Nobody stumbles onto Eleanor Schain. The shop sits on Strickland Avenue in the Mill Basin and Bergen Beach end of the borough, a strip Industry Magazine described as a place subway lines don’t reach and foot traffic barely exists. People come on purpose.
One of a kind. A Brooklyn original. We’re worth the trip.
That line greets visitors on the store's homepage. By the same page's count, the family has been serving generations of women since at least 1966. Eleanor, the family matriarch, started the business in the basement of her Brooklyn home to make a life for her two young daughters. It found its current storefront in 1991. In the early 2000s Eleanor retired to Florida, which the store fondly calls the sixth borough, and her daughters Bonnie and Andrea took over as the second generation.
For a prom shopper, the history matters because of what the store has always done. Its About page lists the milestones it dresses women for, from bat mitzvahs and communions to sweet sixteens and proms, and then the weddings that follow. Mothers who shopped here bring their daughters, and Industry Magazine noted that some clients who moved away still fly back when an event calls for a one-of-a-kind gown.
A prom gown made to fit, not just bought
This is an evening gown shop, and prom shoppers should come in thinking that way. The store partners with exclusive designers for a selective collection of evening wear, and its styles can be ordered in various sizes, colors and materials. A senior who wants a gown nobody else at the dance will be wearing has good reason to start here.
Fit is the other half. Customizing gowns is the store's specialty, by its account, and its in-house dress makers can tailor each style to your specific needs. Industry Magazine counted five seamstresses on site and reported that measurements are taken beforehand, so the garment fits the way you want it to. Andrea told the magazine the shop pays attention to each woman’s size, shape and style, including where she wants room and where she wants the fabric closer.
Trunk shows add another way in. The store invites designers to present gown collections in the shop, with samples and specialty pieces straight from the runway, and posts the upcoming schedule on its site. Andrea, Bonnie and Steicy also offer personal styling, with phone or virtual consultations available before you come in. If you know your budget and your prom date, have that conversation first and let them pull accordingly. Weekends are by appointment only, weekday appointments are preferred, and you can book online or arrange a private appointment by phone.
Plan on driving. Mill Basin, Bergen Beach and neighboring Marine Park are car-first neighborhoods, and families from big public schools across southern Brooklyn, New York, including James Madison, Midwood and Edward R. Murrow, make the trip the same way. City schools tend to hold proms in late spring, which leaves time for custom ordering if you start early.
Strickland Avenue Stylists and Custom Work
Can I talk to a stylist before coming in?
Yes. Andrea, Bonnie and Steicy offer personal styling, with phone or virtual consultations available ahead of a visit.
Can a dress be customized for prom?
Yes. The store specializes in customizing gowns, and its styles can be ordered in different sizes, colors and materials, with in-house dress makers handling the tailoring.
Are sale items returnable?
No. The store lists all sale items as final sale, so try on carefully before buying from the sale rack.