Melange in Somerville: A Dress For Every Occasion

Got a hot date? Important interview? Consult Ayush Rai, owner of Melange in Somerville.

Photo by Andy Foster

Got a hot date? Important interview? Consult Ayush Rai, owner of Melange in Somerville.

The style-savvy 26-year-old from Long Valley gained a local following with his previous endeavor, Soirée, an evening-wear boutique in Chester. But he outgrew that space (and the evening-wear niche), and moved to the 1,600-square-foot storefront in Somerville. Melange—French for medley—stocks a mix of preppy, boho and classic silhouettes, with loyal shoppers ranging from teens to octogenarians.

Canadian designer Joseph Ribkoff is one of the many brands Rai’s buyer, Craig Dykstra, curates to stay away from predictable department store fashions. Florence “Flo” Skorny, a bubbly retiree from Bridgewater, is one of the dedicated shoppers who followed Rai to Somerville. “He got me addicted,” says Skorny, who nows works part-time at the store to fund her habit.

Keep an eye out for Rai’s fashionable, long-haired chihuahua, Clyde, who sports a mini leather jacket from Hungry Hound, the pet boutique across the street.

Click through the gallery below to see some of the chic styles Melange has to offer.

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