
Meet NYC Vintage Queen & Mama-Of-Two Amy Abrams
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photographed by Heather Moore
We here at Mother are big fans of vintage, and with personal roots deeply planted in the craft (that’s how Bleubird started over twelve years ago!) and the rise of vintage as a whole, it’s no wonder we wanted to get a glimpse at the colorful, often whimsical life of Amy Abrams, Co-Founder of the dynamic daily marketplace, Artists & Fleas. Below, the Brooklyn local and mama to two stunning girls (Ruby, 11, and Noa, 9), invites us into her world to talk the culturally-rich landscape of Crown Heights, raising her daughters with compassion, and all things entrepreneurship. She even gives us a couple of pro tips for treasure hunting and scoring vintage gold. Get ready—this is one profile you’ll want to click through ’til the end!
- “We purchased our home in 2005. We were living down the street and were looking for a home that had a garden, as we love to spend time outdoors gardening. We really liked the neighborhood; it felt diverse and was also close to Prospect Park, where I have been jogging since I was 16. We found this house and it had what felt like a million students living in it, and lots of little rooms. We closed our eyes and imagined opening up the space, and could see the potential. We've made some changes over the years, but it's a lot of fun to see how you can be creative, rethink your space, and make changes as your family grows and your needs shift over time.”
- “Ethnic, colorful, warm, and comfortable.”
-
“There is a lot more stuff; kids equal stuff.”
Noa wears overalls from a Spanish boutique and a Crew Cuts tank.
- “I love when the girls spread out and do art projects that span the kitchen to the family room. My only rule is that everything needs to be cleaned up at the end of the day.”
- “We purchase things we love when we travel and visit market, and just integrate them into our home. Somehow it all seems to work, at least from our perspective!”
-
“I love all of our carpets. They're colorful, and remind me of our adventures in the Medina in Marrakech. I love the fortunes that are framed at the top of the stairs, as they were discovered in Jodhpur. I also love the pillows on the couch. They've been collected from all over the world. I love how our refrigerator is decorated. It has a combination of New Yorker cartoons that still make me laugh, and our Jewish New Year cards from the past eight or more years that feature pictures of the girls.”
Amy wears vintage overalls from Gypsy Nation, an Isabel Marant top, and Chloé shoes. Ruby wears Zara overalls, a Target top, and Birkenstock sandals.
- “The kitchen. It’s the heartbeat of our home, and where we spend the most time. My husband, Ronen, is a really awesome cook, and we eat all of our meals in the kitchen, except for Friday nights when we usually have guests and sit at our dining room table. The girls do their homework in the kitchen, cook in the kitchen, and even make slime in the kitchen.”
- “Being a mother is so integrated into my identity, as I have been a mom for more than 11 years. I find motherhood to be so much fun. My kids are a constant source of entertainment, and I love how they see and experience the world. It is incredible to see how you create a human being, but the minute they are born, they are a truly unique person. They are born with their own pixie dust, and your role is to love them, guide them, and nurture them, so they can develop to their full potential and create a life that is meaningful by their definition. Being a parent challenges you in so many wonderful ways. Sometimes, these are seriously challenging, but I feel like I have a deeper experience in life as a result of being a mom. The downside of motherhood is that I haven't slept through the night since I was pregnant!”
- “Loving, fun, easygoing, fostering a lot of independence, leading by example, having clear boundaries, being patient, and having a sense of humor.”
- “Being able to expose my kids to things that I love and enjoy, but allow lots of room for them to find their own path to what excites them.”
- “Knowing that women are more vulnerable than men in many situations throughout life.”
- “It has made me realize the importance of teaching my kids to listen and truly hear what people on the opposite side of the table are saying. You do not have to agree with everyone, but you do have to accept that people have very different perspectives, experiences, and opinions, and they are as real to them as your beliefs are to you.”
- “My parents are loving, kind people, and they fostered a lot of independence throughout my childhood. They have always encouraged me to march to the beat of my own drum. They gave me many opportunities to grow and develop into the person I wanted to become, always anchored in lots of unconditional love.”
- “I think I am a lot like my mother in that I am loving and supportive to the important people in my life. I think we are both very intuitive, able to read people, and make them feel comfortable. I think we are both very generous. And, we are both good listeners. We are very curious, love traveling and exploring. I inherited a love of collecting beautiful things made by artists and treasure hunting from my mom. I think that we are different in that I am totally extroverted, and my mom is an introvert. I have always had a ton of energy, and have a hard time sitting still. My mom can spend hours reading, and she is a much better cook than I am, although we both love to bake!”
- “The more people who love your kids, the more your kids will love. And, you can never hug them too much.”
- “I have many women in my life who are incredible people—friends, mothers of friends—that have been sources of inspiration. Some are mothers and some are very maternal. I would say that the common thread is that they are all very supportive women who love fiercely and unconditionally. I am really grateful for my circle of friends and support.”
- “I loved the book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogol. That is the only parenting book I have ever read from start to finish.”
- “The days are long, but the years are short.”
-
“For Ruby, I had a childhood friend whose grandmother’s name was Ruby, and I always loved it. Ruby is also my favorite color and favorite stone. I knew if I had a little girl, I would name her Ruby. She is also named after my husband’s grandmother, Rachel. For Noa, I had a camper named Noa that I adored. I loved the name. When we had Noa, we looked at her and just thought, ‘Perfect! She’s Noa.’"
Amy wears a Rachel Comey jumpsuit. Ruby wears a Crew Cuts jumpsuit. Noa wears a Target jumpsuit.
- “Dance, making slime, craft videos, singing, cooking, swimming, and our dog.”
- “Waking up in our house upstate, having a nice, long cuddle. Making breakfast together. Hanging out by the pond, swimming and relaxing. Hanging out in the afternoon, reading or baking something together. Having dinner outside, watching a movie, or playing a game together. Going to sleep. Repeating.”
- “I love that Ruby is so observant and articulate. She is able to read people beyond what they are saying. She has always been this way. She is also incredibly curious and asks a lot of great questions. She also has a very diverse palette—she loves good food! Noa is a goofball. She is always singing and up for entertaining. She is very loving and affectionate. She is also incredibly generous. I love that they both are so warm and welcoming to everyone who comes into our home.”
- “The depth of love you can have for another person—both for my kids and for my husband—and that I really understood how much my parents love me once I experienced having my own kids.”
- “The girls each have their own room that they have decorated to their tastes and style. They have a ton of "tchotchkes", the yiddish word for trinkets, but they seem to like them and have accumulated them from all of their various adventures. Sometimes, I encourage and edit, but overall, I am really big on giving my girls a lot of creative freedom. It’s their room, and they should be able to decorate it according to their tastes and style.”
- “I love the artwork they have each created and showcased. And, I love that each of them has something that they love that was in my room when I was a little girl. Ruby has a satin sculpture, and Noa has a perfume bottle.”
- “Find resources to support you, so you can be your best at work, in your relationship, and as a parent. Outsource as much as you can; no one can do it all. And, try to work so that you and your partner share responsibilities based on what energizes you.”
- “Ronen has really mastered making a delicious dinner in 30 minutes. Rice and beans, or quinoa and lentils plus an Israeli salad. But, when he’s out and I am in charge of dinner, it is usually takeout.”
- “Ethnic, chic and colorful, and comfortable.”
- “I think my tastes have evolved over time. I come from a tradition of women—both of my grandmothers and my mom—who love clothing and expressing themselves through what they wear, without taking themselves too seriously.”
-
“Year-round? Jumpsuits. In the summer, vintage Indian dresses, embroidered peasant tops, gauze pants, and metallic sandals. For the winter, leather pants, cashmere sweaters, silk tops, vintage dresses, boots, and great coats.”
Amy wears a vintage top purchased in Israel and Isabel Marant pants. Ruby wears a dress from Target. Noa wears a Zara top and shorts from Target.
- “Current designers include: Isabel Marant, Chloé, Giada Forte, Rachel Comey, Co, and Warm. For vintage: Adini, YSL, Zandra Rhodes, Raksha, and Missoni.”
- “I love color and print. I love the ‘70s. I love cozy. I kind of love it all!”
- “I buy a lot of vintage from Artists & Fleas merchants—it’s an insider's pipeline. I also shop at Warm, Isabel Marant, and Rachel Comey.”
- “It’s pretty quick. I try to use all-natural products as often as possible. Currently, I use Josh Rosebrook—a spritz of a hydrating accelerator, a serum, and a sunscreen. I wear Bobbi Brown under eye concealer, sometimes a NARS purple eyeliner, Maybelline mascara, Surratt lipstick, and Rodin lip balm. I use Davines shampoo and conditioner, and Moroccan hair oil.”
- “I run three times a week. I stretch occasionally. I am also into hula-hooping these days, but I would not call it a practice. I used to do yoga. It's on my list of things to get back into in 2018.”
- “I am the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer for Artists & Fleas. My husband and I started the business together 15 years ago.”
-
“Most of my career has been defined by helping people, fostering entrepreneurship, and creating community.”
Amy wears a vintage Indian block-print dress. Noa wears a top from Crew Cuts.
-
“I love using my creativity and strategic abilities, knowing that what we do impacts people and provides platforms for individuals to work for themselves.”
Ruby wears a top from Crew Cuts.
- “Do your homework. Vintage is about scarcity, but you should know if something is really, in fact, rare and if the pricing is fair.”
- “I tend to like most things ethnic and embroidered, and I have weakness for—and a pretty large collection of—vintage Indian gauze and silk block-print dresses.”
- “I hope that my kids see me as a role model for how women can have a very exciting, meaningful, and rewarding career and also be a mother.”
-
“My husband is an equal partner in all aspects of my life. I am lucky.”
Noa wears a Crew Cuts dress and Birkenstock sandals.
-
“Sharing more things that I discover and love.”
Ruby wears a dress purchased in Mexico and Birkenstock sandals.
- “It has been home for more than 15 years, so I guess I like it a lot. There are a lot of like-minded, interesting, and talented people living in Brooklyn, so we have a really great community of friends.”
-
“That my kids are pretty worldly and see other children with many different parenting styles, and religious and cultural differences. I think my kids have a lot more exposure to how the world works than I did as a kid growing up in the suburbs.”
Amy wears a reworked vintage caftan by Dream Tribe and K. Jacques sandals.
- “This weekend, the girls set up a lemonade and tie-dye stand in front of the market in Brooklyn—that was fun. On a typical weekend day, we have friends over for brunch and then find something to do in the afternoon, such as a bike ride, a broadway show, or a walk around a neighborhood.”
- “Right now Ruby is really into rolled ice cream. But, that might change within a week!”
- “Dinner at Lilia. My friend Missy is the chef, so we know we will always have a great meal. Or, a tandem bike ride. We are not really creatures of routine.”
Share this story