Smocked Auctions Has New Name, Expands Collection

Company run by UP natives rebrands to Classic Whimsy

Smocked Auctions has rebranded to Classic Whimsy.

The online children’s boutique started as a sample sale at Nicole Brewer’s University Park home in 2010 but now ships to all 50 states.

“We were in that space where we had little kids,” Brewer said. “We had a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old and really wanted to dress our kids in cute boutique clothing, but not for that high price point.”

The brand is now run by Brewer and Ross Mulford, both University Park natives.

Classic Whimsy was originally the private-label brand of Smocked Auctions, but now it’s also the company’s persona on webpages and billboards.

“This year, we finally decided it was time to change our name,” Brewer said. “Classic Whimsy is a brand that people have long identified with us, so it’s not really a big shift for everybody, but it’s a big shift for us publicly and how we’re known.”

Mulford joined the team in 2020 as CFO and brings a data-oriented perspective to the brand.

“While we don’t have a store, the internet is your store, and so those kinds of (search engine optimization) ads are really what drive it,” Mulford said.

Classic Whimsy has operated out of a warehouse in the Design District since 2012, which allows each department to operate under one roof such as customer service, design, embroidery, management, and shipping.

Ninety percent of Classic Whimsy pieces are designed by the in-house creative team, and the other 10% comes from wholesale. The brand started in 2010 as overstock from other boutiques, but as demand increased, their own production began.

Classic Whimsy is known for its smocking — a hand embroidering technique around the neckline done in El Salvador to provide work opportunities for women with kids at home.

The brand has expanded to offer more beyond the smocked clothing, especially around the pandemic when more casual attire became normalized.

“We want to be part of (children’s milestones), whether it’s in a swimsuit or play clothes or as you’re tucking them in at night in their pajamas, or for those formal occasions where you’re trying to dress all the cousins like so,” Brewer said.

Classic Whimsy is different from other brands as families can match or coordinate while ensuring comfort through stitching that doesn’t cause children to itch.

“We have been very deliberate at bringing on and growing people that are really good in those areas,” Mulford added, describing it as a “sophisticated business.”

Mulford says their products are personal for customers because they’re often planning for important occasions.

“We’ve both experienced being on vacation in totally different states, sometimes a different country, and you see our things on children at the beach or wherever,” Brewer said.