Wicked Peacock brings boho-chic accessories to Rockport.
Birds of a feather flock together. So if you’re a style maven who likes to make big, bold fashion statements, you may want to join Rockport boutique owner Silvana Costa at her new nest, Wicked Peacock.
“The vibe I want to create is eclectic and bohemian, but [also] chic and elegant,” says Costa, a sunny and spirited 30-something who opened Wicked Peacock in April. Its name is meant to evoke the confident strut of the decadently adorned animal, and its carefully edited shelves bloom with eye-grabbing jewelry and accessories that radiate a gypsy-glam sensibility. There are chunky statement necklaces with bright stones set in brass and other rough-hewn patina metals. There are brightly colored python-skin bracelets that pop, and vegan leather handbags that are funky yet refined. Everything comes from emerging artists (many local, like Amesbury-based designer Bark Decor) who Costa discovers and features in her shop or web store.
Costa actually launched the Wicked Peacock brand four years ago to highlight her own jewelry designs. But while she still keeps a metalworking studio in her North Shore home, she discovered that curating is what gives her the greatest creative charge. “There were so many other ‘Wicked Peacocks’ out there,” says Costa. “I wanted to showcase them all in one place.”
In choosing fashions, she trusts the creative gut she honed during years spent at art fairs and live music festivals. Always entrepreneurial, Costa spent much of her 20s running Peace Flowers Cuisine, her food vending business that sold vegetarian options on the festival circuit. “Sometimes I feel like I’m a DJ,” she says. “My favorite part is digging around for different artists, then bringing them all together to create an experience.”
But to run her first brick-and-mortar business, Costa added vital business savvy to her ensemble of talents. Wicked Peacock was one of 25 businesses chosen for the inaugural Accelerate Boston, a five-month incubator program for startups.
Costa is sure to see her Wicked Peacock flourish. But for now, the former Boston gal is just happy to have found a home in Rockport, where she says the energy of the community is one of her latest inspirations.
“The people who live here are amazing,” says Costa in her shop, waving goodbye to a postal worker who already knows her name. “There are a lot of artistic people, worldly people, and travelers from all over the world.”
She may have swapped the Hub for a smaller seaport, but this boutique owner has never felt more at home. “Rockport is a perfect fit.” wickedpeacock.com