The Elton Street Collections: A Place Where A Man Can Build His Personal Style

KB, Proprietor of Elton Street Collections at the Brooklyn Flea

During a recent visit to the new winter location for the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg, one particular shop drew me in. The space felt like a cozy yet masculine living room or lodge. The owner is KB, and the shop is called Elton Street Collections, named after the street where his grandparents lived in East New York. It turns out that KB had opened his shop at the Brooklyn Flea that very weekend.

My first impression was correct. KB seeks out clothing, furniture and furnishings to appeal to a more male clientele, although there are plenty of objects for anyone to appreciate. I loved the felt hats and the Hudson Bay blanket that lay across a vintage sofa. Since it not so common to find shops that cater more to men in the markets, I had a few key questions for KB about his business, which he graciously answered:

Vintage Tam and a beautiful Hudson Bay Blanket in the Elton Street Collections

MoNY: What was your motivation for starting a vintage shop focusing on men’s fashion and accessories?

KB: My motivation for Elton Street Collections was about cultivation through fashion for men. I find men’s accessories to be a key component in defining personal style and wanted to assist men in finding their niche through fashion. What you wear is your calling card to the world, and I’d like to help pioneer a new wave of men who use fashion as a form of expression of self and culture.

MoNY: Who are your style influences?

KB: My style influences come from my father who was a minister and dressed in a suit six days a week. I rarely wear suits myself, but seeing him getting dressed helped me to appreciating fine garments. My Poppa showed me how to complement individual clothing pieces and create my own non-traditional suit. He would wear a Blazer with printed lining and a pocket square that matched the lining, with a funky hat to complete his look. Outside of my family, I appreciated the men of the Civil Rights Movement who dressed well everyday to represent people who were seeking change.

MoNY: In what ways is the Brooklyn Flea a good location for your shop?

KB: The Brooklyn Flea provides the opportunity of exposure for Elton Street Collections. It’s my blank canvas were I can create, recreate and research what men are seeking in the world of fashion. I utilize their space and following as a way to expose to people the road Elton Street Collections is paving in vintage menswear. It’s not just about the clothes — it’s a lifestyle that men are seeking, and an education in fashion to help them become develop a unique style for themselves for every occasion.

MoNY: How would you describe your own style or overall aesthetic?

KB: For me, it’s always about the aesthetic because my style changes from day to day. I love textures and mixing them to create a fashion ensemble in my style. Stripes are the love of my life in fashion, and hats have become somewhat of my signature pieces.

MoNY: What would you really like people to know about you or your collection?

KB: Elton Street Collections represents the street where I began my collecting of vintage items as a young boy, digging through dressers, trunks and chests in my grandparents’ basement. I realized I could be an outlier through finding timeless clothing and dry goods that were not accessible in the major department stores. Today, my collecting has morphed into a creative space that I’d like to see men utilize as a means of service through styling, personal shopping or interior designing for their personal spaces. We cater to the man who wants to go seamlessly through a day of meetings and straight to a cigar bar, and finish the night taking in a Broadway play or jazz show without ever needing a change of clothes.

I predict that KB’s collection will become a destination for the stylish gentlemen of the world. Visit KB in his shop Saturdays and Sundays at the Brooklyn Flea‘s location at 241 37th Street in Industry City, Brooklyn. And ollow the Elton Street Collections on Instagram.

~Karen Seiger, Markets of New York City