At The Vintage Project, Sarah Jordan Buss has brought to life a Parisian-inspired boudoir in the heart of Beverly Hills.

“It’s with intention,” she said of her mission for the shop, which opened this month. She has amassed more than 500 pieces to date, largely sourced from Europe.

“I only have one buyer who has feet on the ground in Europe,” she said. “Whether that’s estate sales or auctions…it really grounds me and my brand.”

The collection spans multiple decades but leans heavily on the 1990s and 2000s, featuring major luxury houses like a Gianni Versace gown from the designer’s personal collection, Emilio Pucci sets, Manolo Blahnik heels and Chanel belts.

“A lot of my stuff is very accessible,” Buss said, noting that all prices are clearly displayed on tags. “You can come in and get a top for $150 or $200, and then if you wanted to get a gown for $10,000, you also can do that.”

Buss grew up thrifting with her mom in Florida before moving to Los Angeles. “I started collecting personally over 10 years ago,” she explained. Her goal is to make vintage approachable while still offering a selection of luxury pieces.

“My favorite part is imagining the people that wore the clothes,” Buss explained of founding the boutique, decorated in powder-blue and housed in a Beaux-Arts-style 1926 building at 9615 Brighton Way. “Imagining those stories and then making a new one for who’s coming in to buy it.”

The storytelling extends to the space itself: “I’ve always had the closet that my friends borrowed from. I really wanted it to feel as inviting as a closet, as your friend’s closet, visiting your friend and being like, ‘Hey girl, I need something to borrow for this event.’”

Designed to feel residential, the shop mixes plush carpet, brick and drapery with chrome accents.

“I went with chrome as my contrasting tone in here, because it’s so futuristic, and I feel like it’s really underused,” Buss said. “I really wanted to have that tension in the space. Having a 1960s ballgown with all of this chrome and these modern elements, but it looks like it’s in the coolest girl you know’s apartment.”

The signature powder blue carries personal meaning. “It actually is from my wedding,” she said. She’s married to Jesse Buss, co-owner of the L.A. Lakers. “The first dress that I got was this 1950s Balmain brocade gown, and it was in this blue, and I couldn’t let go of the blue.”

For Buss, intention also defines how visitors experience The Vintage Project. Guests enter through a small holding area and ring a doorbell before being invited in. “It’s not to be exclusive,” she said. “It gives me time to know who’s coming in and what their sizing is, and maybe what they’re looking for.” She plans to curate the space for each person, tailoring what’s on display to their preferences and fit.

“I named it The Vintage Project because I want it to evolve,” she added. “Eventually, I want to maybe partner or do collaborations with brands that have deadstock fabrics that you can reimagine into more modern pieces…it’s a better approach to sustainability.”