dance is a big part of my family,” the boutique founder said.
Auguste explains that her grandmother is responsible for the first dance school and fitness center in Trinidad and Tobago. “My grandmother, she’s a big inspiration, her and my mother because they were involved in the creative scene, but also [the] arts.” She mentions that she often watched her grandmother make clothing and jewelry by hand while her mother was away working. She credits these two maternal figures, along with others in her family including her husband and one of her brothers, as well as herself, for what Studio Dem has been able to blossom into. “We’re all dreamers,” she notes.
Years ago, Auguste was a model who’d relocated from Trinidad and Tobago to London for modeling gigs. While in London, she developed a love for vintage pieces and the resale market. However, it was in Paris that she was truly inspired by what she was seeing. She mentioned that during her time in Europe, she set up a website to sell items online to collectors, and it became very successful. “I started collecting and selling vintage to mostly promote sustainability,” she said. After a relocation to New York, she continued selling at the Hester Street Fair.
After some time, she decided to open a pop-up store in Manhattan, which led to a write-up in Vogue due to Michelene’s flair for creating coveted and aesthetically pleasing environments. This capability isn’t to be remiss in an industry that often leans into sterile marketing campaigns with all of the same faces. Auguste is the polar opposite–she creates from within and pours into her stores on a personal level. Following this, she established a more permanent space in Brooklyn, where she now operates Studio Dem.
The diverse mix of clothes and accessories at Studio Dem is not for those who dress conservatively. If you visit the store, you might encounter tourists who Auguste says frequently stop by her store. She mentions that some visitors have surprisingly never heard of her home country. While there, you’ll also find yourself in a space that doesn’t just feel like a typical shopping experience.
And that’s the point, Michelene wants Studio Dem to feel more expansive, rather than just being about high-quality maximalist or minimalistic clothing. One goal is to turn a profit and keep her doors open. But another is to offer an invigorating environment for dreamers, fashion lovers, artists, Caribbean natives, and those beyond these categories to gather and coexist.
