Boston’s Best Style Icon: 60 Minutes with Yolanda Cellucci
We had a fabulous hang with the 90-year-old glamazon at the Burlington Mall.
Photograph by Ken Richardson
Long before maximalism was a trend, Yolanda Cellucci defined it. The Waltham native built her legacy on rhinestones, ruffles, and the conviction that getting dressed should be a form of celebration at her now-closed namesake boutique, long a destination for beauty queens, brides, and Boston’s boldest. These days, the 90-year-old glamazon (famous for driving a white Excalibur and donning all-white ensembles) still dresses private clients, hosts a cable TV show, and shows no signs of slowing down—including during our recent shopping spree at the Burlington Mall.
1:45 p.m. At Macy’s, Cellucci finishes helping a personal stylist assemble looks for a charity fashion show at the Watertown Lions Club. Resplendent in head-to-toe ivory, a gold-sequined clutch, and smoky purple eyeshadow, she says, “You gotta have a little bling, even if it’s daytime.” She shows us the white Karl Lagerfeld jeans she just bought. “That’s the problem with being a personal shopper. You go, ‘One for them; one for me.’”
2 p.m. It’s Cellucci’s first time at Vineyard Vines. “The kids’ things are so cute. The quality, the fabric, and the colors are great, and they’re priced beautifully.” Describing her approach in general, she says, “It doesn’t have to be Neiman Marcus or Saks. I do go to TJ Maxx.” However, she draws the line at thrift stores. “I don’t like anything that’s been used.”
2:20 p.m. Cellucci delights when a salesman at the streetwear store Psycho Bunny demonstrates how the brand’s logo shows up on the bathing suits when they get wet; walking by Untuckit, she points out that it’s “the perfect solution” for guys “with a little bit of a belly.”
2:30 p.m. A woman recognizes Cellucci and stops her to say she was a friend of her late daughter, Linda, “from when she used to model at Saks.” The two lament the current state of retail and discuss Chris Donovan, the local shoe designer. “He was on my TV show!” Cellucci enthuses. “He dares to do crazy heels and everything.”
2:35 p.m. At Michael Kors, Cellucci tries on a rhinestone-encrusted wristwatch that’s on sale for $400 for Mother’s Day. “I’ll buy it for myself,” she says. “That way, I’ll get exactly what I want. If you see something you like, buy it.”
2:45 p.m. We stop into the Cheesecake Factory for a cup of coffee, and Cellucci reminisces about attending the couture shows in Europe: “I loved every minute of my business.” As for the looks from the Met Gala the night before, she says, “Diana Ross was outstanding. In fact, I have that same hat!”
Photo by Ken Richardson
This story first ran in the print edition of Boston’s July 2025 issue, as part of the Best of Boston: Shopping package.
