Our Story
In Loving Memory of Teddy Grasset
When we started Dr. Collectors 8 years ago, our main focus was to build a unique clothing brand that embodied our love for California, the place we've chosen to reside for over the past 15 years of our lives.
From our past experience with our first brick and mortar in the South of France in the 80s, we never had any intention of opening a storefront again. The headache of running our own store was too much of a burden to take on. Our original location was run by myself (Olivier) and my lifetime partner Beatrice, selling dead stock Levi's, vintage military clothing, and other vintage goods. Today, we incorporate those things into the Dr. Collectors brand by running a small family owned business creating and doing what we love day in and day out.
Our son, Teddy Grasset, always pushed us to open another store and envisioned Dr. Collectors to be a brand recognized on a global scale. As we stayed content with only having a clothing brand selling online and wholesaling to different stockist around the world, Teddy's desire to open a brick and mortar only grew as the brand gained traction. Finally, we caved (as most parents do) and decided to open a new concept: The Trading Post Gallery. Combining the Dr. Collectors brand with our love of Native American culture, Japanese aesthetics, vintage finds, the Parisian lifestyle, and of course, indigo which serves as a major component of the brand. This is our perfect combination of all the things we love and are deeply rooted in our DNA.
Beatrice & Olivier Grasset
When we opened The Trading Post on S. La Brea in 2014 we had no idea where it would take us. Just like any other small business, the three of us put our heads together and began to build an environment we all loved while expanding the brand. Our friends and family supported us, customers started to come and the business continued to grow organically. After being open for only two-years we began to outgrow the original location. Teddy started to look for a bigger retail space as well as a second location that would help facilitate his vision for the brand. In late September of 2016, Teddy took a trip to Nashville which he felt would be the perfect home for the second Trading Post brick and mortar. On September 27, 2016 after leaving a music event on Broadway in downtown Nashville, Teddy was gunned down in a senseless act of violence. The heartbreak of losing our son that day in such a beautiful city was unbearable. Who would do something so devastating to such a loving and easy-going free spirit? Teddy never harmed anyone, never pretended to be someone he wasn't and never did a good deed with the hope of getting something in return.
With the help of our closest friends and family, we pushed day by day to keep the Trading Post Gallery going and made the move to a bigger location. It now acts not only as our store but our showroom for Dr. Collectors as well. We carry on the memory of Teddy everyday and will continue to operate with the same principles and desire as Teddy! We honor him on each one of our DRC garments, so his joy and passion lives throughout the world with every purchase made by one of our customers.
We thank each and every one of you for supporting us as we continue on this unforeseen journey. If you find yourself in LA stop by the Trading Post Gallery, say hi and see what we're up to, we promise not to disappoint.
-For Teddy, Forever.