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Paul BrockmanThe husband who bought his wife 55 thousand dresses
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Paul Brockman: The Man with a Passion for Dresses
- A Romantic Gesture
- A Life Filled with Dance
- A Growing Collection
- A Growing Wardrobe
- Storing the Collection
- A New Chapter
Paul Brockman: The Man with a Passion for Dresses
Paul Brockman, a resident of California, is an incurable romantic who has been gifting dresses to his wife for several decades. After 56 years of married life, their home is now filled with 55,000 dresses. If love could be measured in dresses, Paul Brockman would likely be the most loving husband in the world. He personally selected all 55,000 dresses for his beloved wife Margot.
A Romantic Gesture
Paul, who used to work as a contractor, and his wife Margot live in Lomita, California. The tradition of gifting dresses began when Paul worked in the seaport of Bremen, Germany. Instead of receiving a salary, workers were given the option to choose items as payment. Without hesitation, Paul chose women's dresses. This marked the beginning of his incredible collection that would span their entire lifetime together.
A Life Filled with Dance
Paul and Margot moved to the United States from Germany in the 1950s. Margot's parents agreed to their marriage on the condition that Paul would take her to America. They initially settled in Ohio and later moved to Arizona. Paul worked in construction, and in their free time, the couple shared a passion for dancing and attended dance classes together.
A Growing Collection
It was through their shared love of dance that Paul continued to buy Margot new dresses. Over time, this became a tradition, with Margot showcasing a new beautiful dress every week during their dance classes. When they moved to Los Angeles in 1988, Margot already had a collection of 25,000 to 26,000 dresses. However, Paul couldn't stop himself from buying more dresses for his wife. This passion soon consumed him, and he would purchase dresses almost daily, regardless of whether they suited Margot's style or not.
A Growing Wardrobe
Margot never had an interest in shopping and always believed cleaning and tidying the house was more important than browsing for potentially low-quality items in stores and boutiques. As a result, the entire selection and purchase of dresses became Paul's responsibility. At some point, he no longer considered whether Margot would wear a dress or not. It was enough for him to imagine her in a new dress, and the purchase was made. The most expensive dress in Margot's collection cost $300, but unfortunately, she never wore it. Many other dresses suffered the same fate, and the collection continued to grow at an incredible pace. The number of dresses eventually exceeded 50,000.
Storing the Collection
To store such a vast wardrobe, Paul initially used their garage. Eventually, he had to fill six large shipping containers typically used for maritime transportation. To avoid being labeled as eccentric, Paul would tell acquaintances who constantly saw Margot in new outfits that she made the dresses herself. He was too embarrassed to admit his unusual obsession.
A New Chapter
One day, Paul and Margot's daughter, Louise, discovered the vast collection of dresses. Unsure of what to do with them, Louise sought advice from fashion designers. With their help, a massive sorting project was undertaken, and a decision was made to hold a sale. Now, three times a month, Paul and Margot Brockman's dresses await buyers. Although finding a wholesale buyer has proven to be a challenge, Louise estimated that over their 56 years together, Paul invested at least $1.5 million in dresses. Retrieving their investment will not be an easy task, but Paul has no regrets. Despite sometimes feeling ashamed of his strange hobby, the process of buying dresses brought him much joy in life. For now, most of the dresses from Paul and Margot Brockman's extraordinary collection remain in their possession. Interestingly, this collection could be a treasure trove for those who appreciate rare and vintage dresses.
