From the iconic triple-strand necklace of Jackie Kennedy to the opalescent collar of Audrey Hepburn, pearls loom large in our collective lexicon of style. They have been historically designated the “queen of gems,” favored across continents for their elegance and poise. Contemporaneously, pearls are sought for their versatility… a jewel at home on silk and denim alike. Designers of all stripes have integrated this gem into their jewelry collections, however none as memorable as Denmark-based Monies.
This studio, run by the Monies family, is known for designing bold jewelry that is simultaneously organic and striking. While they design for the fearless, Monies’ pearls are an emblem of pure inspiration—teasing out the intrinsic tenacity in us all.
With Monies’ earrings, bracelets and necklaces their approach is sculptural, effervescent. In some pieces, bubbles of seed pearls float around larger, round counterparts. In others, freshwater nacre studs the wrist for a bit of upscale classicism. The most dynamically-shaped baroque pearls are strung as a pendant on a signature black leather cord.
“How could you reach the pearl by only looking at the sea? If you seek the pearl, be a diver.”
Mieko Mintz’s love affair with vintage and antique fabrics started in her youth—a passion nurtured by the artisanal garmentry of Kyushu, Japan. With time, this interest blossomed into an ultimate vocation: her passion spanning three continents, thousands of hours and eventually catalyzing in her self-named line. Twenty-five years later, she delivers collections defined by equal parts heritage, education and inspiration: a presentation of globally-informed, wearable artistry for all seasons.
Mieko’s special bond with India’s kantha technique is core to her identity as a designer–even her contemporaneous works echo the subtle rippling of the “simple running stitch.” While traditional kantha is characterized by its punctuating brightness, Mieko pioneered the concept of using tonal thead to complement the patterns across the cloth. Her works are undoubtedly stylish, manifesting in a contrast of clean lines and vibrant prints. Each piece is designed to be reversible, finished with pockets on both sides and a complicated overstitch that simultaneously blends into the design while emphasizing the lines of the garment.
Few designers understand the intersection of feel and form quite like Kaval. Across fiber and fabrication, Kaval’s small, Japanese studio practices a devotion to texture like no other. Cashmere and sable knits, softly woven woolens and a special-fleeced cardigan made of pure silk yarn… You will find within Kaval’s collection the textiles of dreams. Though their designs read austere at first blush, the construction is lush and humble. So much so, you may be tempted to wear Kaval for all your daily doings… be they work, pleasure or even just a nap on the couch.
Kaval’s latest delivery focuses primarily on coats and jackets for the cooling weather, with a small selection of pullover knits for layering. Warmth without weight is a hallmark of good Japanese design and Kaval diligently pursues this tenet. Their designs foster a fluid, natural way of autumnal dressing more closely akin to the buttery linens of Palermo than the downy parkas of Calgary.
This atelier works slowly, almost completely detached from seasonal trends. They do not adhere to a traditional “fashion” schedule, instead sending batches of their work as they are finished. It is worth noting that all Kaval pieces are made in-studio using only antique sewing machines, often with special textiles made in house. Waiting for these small deliveries are worth it, if only to sink our hands in their latest cashmere knits. With unflinching patience, Kaval distills a universal truth: convenient novelty may be momentarily thrilling, but tender loving care lasts a lifetime.
November is upon us, and with it the anticipation of festive entertaining to come. There is little as special as a holiday meal–not only is it an opportunity to be creative with our table, but the setting can form the backdrop of our most cherished memories. Carefully glazed to resemble antique porcelain, the works of Astier de Villatte are particularly suited for this time of year. Simultaneously nostalgic and modern, these pieces are elegantly sensitive while still being design forward. With over ten different motifs to mix and match, the possibilities are limitless.
Lauren Wolf’s love for gold and platinum began in the mountains of Mexico, while learning traditional metalsmithing—an earthy and tactile experience that permeates her design sensibility today. Crafted in her Bay Area studio, Lauren Wolf’s one-of-a-kind jewelry is unusual and personal in the best way—a collection akin to private, miniature works of art for the body. Her diamonds are particularly exceptional, with a focus on rare, inclusive-flecked species in large carat weights.
Lauren Wolf practices an artform called cire perdue, also known as lost-wax casting. The technique has been perfected by small sculptural workshops since the early Bronze Age, used most often to capture intricate designs in precious metal.
For each piece of jewelry, Lauren Wolf hand-carves a small model in wax, which is then immersed in a vessel of plaster. When the plaster is fired in a kiln, the wax melts out and is “lost,” leaving a perfect replica of the original sculpture. This technique is particularly suited for Lauren Wolf’s design style, resulting in glossy, complex designs that best allow the stonework to glow.
There is a funny connection between jewelry and sweets—you’ll often hear our staff referring to the jewelry display cases in Santa Fe Dry Goods as the “candy shop.” Flares of pink and orange sapphire most obviously draw this connection, but the motif holds strong in Lauren Wolf’s neutral realm as well. Across this small, introductory selection of Lauren Wolf’s necklace and rings, find mouth-watering diamonds that boast evocative varietal names like brown sugar and champagne.
Lainey Keogh has often been referred to as the “undisputed queen of cashmere.” A native Dubliner, Lainey Keogh got her start working in the bedlam of haute couture: an experience that sharpened her taste as much as it dampened her spirit. She has since rejuvenated by escaping to the Wicklow Mountains, a lush landscape of wild heather and bilberry in the heart of eastern Ireland. Here, the natural splendor nurtures her studio and mind, providing an endless well of inspiration for her self-named line.
Lainey Keogh’s knits are indeed undisputed: one only needs to glance at her garments to recognize the rarity of their construction. To feel the fibers is akin to sinking one’s hands into soft moss—a cloudlike fleece achieved by Lainey Keogh’s unconventional handknitting approach.
Lainey Keogh describes her techniques as “break[ing] all the rules on felting.” By working the fibres by hand, she relaxes and tenses the yarn to achieve an unbelievably lofty finish. Working with a tight group of local home-knitters, her designs are slowly developed to innovate and preserve Irish crafting traditions.
Lainey Keogh’s inspiration reads like a library— an expansive palace of the mind gained from over 40 years in couture and a lifetime exploring the Irish countryside. Her motifs range from the shape of blooms in her mother’s garden and classical fashion details to sacred geometry and the spectral presence of rainbows. Lainey Keogh captures this melange in a process described as “coloring color with color,” felting cashmere in layers to enhance its natural essence and blend the tones in subtle and unique ways.
Working from his studio outside of Venice, Italy, Marsèll footwear designer Marco Cima envisions shoes through their components. His notebook is a flurry of notched seams, stacked leather heels, burnished toes, oiled finishes. With every concept, Marco breathes life into familiar silhouettes. Elevated past their origins, each Marsèll shoe and boot becomes a hallmark of the modern wardrobe: inventive, polished and ready for just about anything.
In a range of dark earth tones, Marsèll’s selection for fall is defined by reinterpreted classics: ballerinas, derbies and boots all rendered with a deft hand and a discerning eye. Notable about a Marséll is just how unbelievably soft the footbed is. Lined with silky lambskin, you may be tempted to skip the socks no matter the temperature.
In our opinion, suede is often overlooked in fall footwear for its unearned reputation for being delicate. However, this material is much more durable than assumed. A quick brushing after rain or snow exposure will keep a favorite suede pair looking fresh for years. Similarly, leather in lighter hues will also endure without issue. In all finishes, Marsèll crafts their shoes to withstand whatever path they may travel.
“Simplicity carried to an extreme becomes elegance.”
Frenckenberger is a label self-described as “loungewear,” not necessarily for its presentation but for the respite it provides. Though their silhouettes range from sweeping cardigans to sporty sweaters, Frenckenberger’s through line is a devotion to material—the words “pure cashmere” is synonymous with their brand. Based just outside Zurich, designers Nathalie Schönenberger and Terry-Ann Frencken seek a purity of spirit with their designs, combining haute couture style with contemporary polish.
Frenckenberger’s knits are particularly lightweight, making them an excellent choice for layering with coats, shirts or other knits. While cashmere conjures a level of formal luxury, these pieces are wholly unfussy. Frenckenberger is a line that pairs well with jeans, boots and an open attitude.
Frenckenberger’s FW24 collection is titled Vernissage, in reference to a private viewing of paintings before they are exhibited to the public. The collection was made in collaboration with Swiss sculptor, Sylvie Fleury—a multimedia artist known for her sleek juxtapositions of pop art and minimalism.
Frenckenberger’s FW24 collection may read as effortless, however the designs are the result of copious research. A specialized part of their team is dedicated solely to developing new cashmere fabrics through a combination of exploratory knitting, felting and sewing techniques. This core innovation sets Frenckenberger apart as the studio evolves quickly with each new iteration.
Rather than boasting of himself as a designer, Gareth Casey simply says he is an “architect” and “maker of things.” Given the structural nature of his fabrics and forms, the former is an apt descriptor. At his small Parisian atelier, Casey Casey, he builds upon the soft romance of French tailoring with modern and earthy influences. For Casey Casey’s latest collection, Gareth presents exceptional shirting, pants and coats in a palette of navy, chocolate and just a hint of lipstick red.
In designing his line, Gareth brings his wearer closer to the earth through fabrics that emulate the natural world. He does so through nubby, fleece-like cashmere, the aforementioned paper cotton, and a notable selection of cotton velvets. Unlike its silken cousins, cotton velvets are a dry-touch varietal lower on the shine factor, making them an excellent choice for a subdued, but elevated look.
If there is anything Casey Casey is best known for, it’s the shirting. Harnessing classical tailoring silhouettes, Gareth reinterprets the style through his relaxed sensibility for a be-anywhere-do-anything piece. His material of choice is paper cotton, presented in a range of polished and crisp finishes that are not only durable but sing against the skin.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that Gareth’s free time is spent close to the earth as well. Often, you can find him tending to the monastic grounds of Le Prieuré d’Orsan, a former medieval nunnery turned modern garden an hour south of Bourges. Amongst the rows of cornflowers and cascading walnut trees, Gareth reconnects with his core inspiration.
“It’s not about being flashy or surprising. It’s just about: ‘Oh my God, that feels so good.’ ”
As the seasons shift, so do we. We break out our knits, clip back our gardens and tuck away the lighthearted serveware of our al fresco summer dining. Autumn is a time of change, and a beautiful one at that. As the temperatures drop and we cozy up inside our homes, doesn’t it make sense to bring the panache of color inside as well? Enter tones of bruno, giallo and rosso from Stamperia Bertozzi: a celebration of fall as nourishing and integral as the meals they accompany.
While porcelain looms large in our collective consciousness as a precious commodity, there is a reason this material has been a go to for dishware. Both delicate and durable, it resists wear and tear while being microwaveable and dishwasher-safe. The varietal favored by Bertozzi, Limoges porcelain, boasts a high kaolin content, a silicate mineral with a high melting point responsible for both the bright white color and hardiness of its material after firing.
As the seasons shift, so do we. We break out our knits, clip back our gardens and tuck away the lighthearted serveware of our al fresco summer dining. Autumn is a time of change, and a beautiful one at that. As the temperatures drop and we cozy up inside our homes, doesn’t it make sense to bring the panache of color inside as well? Enter tones of bruno, giallo and rosso from Stamperia Bertozzi: a celebration of fall as nourishing and integral as the meals they accompany.
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
The art of making textiles has long been intertwined with the art of storytelling. From Flemish tapestries and Scottish tartan to Ghanaian Kente and Chinese Jin, histories and mythologies alike have been captured across cloth. The ubiquity of this medium comes down to access: handlooms and sewing apparati were among the first technologies developed. For designer Chinar Farooqui, the textiles in her studio hold the same significance as those woven centuries ago. More than just decoration or symbology, they are a way of shaping the future by simultaneously preserving the past.
Chinar’s label, Injiri, was born from a desire to highlight and celebrate the many textile traditions of her native India. Both her fabrics and garments are made in-studio by local artisans with expertise in the needed techniques. The approach is intense and studied, spanning simple stitching and hand-finishing to complex methods such as jamdani weaving and soof embroidery.
The root of Injiri’s inspiration for this season comes from “The Song of Life,” a short story written by children’s book illustrator Kavita Singh Kale in collaboration with the studio. The story calls on many motifs from Ladakh in Northern India, a remote territory nestled amongst the peaks of the Karakoram Mountain Range. This region is often called “Little Tibet” for its rugged geography and prominent Buddhist monasteries. It is not uncommon to see prayer flags fluttering over the herds of wild sheep and antelope roaming its landscape.
The raw beauty of this region sets the stage for the story, wherein Mother Earth uses her loom to weave the mountains, the rivers, the animals and eventually, her own daughter. Wrapped in silk and cotton, this daughter would wander the landscape and delight in the wonder of the earth, smelling flowers, singing with birds and dancing over mountains. Her step is as light and joyous as the method of her creation. Through Injiri’s inherent playfulness, Chinar invites us all to greet our days just the same.
Often thrown around as a shorthand for luxury, high-quality cashmere is a material unabashedly worthy of its accolades. It’s warming, lightweight and famously soft against the skin. It can be washed, brushed or felted; spun lofty for additional plush or spun tightly for smoothness; dyed in a kaleidoscope of color or left to its naturally tawny hues. Like all woolen fibers, the possibilities are as endless as they are tried and true… long since perfected by Kashmir and Mongolia since the 3rd century BCE.
Cashmere fiber is found only in the downy winter undercoat of specific goats, such as the Alasan or Wuzhumuqin breeds. While these goats can be raised anywhere, the most preciously soft roam the pastures of Inner Mongolia. The combination of high elevation and harsh temperature fluctuations has evolved the species of this region to naturally adapt a “double fleece” to insulate them from the elements. The upper layer is a mat of rugged wool that forms a waterproof guard for the soft, inner layer of warming down used in cashmere yarn—a duality that keeps the goats comfortable in all seasons.
The process of harvesting cashmere is laborious, but necessarily so for the wellbeing of the animals. The fibers are gently brushed from the undercoat by hand, then sorted by thickness, length and color before being spun. The longer and thicker the fiber, the more durability in the resulting yarn. The lighter the color, the easier it is to dye. Given the insulating properties of their origin, cashmere weaves are much lighter than their wool counterparts. A great piece of cashmere can, and will, last a lifetime with proper care.
Alonpi’s own commitment to cashmere is nothing short of devotion: this is a brand that has been dedicated to the art of softness for over 40 years. They prioritize the truest, softest cashmere found in the coats of Inner Mongolian goats. Their yarns, woven on site at their workshop in Biella, Italy, are woven into ponchos and wraps that are as lush as they are timeless. They cheekily suggest that the quality of their cashmere is not just due to the source of the fiber, but the location of their studio. Each and every bolt is washed in the headwaters of the Alps before becoming a garment, a mythical ritual that acts as the finishing touch for this process steeped in expertise and tradition.
If Rundholz’s Fall/Winter 2024 was about recreating silhouette, Rundholz DIP provides a foil by innovating texture. When paired together, the result is a feast for the senses. Whether nubby or smooth, gossamer or plush, rigid or butter -oft, there is a treat for every hand this season. Main Line’s deliveries center around linen overcoats, fuzzy yak yarns and a new felted knit fabric. Meanwhile, DIP’s offerings for the season are threefold: soft, lightly distressed knits, crinkled silk shirting and Carsten’s latest interpretation of the puffer coat (a cool, parka-esque design intended as a final, marshmallowy layer for cold weather climates).
The palette is largely tonal in black, grey and white, but the addition of Sunset red provides an exhilarating punch of color. Though each piece stands well on its own, layering multiples is the best way to wear Rundholz in all its forms. With such a diverse offering of cuts and fabrics, designers Carsten and Lenka Rundholz invite us to dig our hands in and discover our own textural landscape.
There are many monikers for Pierre-Louis Masica: compositional maverick, modern aestheticist, master of prints to name a few. Most recently, the Paris-based illustrator could be described as a weaver of history. No stranger to the power of juxtaposition, he digs into aesthete archives to source and transform the motifs of cultures past. His latest delivery comprises special silk scarves from his Fall/Winter collection, cheekily named Ashes to Ashes—Funk to Funky. Within this concept, he combines Greco-Roman mosaics, Bauhaus geometries, Persian mandalas, Japanese woodcuttings and psychedelic abstracts into a presentation as rare and imaginative as Pierre-Louis himself.
Big enough to be displayed on a wall, Pierre-Louis Mascia’s Aloe Ultrawash scarves measure generously at 55″ by 75″. This creates an unmatched versatility for styling. Wear it as a shawl, layer it around the neck or let it cascade down the shoulder as a final touch of artful color.
Ümit Ünal is a steadfast designer—not only has he headed his own self-named label for almost 30 years, he also grew up working in his family’s Istanbul atelier. His identity is so intertwined with tailoring and fashion that it may come as a surprise to learn his first love was archaeology. In the excavation of the past, the exploration of bygone civilizations and the unearthing of the long and lost, Ümit’s imagination raced with possibility. Then again, in looking closely at the antiquity of his collections, this core fascination may come as no surprise at all.
Like his Anatolian homeland, Ümit is a melting pot of ideas. Beyond prehistory, his influences are interdisciplinary: tenets of comedy, sculpture, poetry, music and art permeate his designs. While he doesn’t lean towards national or cultural references, and avoids the gilded maximalism of traditional Turkish dress, regional motifs still peek through. In particular, Ümit favors the hand-embroidery and stitchwork endemic to Anatolian tailoring—with his own twist, of course.
In running stitches along hems and faux darning on lapels, Ümit chronicles his distinct aesthetic in thread. One of the most coveted elements of his pieces is this presence of the hand—topstitching, embroidery and basting akin to an artist’s signature. Far from the decadent embellishment of his peers, Ümit’s needle adds raw authenticity to his work, as if the piece holds history before its first wear.
The Ümit Ünal studio exhibits a care for classical, understated design unmatched in the modern lexicon. His palette, while tonal, is his most carefully considered element. To him, color can be a distraction. Instead, he presents his designs in their most “naked” form. This neutral palette, presented this season in teal, rust brown and heather grey, allows his artisanal details to shine all their own.
As inferred by the name of the Maku Textiles studio, fabric is the forefront of Santanu Das’ small, Kolkata-based label. From thread to garment, their designs are a quiet celebration of the human hand. The textiles are slowly loomed from soft, organic yarns and each piece cut and sewn by traditional artisans before being hand-dyed with locally grown indigo. Santanu will even deliberately incorporate “perceived imperfections,” such as reversed buttons and asymmetrical prints, bringing additional focus to the maker’s touch.
Rooted in both traditional craft, contemporary design and the storied history of Khadi weavings, this is a collection as alive as the indigo central to its creation. Though Maku comes to us at the onset of fall, these are lightweight pieces perfect for the season. Khadi in particular is a versatile, breathable fabric, typically woven from cotton or silk, that is cool in summer and warm in winter.
Cloud-shaped embroidery and delicately pintucked pleats decorate the dresses and tunics, while the shirting and coats are kept simple. The palette centers around the soft greens and blues achieved through multiple layers of indigo dye, lacquered one over the other like watercolor.
“As we engage with these textiles, we are connecting with centuries of history, heritage, and human spirit. ”
Of the many terms you could use to describe Aneeth Arora’s Péro, bland is never among the vocabulary. Aneeth and her team have a penchant for the extraordinary, transforming elements as pedestrian as a seam or a pleat into marvels of the human hand. They can, and will, go the extra mile with their designs–whether that is hand-enameling their buttons, embroidering french knots along every hem, or delicately beading a print to add an additional layer of texture. This is a brand that is delightfully maximal and better for it: within their exuberant florals and thoughtful details we find a joy unbridled.
This season, Péro sought a particularly playful inspiration for their designs–the French cartoon, Barbapapa, first illustrated by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor in 1970. Its story centers around a shapeshifting sweetheart born from a garden “like a flower,” with a mission to make the lives of those around him more pleasant and wonderful–not unlike Aneeth’s guiding force. In concert with this influence, Péro titled their latest collection Hullabaloove, a portmanteau of “hullabaloo” and “love.” Within every stitch, Aneeth fosters a similar commotion of fondness.
It really wouldn’t be Péro without flowers. Quilted peonies and beaded plumeria stretch across the collection. Their florals are a reinterpretation of the vintage motifs of their spring delivery, rendered in a richer palette of chocolate and pink. The bouquets bloom across classical textiles, such as Chanderi Silk and Harris Tweed. On a very special jacket, a field of embroidered daisies float over a soft woolen finish. As said by the French Impressionist Claude Monet, and endured by Péro, “I must have flowers, always, and always.”
When thinking of a new design, English jeweler Sia Taylor compares the process to coalescing emotion. Both granular and anything but, her approach is akin to capturing a daydream. Within each delicate piece of her handmade collection she forges mood, movement and memory in gold. Sia’s touch is organic, almost painterly. This is a beauty understated—akin to a breeze across flaxen wheat, greenery speckled with morning dew, the fluttering of golden leaves in fall.
The collection brought into Santa Fe Dry Goods comprises two of Sia’s core offerings: Dots & A Golden Meadow. The former is her most familiar: an exploration of how gold reflects light on skin. These pieces are minimal, classic, and intended to hang just below the collarbone, characterized by 18K disks strung along a fine chain. The latter, as suggested by its title, is intended to capture the essence of grasslands in late summer. Strung with organically-shaped, overlapping gold beads, these pieces capture nature’s ephemeral bohemia.
Each bead is melted, hammered and shaped by hand. At less than three millimeters in diameter, Sia’s is an intensive process on a minute scale. While she has long been called to the meticulous, her fascination with small things peaked while volunteering for a research project in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Wandering amidst the lush fronds of paper reeds and silvergrass, the delicate beauty of her surroundings captured her imagination. This formative experience comprises the bedrock of her inspiration today, diligently fed by long walks in the English countryside.
“Every collection is a story, something like a dream, abstract, but reminiscent of a feeling or a sensation. The shapes we craft in gold are the language which tells the story.”
Designers Francesca Rinaldo and Alessandro Gallo wholly embrace the wear and patina that a shoe will acquire with time – so much so that they gift their works a head start. The scuffs, marks, paint smears and distressing signature to their Golden Goose label are all achieved by hand–and are ultimately crucial to their ethos of “perfect imperfection.” To them, beauty is found in the irregular, custom and unexpected. With each pair, perfection may not be the goal… but the outcome certainly comes close.
Despite the lived-in appearance, Golden Goose sneakers are crafted with the highest precision. This is a brand born in Venice after all, informed by the same culture of taste that fostered great Italian labels such as Bottega Veneta and Valentino. With every design they concept, Francesca and Alessandro simultaneously embrace and reject the steadfast notions of Italian fashion. Their shoes are exquisitely crafted, but made to look like they’ve already traveled the world. They use traditional materials, such as lambskin and organic rubber, but transform them into surfaces for contemporary living. Each pair is cobbled slowly by hand but still embodies a core spontaneity.
For fall, Golden Goose is all about bringing back the classics with a twist. Suede and glitter in soft tones are buffed, shredded and skittered. They are ultimately comfortable right out of the box, with a raised footbed that cushions the sole with a firm, sporty feel. Prototypical skater shoes, retro basketball styles and radical hi-tops define the core of the delivery, inviting us to reacquaint ourselves with our favorite sneaks of memory.
The word memorabilia brings to mind a kaleidoscope of nostalgia. It is a photograph of a loved one, a satchel of vintage coins, a well-worn tee from your mother’s favorite band. It can be kitsch, it can be rare, it can be priceless. It is, in the words of poet Angelo Flaccavento, an effort to make the ephemeral permanent. In her Fall/Winter collection, designer Uma Wang captures the concept with a collection as clever as it is romantic.
Fun experimentations, such as fuzzy Truss vests and Cinnamon coats, are presented proudly alongside Uma’s classical Acre dresses and Kady jackets. The entire collection is a play on memory, both Uma’s personally and the global consciousness. Vintage and antique silhouettes, such as knit wrap coats and silk peasant tops, are plucked from the past and presented in new light. As is the Uma way, these pieces hold a constellation of interest—beautiful in shape, color and feel.
“Structure as posture. Posture as manner. Manner as structure… [Turning] the ephemeral into the permanent, like noting down thoughts on paper.”
— Poet Angelo Flaccavento on Uma’s Memorabilia collection.
For almost 25 years, Sacai’s Chitose Abe has perfected the art of hybridization. Just as Chitose Ave is a multi-hyphenate as a designer, mother, businesswoman, and most recently, magazine curator, Sacai pieces are two things at once. Shirting melds into dresses, peacoats into bomber jackets, traditional suiting into a cascade of feminine pleats. The results are dynamic and unexpected–elegant puzzles of garmentry that stay in the mind well after their first impressions. Of Sacai’s Fall/Winter collection, Chitose Abe said her instinct is to convince people to dress up more. With such a bold invitation, how could we say no?
Even after close to 50 Sacai collections, we can’t help but be wowed by Chitose Abe’s construction. To pleat and fold and stitch together so many faceted layers in one garment, and still have it float with such grace over the body, is mastery. Sacai pieces may have roots in the highest of avant garde silhouettes but they are less complicated to wear than they look, offering high-flying design with minimal styling effort.
“No matter how new and revolutionary of a design you make, if it’s not something that’s wearable, then I don’t think it has very much meaning. I myself am a designer, but also a business owner, and a mother. Like myself, people who live in different scenes have many unique faces and therefore the clothes I make, which are what I feel I want to wear, emphasize people to Sacai.”
Sabina Savage’s latest visual feast brings us aboard a 17th-century Dutch trading ship, en route to the city of Edo, Japan. In addition to standard dry goods, such as sugarcane and silk, the ship teems with terrified exotics—wild, imprisoned animals intended to be a gift for Japan’s then ruler, Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa. Leopards, rabbits and birds tremble together as the ship’s merchants unload cage after cage onto the shores of Dejima Island. Before continuing to Edo, the merchants are met with revelry — the city is in the midst of Tango No Sekku, an ancient seasonal festival celebrating the children of Japan.
Unbeknownst to the merchants, their delivery coincides with a new edict from the Shogun: Orders on Compassion for Living Things. These strict animal welfare laws forbid the confinement and mistreatment of any living creature. As the merchants sleep for the night, local Tango No Sekku revelers sneak into the encampment. In observance of Tokugawa’s decree, and a deep respect for the beautiful creatures before them, they quietly unlatch and open the cages. Released from their imprisonment, the animals disappear into the night, lost among the festive decorations.
THE LUNAR LEOPARD
“The clouded leopard flees until he can run no further. Under the gently rippling willow and flags of Tango No Sekku, he takes pause on a hillside. His tortoise companion attempts to disguise their presence with samurai tassels, while the ship rats emulate the rounded shapes of the tsuba. It is the fifth night of the fifth moon in the lunisolar calendar, and a flight of swallows announces the outsiders’ presence under the sparkling sky.”
“The black tailed jackrabbits dash blindly through the decorated streets, twisting and gathering menuki and miniature kawari kabuto (strange helmets) as they bound. Now entangled in translucent paper lanterns, they float gently over Edo on the morning air until they reach Ōkunoshima (Rabbit Island). Here they attempt to assimilate with the native population. The lanterns cast a soft glow in the dawn light and the metallic grasses rustle softly.”
“As the sun rises, the imposing black karasu (jungle crow) soars above the city. Attracted to shiny things, he finds intricate arrowheads amongst the Tango No Sekku decorations and steals a gleaming samurai sword. His shadowy presence spooks the locals, who then spook him in turn, and losing balance, he becomes caught in the koinobori carp streamers. Panicking now, the imposing corvid heads towards the harbour, unwittingly collecting fish bones and a lobster as he glides.”
Sabina Savage, while a keen designer, is a storyteller at heart. In addition to the newest illustrations from Escape Into Edo, we invite you to explore other odes from Sabina Savage’s archive, such as A Tale of Tibet and Mythos, Sabina Savage’s interpretation of Ancient Greek lore. We seek Sabina Savages pieces for our stores again and again (even years after their initial production) because not only are they visually striking, but because their stories continue to resonate.
Footwear shouldn’t be an afterthought… what you wear on your feet is truly foundational (pun intended!) A colleague of ours has always said that she starts with shoes and builds the rest of her outfit upon that initial choice. This intentional type of dressing can make even the easiest outfit look (and feel) thoughtful. This isn’t to say you need fifty styles in your closet… A handful of personally chosen pairs should be able to span the week with ease. Labels such as Trippen, with their avant-garde, out-of-the-box, crazy-cool-and-somehow-still-crazy-comfortable designs, make this approach to styling fun—changing our perspective on modern footwear one step at a time.
For Trippen designers Michael Spieth and Claudia Hoess, delight is in the details. Their work at Trippen is an ode to the little things: the undulating rivets of a sole that leave unique footprints; the missing heel of a perfectly balanced wedge that reduces the shoes weight; the intimate freedom of dressing exactly how you want, when you want. Trippen’s latest collection, Horizon, is all about perspective. After all, even a micro experience, such as choosing your footwear for the day, can have a macro impact.
We can all benefit from the experience of a new angle. It’s one of the roles that future-thinking studios, such as Trippen, seem to relish in their work. On both a personal scale and a cosmic one, all things are interconnected and better for being so. A dream can be a reality; an obstacle, an opportunity; a shoe, a work of art. Optimism and pleasure are found outside of preconceived notions—all it takes is a change of scenery.
With her “Legacy” collection, Scottish designer Ellis Mhairi Cameron introduces new shapes and colors to her line of hand carved and cast jewelry. Reverse-set grey, yellow and white baguette diamonds glimmer across her rings, earrings and necklaces like stones embedded in the earth.
Amongst the new Ellis Mhairi Cameron pieces are several new styles of rings, including the Yellow Diamond Legacy Cocktail Ring. This piece features a stunning oval yellow diamond, surrounded by a halo of white baguette and brilliant-cut diamonds. The gemstones are set deep into the gold—a nod to Ellis Mhairi Cameron’s inspiration from uncovering buried treasure.
Influenced by objects unearthed on her grandparents’ farmland including a 17th century necklace and a fragments of a 16th century locket—Ellis Mhairi Cameron’s jewelry reflects her connection to her ancestors and the West Highlands.
“For these pieces, I wanted to explore the feeling of discovery—that moment when digging in the landscape, a glint of something special catches in your eye, and a piece of history is excavated from the earth.” – Ellis Mhairi Cameron
