Paul and Margot Brockman. Credit: Facebook/55ThousandDresses
This is a story both romantics and fashion aficionados will fall in love with. A man bought his wife more than 55,000 dresses over the course of their 56-year relationship.
Paul Brockmann, born and raised in Germany in the 1930s, says he fell in love with dancing at the age of 13. He met his wife Margot, who he calls “the love of his life,” at a dance and began collecting dresses for her.
“I would envision Margot dancing in the dress, the look of it, the sound of it, and buy dress after dress for her to wear when we danced,” Brockmann writes on Facebook.
“The dress collection grew as I searched far and wide at estate sales, department stores, yard sales and antique shows. Always looking to buy more dresses for Margot, everywhere and anywhere I went,” he adds.
Credit: Facebook/55ThousandDresses
Brockmann, now 78, and his wife, 76, kept their collection a secret for decades, even from their kids, LA Weekly reported in a profile of Brockmann last month.
Facing high storage costs, the family is now selling bits and pieces from the collection.
“We are here to share these vintage gems with you and feed your love for fashion of all eras,” Brockmann writes.
“It’s best to turn them loose. Much as I hate to,” he told LA Weekly.
Shoppers can browse the dresses on the family’s website 55thousanddresses.com and their Facebook page, which has nearly 2,000 followers.
