It’s not New York, Paris or L.A. It’s not in style, nor is it out. It’s fashion as art; fashion as a lifestyle. It’s organic and evolving. It’s Dallas, and more specifically, it’s Forty Five Ten.

Nestled in Dallas’ quaintly hip Knox-Henderson neighborhood rests the brainchild of co-owners Brian Bolke and Shelly Musselman. Opened in 2000, Forty Five Ten has become one of the hottest addresses in town and has helped put Dallas on the map of contemporary fashion.

Specializing in fashions from around the world, accessories and collections for the home, Forty Five Ten’s 8,000 square-foot space has attracted an impressively “non-Dallas” clientele. With customers such as Oprah, Jessica Simpson, Peter Som and Ashley Olsen it’s safe to say that Forty Five Ten is worth uncovering in the Dallas shopping scene.

Enter Forty Five Ten. If the historic white-washed brick building and heavy wooden doors don’t have you feeling the onset of a fabulous shopping experience, then just wait till you cross the threshold.

The space is much like a forest. (One worth getting lost in if you need a bit of retail therapy.) Racks of wearable art grow throughout the store bragging names such as Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Givenchy and Dries Van Noten. Simple dress forms are fitted with leather jackets, little black dresses and the occasional exclamation point piece. Midnight blue sequined mini dress! Oh my!

Now, imagine home décor heaven: Coffee table books whose pictures jump off the page, luxury candles oozing aromatherapy, abstract paintings hang on the walls and let’s not forget the sturdy wooden table radiating dining accessory perfection.

And now for the shopping weary: an intermission to Forty Five Ten’s oasis. And no, not the atrium centering the boutique. Located in the rear of the store, T-Room is Forty Five Ten’s answer to a modern yet rustic teahouse and café. High-end taste buds will be delighted by executive chef Greg O’Neill’s twist on traditional café foods. Dark wood floors with a tendency to creak contrast with the metal tables and tea candles to create a fresh ambiance. The all-glass wall and direct view of the atrium eliminate any sense of claustrophobia commonly experienced in department store restaurants. And in a sense, that’s what Forty Five Ten is all about being the anti-department store.

While the abundance and composition of fashion throughout the store is impressive, the buying style and choice of inventory is what allows Forty Five Ten to hold its own. Forty Five Ten is not about trend. It’s about throwing out the trend and looking fabulous. And while Bolke and Musselman travel to New York and Europe at least six and two times a year respectively to spot the perfect addition to their store, don’t expect to find pieces off the pages of Vogue or on display at Barney’s. In fact, according to store manager Dianne DeVeny, bringing life to the different in fashion is what Forty Five Ten embodies.

“We try to do unique pieces. We get copied a great deal. So, the second something gets popular, we get out of it. It’s what we have to do,” says DeVeny.

The ability to embrace the “unique pieces” is all in the intimate bond Forty Five Ten shares with their clients. From special customer events to casual conversation, personal relationships with Dallas social circles are key to Forty Five Ten’s success. They buy for their customers not the generic consumer.