In the middle of Greenport, at 407 Middle Road, less than ten minutes from Warren Street in Hudson, you’ll find a sign for Rachael Que Vargas’ Firebowls – and Designer Clothes. Opened this past summer, Rachael offers discounts on designer clothes which include brands from Comme des Garçons, Hermès, Yves St. Laurent, and many others. Some clothing is new with tags and some is vintage, with over six hundred well-tailored items in excellent condition. It’s a boutique like no other with many women’s sizes from ten and up.
Like many people upstate, Rachael Que Vargas wears many hats. Rachael started her career in poetry, speaking at Lollapalooza and now works in her studio making unique hand-crafted firebowls, jewelry, stone-cut artwork, as well collecting and selling designer clothing.
As opposed to buying clothes online, you can visit Rachael’s boutique and wear the clothes before buying. “You can feel the soft cashmere. Touch it, feel it, try it on.” explains Rachael, “If you want to change who you are, first change your outfit.”
The firebowls are repurposed propane tanks that are built to last indefinitely. The designs range from unadorned to elaborate decorations of animals and people.
When you visit the boutique, you will view life-sized stone-cut replicas of Bartolomeo Eustachi’s illustrations of the anatomy. They are extremely detailed mosaics showing various layers of the human body. Over the years, Rachael has spent thousands of hours recreating Eustachi’s illustrations with the aspiration of displaying her works as an art exhibit.
Inside the boutique, surrounded by Rachael’s artwork, you understand that clothing is not just something you wear, it’s an expression of one’s identity and purpose.
The Rachael Que Vargas Studio is open from
Noon to 7pm, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
407 Middle Road, Hudson, NY
