Courtesy of Carol Crudden
When St. Louis native Carol Crudden opened Ziezo in 1982, rent was just $195 per month on the Delmar Loop and opportunities abounded for indie endeavors. Over the years, the shop occupied three different storefronts—all on the same block—and became a fashion beacon as the area experienced a massive revitalization. Earlier this month, after more than 30 years in business, Crudden closed Ziezo’s doors for the last time. Learn about her experience owning a boutique and the changes she’s seen take place on the Loop.
What led you to open Ziezo in 1982?
A big turning point in my life was when I was in college, I went to Europe for three months, backpacking, staying in youth hostels, and that kind of thing. It was the very beginning of the Punk Rock/New Wave movement. I noticed that something extraordinary was going on, and I was really attracted to that. I wanted to wear it, see it, experience it. I tried to find that here in St. Louis. I found a small scene. I noticed there were these small pods of creative energy that were all kind of communicating with each other internationally. I met this Dutch woman named Marion [deRuiter] who was dating a boy in a band here in St. Louis. I met her briefly at a party, and she said she wanted to open a store and wondered if I wanted to do it with her. I said I would think about it and let her know the next day. It was all extremely spontaneous. I was 21 and really naïve.
How did the store evolve over the years?
Pretty significantly. This is my third location. The first shop was a fashion lab. My partner, Marion, knew how to sew. I knew how to silkscreen. We combined our skills and made everything in the store and sold it. The Loop was different then. The rent was so reasonable. It allowed for non-mainstream, low-risk opportunity. We had fashion shows all the time and collaborated with other artists. It was just this really wonderful, very loose creative environment. There were no rules at all. Then we went to a trade show in New York, which was significant to me. I think that really influenced the direction of the store. It’s been a little bit more East Coast-influenced since then. After Marion left in 1984, I expanded into a different storefront after they renovated the Tivoli building. The Loop was starting to go through a renaissance. I brought in more high-end denim and shoes. It was a really great time for the store. Then I moved into the space I have now, which is huge. It’s a very accessible type of space. Those other two were a little bit more of a destination. They were secrets. My customers didn’t want to tell people where they were getting their stuff. It was really just my customer that was coming in. With this store, everyone is coming in here all of the time. Then fashion changed, and what I was doing became very mainstream. The rent got really expensive, and I had to do more serious business.
How have you seen the St. Louis fashion scene change over the years?
I feel like fashion in general has changed. It has become extremely mainstream. People are always looking for some type of deal. I’m seeing a lot of ’80s and ’90s fashions coming back. But most of those kids are going to thrift stores or throwing stuff together from H&M. Ziezo has always been a place where people saved up their money to buy something and then became extremely emotionally attached to it, which was wonderful. Now fashion has become more accessible, like coffee shops. People have a lot more choices with the Internet, but we’re all scrambling for the same customer. It’s a lot more competitive than it’s ever been, in my opinion, with the Internet and all the boutiques. I feel like people are not as appreciative of individuality or quality.
What are your plans after Ziezo?
I have been thinking about it for a couple of years, seeing the direction of fashion change and move in a direction that I’m not really excited about. I feel like I need to get back to the root of what I was doing in the beginning. Ziezo has always been about appreciating craftsmanship and the fine art of making things. I just need a break so that I can step back and reassess my involvement. I don’t really know what that’s going to be. I love fashion, and I love what this store has been and how people were affected by it. It was a really magical, special kind of place.
How has The Loop changed?
It was just a fringy little neighborhood with a lot of really interesting older immigrants. But there were a lot of people that didn’t feel comfortable coming here for whatever reason. The Loop is a border between different economic groups, so there is always going to be that kind of clash. But we were all so tight. We all knew each other. Vintage Vinyl was my neighbor in the first store. We even piped the music through the wall. There was a really strong sense of community in this neighborhood. Business wasn’t great; it was a lifestyle. When you open a store, you are choosing a lifestyle. You are probably not going to get rich. It’s kind of a labor of love. This neighborhood is a little bit of a struggle at the moment, I have to admit. But there’s also a giant dorm getting ready to open and a 24-hour diner. It will be interesting to see what happens.
