Author Archive

Maison de Vacances: Summer Living

Plush comfort in the warmth of the sun.

Maison de Vacances Lookbook Image

Nestled in the lush gardens of the Palais Royale, just a short walk from iconic cultural sites such as The Louvre and Les Deux Plateaux, Maison de Vacances has embodied a love for exquisite soft goods since 1995.

Established by Michèle Fouks, this family-run company exemplifies the refined, but relaxed home.

Maison de Vacances Lookbook Image
Maison de Vacances Lookbook Image
Maison de Vacances Lookbook Image

Michèle and her close-knit team of textile experts encourage layering their various pillows and fabrics – such as pairing together a ruffled Shaker style pillow with a smooth linen of the same tonal colorway, or a bouquet of velvet and cotton jacquards in complementing tones.

Maison de Vacances Lookbook Image

Their style, characterized by a simple, but luxurious approach to pattern and finish, is ideal for those who enjoy dynamic color options without sacrificing the virtues of the natural materials. Thoughtful artistic details such as saddle stitching and hand-embroidery complete each piece.

Maison de Vacances Lookbook Image

This collection exudes the sophistication inherent to French textile traditions – not only in simplicity of design, but in dedication to craft.

Every piece of Maison de Vacances is designed and made exclusively in France, where they eschew mass production in order to maintain high standards of quality.

Trippen: Summer Slides

Sustainably celebrating the earth one season at a time.

Trippen Desert Kismet Sandal

Trippen’s summer offerings have arrived au naturale. In Cloud, Desert and a delightful blue-green called Leafs, these rounded and square toed double banded sandals celebrate and honor the earth they were inspired by.

Trippen Desert Kismet Sandal
Trippen Black Karma Sandal

In search of radical solutions to climate stability, the brand has emphasized renewability within their elegant designs. Their newest sole, featured on both the Kismet and Karma styles, is comprised of shredded rubber from previously recycled Trippen shoes.

Trippen Cloud Kismet Sandal
Trippen Leafs Karma Sandal

Patchworked from scrap leather, these two are the first Trippen shoes to be made of 100% recycled material. Designed to wear all day, the cushioned footbed promises a spring in the step and comfort in long wear.

Trippen Desert Kismet Sandal

Gareth Casey: Artist Turned “Clothes Maker”

“It’s not about being flashy or surprising. It’s just about: ‘Oh my God, that feels so good.’ ”

Image via Casey Casey

To the naive perspective, the output of all fashion designers may be imagined as flamboyant and extravagant, but in reality this is far from the case.

Developing polished, straightforward clothing is at the heart of those who strive to create refined apparel for the everyday. Gareth Casey of Casey Casey is a definitive example of one such designer.

Paris Storefront Image via Casey Casey

A self-taught artist and craftsperson earlier in his career, Gareth Casey wasn’t new to artistic creation when he began designing clothing with his background in painting and ceramics.

Self-described as a “clothes maker,” Casey began his artistic journey in 2008 with an inspiration to create mix-and-match workwear garments that he himself would want to dress in.

Casey Casey’s practical designs are directly linked to Gareth Casey’s vision of his own desired lifestyle. The result of this inspiration is everyday, easy essentials that are always ready for tasks around the house, cooking a comforting meal or spending time with friends.

Casey defines his clothing as “a reflection of the way I work and the way I want my life to be.”

This design philosophy is not only seen in his minimal silhouettes, but is intentionally applied to his lush, but simple fabrics used as well.

Natural materials – never synthetics – such as Egyptian cotton, crepe linen and worsted wool are liberally used across this line to produce enduring garments replete in organic textures.

Initially hand-finished, washed, and dyed during production, these fabrics display what Casey describes as a “lived-in feeling.”

The Casey Casey aesthetic embraces this worn look, where the materials are celebrated rather than hidden as they evolve and change alongside the wearer’s experiences.

Astier de Villatte – Setsuko’s Candlestick Holder

“A tree grows out of the earth, out of clay” – Benoît Astier de Villatte

Setsuko Klossowska de Rola’s Candlestick Holder for Astier de Villatte

In Japan, there is a traditional aesthetic idea centered around the appreciation of beauty in natural imperfection known as “wabi-sabi.”

This influence of the individual uniqueness of all things in nature can be seen in Setsuko Klossowska de Rola’s elegantly playful candlestick holder collaboratively produced with the ceramic workshop Astier de Villatte.

Setsuko Klossowska de Rola’s Candlestick Holder at a Dinner Table

Setsuko, a UNESCO Artist for Peace recipient and significant artist in her own right, is also well known for her marriage with the prolific painter Balthus who served as the director of the French Academy in Rome.

The couple’s tenure at the Villa Medici coincided by happenstance with both Benoît Astier de Villatte’s birth and his father’s time spent at the academy.

Setsuko Klossowska de Rola with Husband and Painter Balthus
Setsuko and Balthus Image via Alvaro Canovas

Along with Balthus’ work being a great influence on Ivan and Benoît, this long-lasting relationship has brought the workshop and Setsuko together.

Setsuko Klossowska de Rola Working with Ivan and Benoît of Astier de Villatte
Ivan, Setsuko, and Benoît Portrait via David Atlan

Similar to Setsuko’s previous sculptures inspired by trees, this candlestick holder captures the detailed imperfections of a branch, rendered in Astier de Villatte’s signature black terracotta clay with a milky white glaze.

Close Up Detail of Setsuko Klossowska de Rola’s Candlestick Holder for Astier de Villatte

Denise Betesh

Ancient Technique, Timeless Design

Cradled in a matte 22K gold, Denise Betesh’s gemstones have no equal. Hand-selected for their superior color, clarity and character, she crafts her jewelry with a delicate, but classic touch – balancing the ideals of both ancient adornment and contemporary style.

Based in Santa Fe, Denise derives inspiration for her designs from the history, culture and landscape of the city. Much like the place we both call home, her jewelry has a lasting presence – coveted and appreciated for its timelessness and natural beauty.

Oceanic aquamarine, delicate pearl and elegant blue sapphire all find a niche within Denise’s repertoire. The smallest of details are carefully attended to – even her settings, hooks and accents exhibit an artistry all their own.

Not one to shy away from unusual stones, she also explores the possibilities of champagne diamonds and danburite alongside traditional brilliant offerings.

Summer Linens

A companion to the season

Linen, a storied material derived from the fibers of the flax plant, is a culture unto itself. In addition to being a strong, but lightweight, fabric, it dries much more quickly than its cotton counterparts – making it an easy choice for hot summer weather.

Elegantly finished and in a neutral palette, these linen pieces from Antonelli, Daniela Gregis & Lauren Manoogian are some of our favorites for the season.

Monies: The Beauty of Sustainability

“Jewelry with an attitude”

When judging the value of jewelry, many would go to qualifying measurements like cost of materials. But Monies goes down a different path, aiming to create accessories rich in character.

Grand, colorful shapes form Monies’ necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, constructing impressively stunning jewelry that stands out in a flashy but modern style.

To Nikolai and Gerda Monies, developing a beautiful ornament takes priority over the popularity or value of materials for the Copenhagen based duo.

This is not to say that they don’t diligently watch over the quality of their products, but that they focus on the beauty of a stone before thinking about its rarity or how the market perceives it.

Monies takes both a global and ethical approach in sourcing their materials, not just in terms of where their stones come from, but also in thinking long-term about how their products will affect the environment.

Respectfully finding and using unconventional, raw substances like stones, wood, and bones allows the designers to craft individually unique adornments that appreciate the allure of the natural world.

Astier de Villatte: Encens

“More than 1,500 years ago, off Osaka Bay, a strange branch ran aground on a beach in the island of Awaji. Villagers picked up the branch and burned part of it to warm themselves and a wonderful smell arose… From then on, the fate of Awaji was decided and the island would be entirely dedicated to the production of incense.”

Awajji Incense Makers in Workshop
Awaji Incense Workshop Video Stills Captured via Astier de Villatte

According to Japanese legend, Awaji was the first island to rise from the oceans. Those same waters carried a log of agarwood to shore that produced an aromatic, sweet smoke when burned.

To produce their line of premium, handmade incense, Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli of Astier de Villatte rely on the legacy and expertise of this island community’s Koh-shis, or incense masters.

Close Up Detail of Awaji Incense being Cut in Workshop

But traveling to Awaji is only the first stop on a long tour. Experiencing distant locations, and then subsequently translating the essence in to scent, is the motivation at the heart of Astier de Villatte’s line of incense.

Inspired by the romance of adventure, Astier de Villatte’s incense is developed in collaboration with Françoise Caron, an accomplished and awarded perfumer.

Each scent harnesses the excitement of traveling, wherein you simply take in the moment and revel in the sights, sounds, and smells of a new location.

Astier de Villatte Awaji Incense Burning in Astier de Villatte Incense Holder
Collection of all of Astier de Villatte's Incense Burners

Accompanied by a collection of incense burners, glazed in their signature milky white hue, Astier de Villatte’s incense offerings provide exceptionally hand-crafted incense with inspired fragrances that give off a sense of relaxation as they drift through any room.

Astier de Villatte Delhi Incense

Delhi: Careering by rickshaw through narrow streets in The Old Town. A torpid atmosphere. Scents of a thousand different spices flood your nostrils. Betel, Styrax, Musk, Myrrh. Grey clouds of smoked Vanilla wood. Beedies of herbs and eucalyptus.

Astier de Villatte Lion Incense Burner

Hollywood: The delicate dusting of iris and patchouli leads us down the yellow brick road of Hollywood studios, blending with the sunny cedarwood, eucalyptus and vetiver scents of Southern California’s luxuriant vegetation.

Astier de Villatte Namche Bazar Incense

Namche Bazar: Black tea with its scent of dried hay and slight smokiness of tobacco. Breathe with pleasure the scented streams of Patchouli, Yerbe Maté and Musk, tempered by the delicate freshness of Verveine and Aromatic Lavender.

Astier de Villatte Flower Incense Burner

Atelier de Balthus: In the painter’s studio, all covered in wood panelling, time seems suspended. Through the big bay window overlooking green altitude meadows, the Northern light pours her powdery rays all over brushes, palettes, tubes, paint pots, sketched canvasses and rags still wet with linseed oil. The air is fragrant with the heady smell of turpentine mixed with lovely wisps of smoke, honey, woods, tobacco and cedar wood.

Astier de Villatte Aoyama Incense

Aoyama: Damp wood, incense, and freshly laundered linen, evoke for Sonya Park the typical smell of an old, wooden Japanese house from the neighborhood of Aoyama. Exquisite traces of highly chic Patchouli of smoked wood and of cloves.

Visit Awaji with Benoît and Ivan to see their incense crafted from start to finish in this video by Astier de Villatte.

Dries Van Noten SS 2022

Rich with expressive creativity, Dries Van Noten has loaded his spring paintbrush with a passionate palette inspired by India’s Holi Week, the Festival of Colors.

Dries Van Noten Campaign Image via Dries Van Noten

A designer that needs little introduction, Dries Van Noten has always been around fashion. He was first introduced to his passion through his family of tailors and high-end shop owners in Antwerp.

His upbringing and surroundings ultimately lead him to fashion school and into the industry in the 80’s, where he has remained a captivating presence since.

Dries Van Noten Portrait Image via John Dolan

Taking cues from the engaging levity of cultural festivals across the globe and the bright and exciting colors of Holi specifically, the particular pieces from Van Noten’s Spring/Summer feature vibrant, bold hues – sometimes presented in seamless, flowing gradients, others in sharp streaks – with deliberate splashes of greens, oranges, blues and pinks dominating the designs.

Holi Celebration Image via Steven Gerner

These eye-catching looks offer an expertly paired flair of excitement alongside sleek, flattering silhouettes.

Complimenting these intense, color-rich patterns are Van Noten’s relatively simpler, but equally alluring, tops, bottoms, and footwear.

A smooth, creamy orange overcoat complemented by a luxurious weightiness, a long, subdued jacket able to be cinched and styled in multiple ways, and striking, retro-inspired sandals to complete any look are just a few designs of note.

Overall, Dries Van Noten offers energizing yet polished looks sure to brighten the spirits of not only the wearer, but everyone who encounters them.

To paraphrase Van Noten himself, as we continue to face uncertain times, he aims to create therapeutic and uplifting designs that will help us excel and thrive much better than a boring pair of gray or camel sweats.

See the collection’s mesmerizing video campaign by Albert Moya below

Dries Van Noten is currently only available for browsing in-store.

To explore our current selection of offerings, please reach out to our web team at (505) 982-6192.

Astier de Villatte: Marguerite

As the origin of haute cuisine, France and its influence has long stood as the center of the art of cooking.

Whether it be for a king in the 1700’s or an international tourist in the modern day, these beautifully prepared and exquisite meals necessitated equally beautiful dinnerware to serve with.

For generations, the production of handmade ceramics has endured as a long-lasting tradition in France. As historic Parisian ceramic factories of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries came and went, their artisanal legacy is carried on through the whimsical work of Ivan Pericoli and Benoît Astier de Villatte of Astier de Villatte.

Ivan and Benoît Portrait via Architectural Digest

In their newest collection, Astier de Villatte’s work continues their tradition of lively, glossy white colored plateware crafted with their signature black terracotta clay.

Taking inspiration from the Daisy, or “Marguerite” in French, the distinct, scalloped details extending from the base of each bowl and plate mimic the petals of the familiar flower.

Fun and enjoyment are at the center of Ivan and Benoît’s work with a desire to share their love of creating with others.

Each piece is expertly handcrafted in their workshop, a consistent theme throughout Astier de Villatte’s history as they call back to those Parisian ceramic workshops of old.

Astier de Villatte Workshop Images via Vogue

With a preference in style towards imperfection, their output produces unique pieces in every collection, linking the energy and personality of each individual craftsperson into their creations.