THIS LOCAL BOUTIQUE OWNER HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THE HIGH-STAKES WORLD OF CORPORATE FASHION, AND NOW SHE’S FOCUSING ON PROVIDING HIGH-STYLE YET APPROACHABLE APPAREL IN HER RED BANK EMPORIUM

BY JENNIFER KELLY • PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO

Amanda Astor was only 18 years old when she landed a coveted role as a lead stylist with Guess, a position that propelled her into the cosmopolitan world of corporate fashion.

“I think back on it, and honestly, I was just a baby,” Astor recalled, detailing her whirlwind start in the industry, which included sales roles in the brand’s Manhattan flagship store, followed by promotions to stylist then general manager before elevating to the role of styling director, overseeing all of the company’s East Coast stores.

“I was educating all of the sales associates on how to style customers in the fitting room,” Astor said. “It was such a huge honor to work for this iconic brand. I learned so much and built such a strong foundation there.”

She traveled the country while participating in Guess’ Future Leaders program and shadowed several of the corporation’s top executives. She never imagined working for any other brand, but when an opportunity arose to help launch a burgeoning label called Vince Camuto, she decided to take a chance.

“We opened 26 stores together,” she said of the legendary American shoe designer who co-founded Nine West before branching out to create his own fashion label. “I used what I had learned at Guess and played a role in making the brand a huge success.”

At the age of 23, she became the youngest vice president in New York City corporate retail. Then Diane Von Furstenberg called. “I guess that’s just the way my life works; call it God’s timing,” she laughed. “It was my turn to enter the world of high-end luxury.”

Astor’s role at DVF was to oversee the retail business with a concentration on events. (“Everything I learned about hosting in-store activations I learned from my time at DVF,” added Astor, expertise she would one day use to host sold-out curated events in her own boutique.) While with DVF, she dressed prominent clients like the Kardashians and Wendy Williams, enjoying herself a taste of the VIP celebrity life. She was soon called back to her Vince Camuto roots, however, when she played a role in launching the Shoe Box, a high-end footwear concept with more than 20 locations across the country. “I was the president and the buyer, sourcing products for stores from New York to California, and every state in-between.”

Though she was stimulated by the fast-paced demands of her career as a senior retail executive, Astor felt there was one goal she had yet to achieve. In 2023, she took a chance once again and launched a boutique in her hometown of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Amanda Jean NYC was officially born. “I finally decided it was time to do something for myself,” she said. “I dedicated 14 years of my life to opening dozens of stores for other designers and brands. Now, it was my turn.”

Astor found the perfect space (once home to a bustling dry cleaning business) and restored the building to make it her own. After giving birth to her son, she and her husband moved to New Jersey, and she began thinking about expansion.

“We were walking around Red Bank after having dinner one night, and I saw a ‘For Lease’ sign in this storefront,” Astor said. “I signed the paperwork within 48 hours, and less than a month later I opened my second store.”

Much like the Brooklyn store, the Red Bank location features an exquisite collection of high-fashion items in a wide range of sizes, coupled with a personalized shopping experience. “After becoming a mom, my goal was to create a fashion destination that served the needs of all clients from sizes XXS to 3X and ensure they had high-fashion, runway-inspired options at appealing prices,” she noted.

Astor credits her store’s success with the important lessons she learned while working as a brand executive. “The reason I feel our store is so different is because typically when people open boutiques, it’s their passion project and they do it blindly,” she said. “With me, it’s the other way around. I left this heavily competitive corporate fashion world and brought those elements to my own boutique.”

In her short time as a business owner, Astor has amassed more than 28,000 social media followers along with a roster of high-profile regulars that includes local celebrities like the Real Housewives of New Jersey. She said her online store has made Amanda Jean NYC a regional boutique leader. “Everyone tells us that we’ve brought new life into Red Bank, and I take that as the ultimate compliment,” she said.

Though Astor admitted that the current era is a difficult period for brick-and-mortar retail, she said the Amanda Jean concept is thriving.

“I have a lot of great relationships from my time in the fashion industry, all of whom offer a lot of support,” she noted. “But you have to hustle to make your retail dream a reality. And that’s exactly what I’ve done.”

Astor often hosts charity events and curated in-store activations. Her goal, she noted, is to continue to go above and beyond the typical retail experience for her customer. “All that matters to me is how people feel when they walk out of the store. I want them to say: ‘Wow! That was different!’”

Amanda Jean Boutique

69 Broad Street, Red Bank / 347.283.2339 / amandajeannyc.com