TAP by Todd Pownell was forged in a union of intellect: goldsmithing, academic gemology and European jewelry traditions meeting in tandem in their designs. Created by husband-wife duo Todd Pownell and Debra Rosen, the TAP studio prioritizes gold and diamond in their pursuit of the ultimate sophistication. In addition to gold, Todd and Debra also favor oxidized silver and platinum, a rare precious metal ideal for its vice-like hold on gemstones.
Lika Behar works most often with the highest purities of gold, 22K and 24K, to imitate the aesthetics of ancient jewelry—particularly the ornate styles of the Byzantine Empire. Born into a legacy of Turkish jewelers, Lika’s heritage is twinned with the history of gold—an effort she describes as “the highest purity of design.” The softness of 24K allows a specific degree of hand-carving and care unavailable in other, harder precious materials – something Lika relishes in as she sculpts her organic, lightly deckled bezels and chains.
It’s no secret we love Sabina Savage—her spectacular color combinations make it incredibly easy to add a scarf and pull a cohesive look together. But the true strength of her designs lies in their endurance. Because her illustrations are rooted in fables from history (and a significant amount of cultural research,) they last far beyond their current season. So, while we have brought into Santa Fe Dry Goods a handful of pieces from her latest collection, The Rhymes of London, we also sought past favorites from her archive—notably stand-outs, such as Panchatantra, and the Divination Celebration. Like a favorite storybook, we lose ourselves in these pieces again and again… utterly enamored by Sabina’s fantastic tales of courageous creatures.
Welcome to Work in Progress, our new weekly newsletter with short updates on the stores, the buy and so much more. Join our team every Saturday as we dive into what’s going on in the world of beauty, both behind the scenes and on the global stage.
ON THE BUY
48 Hours in Tokyo
This past week, Shobhan breezed through a Tokyo in bloom. Her mission: to buy Arts & Science, Sonya Park’s elusive essentials brand. Our order will arrive later this year, made of intensely beautiful fabrics milled exclusively for the label.
The best of Sabina’s designs are heady and spectacular, featuring rich color combinations that easily pull a look together. Some of our favorites from the past decade of her archive just arrived at Santa Fe Dry Goods.
Many designers have finally embraced the ubiquity of denim. Gone are the days of Levi’s being the only game in town– atelier studios are transforming this hardy, workwear material into everything from patchwork accessories to printed shirting to feminine dresses. Not only do we see innovation in the base material used, but in the printing, dyeing and shaping techniques that define the final pieces.
This spring has been particularly strong for experimental texture, and designer Keoun Park is no exception. Find in her latest delivery some of our favorite feels for the season: soft but structural satins, light-as-air flat weaves and a tufted cotton jacquard akin to blooming cottonwood.
When the world hangs in the balance, we find steadiness in materials of longevity. The price of gold, for example, has skyrocketed over the past decade–nearly tripling in price per ounce. While this makes jewelry more expensive, it also makes gold pieces more valuable with time.
The presence of olive and brown in Officine Creative is a welcome counterweight to the brighter colors and prints of other arrivals for spring. In this palette, we find a reverence for nature and all things earthy.
Simplicity is a simple concept… pun intended. Far from being mundane, simplicity encapsulates a lucid ease and a pure, natural way of being. It’s effortless, some might say. Yet, as it always seems to be, distilling it is far more complex than you would think. To be complicated is a breeze compared to the technical expertise required for true simplicity. However, this is the singular word that guides the hands of Album di Famiglia… and they achieve it without missing a beat.
A family affair led by designer Monica Rusconi and her siblings, Album di Famiglia is a label best known for its unpretentious and approachable presentations of textile. Starting as a baby clothing company in the early aughts, the brand has always been fabric-forward—crisp cottons, supple velvets and soft knits are among their core textures.
This simplicity is apparent through the Album oeuvre. Clean silhouettes, pure fabrics and natural colorways are key to their aesthetic. This flashless ethos ensures that their clothes are not only timeless, but that they transcend collections—a piece that you reach for this spring will be the same you adore in the cool evenings of a fall ten years from now.
The family’s Spring/Summer 2025 delivery builds upon twenty-five years of atelier mastery. Soft and deliciously layerable, the collection is made up of paper cottons and slippy silk blends in a mix-and-match presentation of rust, coral and umber. While these pieces are perfect for a walk around town or a trip faraway, the Album wardrobe is so soft and easy to wear, you may just be tempted to nap in them too.
Officine Creative often describes their brand as “a contemporary twist on tradition.” Looking at their collection, it’s not difficult to understand what they mean. Hallmarks of Italian leathercraft, such as smart almond toe boxes, stacked leather heels, and hand-stitched uppers permeate their designs. However, this brand is far from fuddy in presentation. Modern innovation meets heritage in equal measure, resulting in a collection of footwear as cool as it is classical.
Carefully made by a small team of artisans in Montegranaro, Italy, the shoes of Officine Creative are structured around an anatomical form that embraces the foot’s natural arc. This, along with the expert aesthetic eye of designers Roberto and Luca Di Rosa, ensures that the label’s styles feel molded to your individual foot, as if they were cobbled for you alone..
In addition to their iconic silhouettes, Officine Creative is famed for their use of a “Leather Time Machine,” wherein 100 different processes are applied to each shoe to prepare it for wear. This encapsulates a range of techniques, from breaking in the toe box and hammering the sole to maximize comfort, to oiling laces and burnishing the leather to achieve an authentic, lived-in patina.
Officine Creative’s entire collection is worth consideration, however we most look forward to their spring delivery for the Itaca sandal. The unique, closed-heel design matches the feel of a slide with the support of a shoe, making this a great pair for warm weather outings to come.
Tucked in the sweeping valleys and snow-capped peaks of Kashmir sits Srinagar, a city settled on the lush banks of Lake Dal. Though best known for its ancient architecture, rolling tulip gardens and charming houseboats, Srinagar is also home to one of the world’s most incredible artists, Yaser Shaw. A fifth generation craftsman, Yaser embodies the best in traditional Indian cashmere: elegant, decorative and cloud-like to the touch.
First introduced to the world of fashion by artists Justine and Jeff Koons, Yaser Shaw has been a quiet favorite of collectors for over two decades. He carries on a family legacy of textile art fostered since 1840, centered around intricate embroidery. In doing so, he preserves the stitching techniques native to Kashmir, and ultimately the longevity of the craft.
Yaser is a dedicated naturalist. Balancing the age-old and the contemporary, Yaser designs his pieces to capture the wildness of the natural world and the intense beauty of Kashmir—a place colloquially referred to as “heaven on earth.” Though this is a small, curated collection of approximately 15 works, the time and expertise represented by their existence is significant. It can take Yaser and his team upwards of two years to complete a single shawl. Each piece is made over 36 stages, starting with the collection and carding of the cashmere wool and ending with the fine stitching of the final decorative motifs.
Nestled in the Netherlands, between the borders of Belgium and Germany, sits the city of Maastricht. It rises from the banks of La Meuse, an idyllic river that flows north from the Langres Plateau in France. This hidden Dutch gem is a blend of cultures, decidedly influenced by Flemish, German and French attitudes in kind. A trip here doesn’t require much… a passport, some cool layers and a stylish travel bag might be all you need.
A walk across the Sint Servaasbrug serves as the gate to the city center. Originally constructed to replace the Roman crossing that had ferried citizens across La Meuse since 50 BCE, this medieval footbridge has stood for over seven centuries. Beyond the promenade peek the spires of Sint Servaasbasiliek, the oldest church in the Netherlands.
Located in the city center sits the Mosae Forum, a modern marketplace that infuses the old city with contemporary excitement. Boutique cafes and artisanal shops spill out into the street and mingle with the local Markt, a farmer’s market lush with sunflowers and tulips.
In planning a weekend in Maastricht, Rundholz is our go-to. The designs are comfortable and perfect for layering, making a well-appointed outfit a snap to put together. The latest delivery features a mix of cozy silk knits, cotton gauze jackets and linen pullovers, presented in monochromes well-matched with the neutrals of Dutch style. For long walks over cobblestone streets, pair this brand with Trippen—another German favorite well-known for their comfortable shoes.
Crocodile, while beautiful, can be a polarizing material. For some, it evokes the heady classicism found in heritage brands such as Saint Laurent and Hermès; in others, a visceral reaction to the dangers of the exotic animal trade. For designers such as Junji Koike, this leather holds an entirely different meaning: a hallmark of design’s evolving future.
Junji’s line, Christian Peau, is a vocal advocate of using alternative, ethical leathers. Rather than working with traditional cow hides, his studio seeks out materials such as crocodile and python to create their discerning accessories. These animals ultimately require less land, food and water, reducing their carbon footprint and impact on the environment.
In creating his handmade line of bags, Junji works alongside reputable, CITES certified farms— the acronym for The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, an organization that carefully monitors the populations and trade of threatened animals worldwide. Much care is taken to honor the animal and that no part is wasted. Any leftover leather is used to fashion straps, zipper pulls, fringe and decorative details.
In the Christian Peau studio, their materials are treated using traditional tanning methods and vegetable dyes. This intense handwork creates a chromatic and variegated finish on the leather that lends itself well to Junji’s high-taste presentation. Additionally, unlike commercial brands, the studio avoids chemical colorants and finishes–compounds typically applied to leather to prevent fading and hide any scratches and wrinkles. Junji embraces the natural aging of his work… understanding that with wear, the leathers will become softer, glossier and more beautiful with time.
In his Spring/Summer 2025 collection, Pierre-Louis Mascia calls upon the frenetic inspiration of Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc—two abstract modernists credited with expanding the possibilities of fine art in the early 20th century. Inspired by Kandinsky and Marc’s artist collective, Der Blaue Reiter, Pierre-Louis Mascia uses his own intuitive artistry to explore the profound connection between dream and reality.
Pierre-Louis has long been enamored with the art of juxtaposition, often imaging real 17th and 18th century paintings to source motifs for his dreamy collages. In this delivery, find soft paisleys, intricate brocades, soaring butterflies and abstract geometrics together in one sumptuous panache of design.
Explore the
Collection
As expected from Pierre-Louis Mascia, maximalism is key. These flowing, silken pieces are divine by themselves, but even more so when layered together. To dress them up, add in a silky v-neck from Avant Toi and a wrap-around sandal from Dries Van Noten. For a more casual look, seek pairings with Closed denim and Marsèll slides.
Hope, joy and future are all found in Florence, Alabama. Not on your bucket list? We crossed over the O’Neal Bridge to introduce you to the inspirational efforts of Natalie Chanin, whose line, Alabama Chanin has been at the forefront of sustainable, craft-forward fashion for over two decades.
The Alabama Chanin label is wholly committed to the handmade, creating stylish, thready pieces that speak to the intuitive strength of Natalie’s native roots. Headquartered in a former textile factory, Natalie and her team collaborate closely with independent seamstresses and tailors local to Florence. From thread to retail, her process prioritizes the true beauty of slow fashion—beautiful textiles, thoughtful design, low environmental impact and flourishing communities that come together to make it all happen.
Of special note are Natalie’s materials… or material, we should say. Cotton, with all its history, is a material held closely to her heart. Every piece of Alabama Chanin is crafted from American-made, organic cotton jersey—spun by a group of artisan sewists local to The Shoals community of Northwest Alabama. Their organic cotton is sourced, ginned, spun, knitted and dyed entirely within the American South—an effort that supports local industry and cultural heritage.
New to Santa Fe Dry Goods: a fresh crop of colorful jackets and coats from the Kanthanist herself, Mieko Mintz. While we brave March’s temperamental weather, comfortable layers become our most valuable asset. If you’ve encountered her collection previously, you know Mieko’s work is great for an easy infusion of color and globality. What’s less known is just how warm and durable her one-of-a-kind designs can be.
The secret is in her construction. To make her pieces, Mieko and her team double, triple and quadruple layer vintage silk and cotton to create a final stitched textile thick enough to withstand the bluster of spring. The natural fibers are breathable for when the day heats up, and if you need to shed a layer a Mieko can be easily stowed in a bag without wrinkling or losing its shape. Another bonus? Every Mieko is reversible, often with a completely different, but complementary, color scheme on the interior (and pockets on both sides!) Within her work, enjoy a two-for-one in every way that matters — and a bit of verve to boot.
Art is often informed by our surroundings. For Biek Verstappen, her art is informed by architecture and nature in kind: the 1939 industrial shed that houses her studio and the painterly landscapes of the Netherlands beyond its walls. In her self-named line, she draws upon these influences to create heady, intellectual collections plucked from another time.
Biek describes her pieces as “handmade garments that evoke distant memories in contemporary time.” Often presented in rich, earthy hues, the Dutch designer captures a curious romanticism often missing from the offerings of larger studios. She works instinctually, immersing herself in the sensory nature of her materials, such as raw silk, bamboo, angora and yak. Throughout her hand-dyeing process, each fiber reacts differently, resulting in organic, textured and singular fabrics.
Alongside a tight team of seven, she creates menswear and womenswear in small batches. Every garment is made in-studio, quietly passing hands as it develops from concept to raw material to hand-dyed textile to finished garment. In this tactile process, her garments evolve beyond mere wearables into subtle pieces of art.
“My atelier, that’s right behind our house, is a 90 years old, 200 square meters flower bulb shed with flower fields front and back. It is completely quiet there, and because it is close to the sea the wind blows fully over the fields and around the [structure.] The rain creates a serene sound on our metal rooftop.”
Ten years into designing his self-named label, Carsten Rundholz sought out a small team of Japanese textile artists to better understand their indigenous dyeing processes. His intention was to elevate what was, at the time, his only focus: Rundholz. However, with his hands deep in vats of indigo blue, Carsten realized that dyeing techniques were a world of their own… a medium yet explored in his own artistic tongue. From this experience, DIP was born.
Twenty years later, Carsten pays homage to these origins with denim that could be straight off Kojima’s Jean Street. As with all DIP designs, each piece is assembled and then dip-dyed by Carsten and his team. This method leads not only to a unique finish, but moments of precious spontaneity, such as artful splatters across a hem. Often you will see DIP’s care tags soaked and crinkled by the same dye.
Ombré plays a big part in the delivery, reading as equal parts ocean wave and acid wash. Find within the collection many cool and wearable pieces: tees that resemble hard denim, but feel like a favorite cotton shirt; structured jackets made from layered panels to create an armor-like silhouette. Zings of orange pop across the designs in details big and small, from drawstrings and zipper pulls to sporty pull-on pants and soft jackets.
Literally “a reason to live,” Ikigai is a Japanese tenet encompassing the things that give your life purpose, meaning, and joy. For us, it’s beauty; for Carsten, it’s having his hands and brain immersed in the wilds of creativity.
Contrast makes the world brighter and more rich. When we encounter it, a flurry of cones in our eyes reacts instinctively to create a buzz of excitement in the brain. Artists over the ages have drawn upon this visual magic, informed by phenomena found in nature. Some of our most enduring motifs originate from contrasts in landscape: the brush of green foliage over brown earth; blue waves crashing against white sand; a black velvet sky punctuated by white stars.
In Gilda Midani’s second delivery for spring, the Brazilian artist pushes the limits of tonal contrast. Punchy black and white pieces are presented alongside the rust and cerulean designs from her first delivery–as if night has fallen over the Sonoran Desert. When these tones are juxtaposed, their best qualities are heightened. White becomes more vivid, black more intense. Explore the art of contrast through dye-ways such as Star, Stone and Rainy—each starkly evocative of its natural inspiration.
Functionally, Gilda achieves buzz through her natural dye process. The white spots in a design are raw cotton and linen, intentionally mingled among washes of black and grey. Through the careful use of ties, wax and hand-dipping the fabric, she coaxes the pattern to reality. In the end, the best thing about this collection, aside from its inherent artistry, is its easy wearability. The designs are unfussy, and look great layered together or just pulled over a pair of jeans. Care is a breeze too… Toss your Gilda in a cold wash, lay it flat to dry and then enjoy wearing it all over again.
In our quest to find pieces that will best help others express their personal style, we would like to introduce Daniele Basta. Last October, we stopped by his showroom in Paris’ 3rd arrondissement—an antique 17th century building made of exposed woodwork and iron, tucked among galleries and hip cafes. The first thing that struck us, aside from Daniele’s big smile and cool jeans, was his artistic presence. This was someone devoted to the fire of creativity—a virtue obvious from his leather craft.
Daniele first began working as a fashion consultant in 2000, with his self-named label coming to fruition in 2010. Born in Empoli, Italy, Daniele has been influenced by Italian workmanship his entire life. Not only had his family run their own leather atelier for generations, but living just outside of Florence, great leather is practically synonymous with the location.
Daniele Basta Conditioning His Leather Metal Leaf Bag
His leather of choice is an incredibly supple lambskin, an ideal canvas for the deep monochrome dyes that inform Daniele’s palette. In addition to being lightweight for handbags, the handfeel is notably soft—akin to leather accessories that have been worn again and again, becoming more pliant with time.
Migon Leaves Evening Bag in Black (Left), Migon Leaves Evening Bag in Black (Right)Daniele Basta Handstitching Straps To The Inseam
The distinct metal accents on each bag are what really make a Basta a Basta. Made from sterling silver, these handwrought elements add a layer of visual interest and edge. There is a lot of style harnessed within these designs, made by someone who has fully embraced the possibilities of a bold voice.
In the heady prints of Uma Wang’s Pre-Spring, we find not the romance of the garden, but the subtle drama. The delivery evokes the first buds peeking through damp earth, a signal of the world starting anew. Subtle textures in olive and brown dominate the collection in tones that Uma refers to as artichoke, cocoa and hazel.
Pre-Spring is when designers typically deliver their most wearable pieces. We found this collection, with its inclusion of bold leather boots and square camera bags, fun to style and accessorize— ultimately an invitation to layer the fabrications of its central print in many different ways.
Not to be missed are Uma’s pant designs. This is a category we seek often from her for their distinctive character and quality of wear. In classic trouser shapes and intellectual denim, we find them to be flattering on a wide range of body shapes. Add a pair to your own collection for an instant infusion of cool.
Designer Klaus Plank describes his coats and jackets as trusted companions. Pieces you “reach for every day, that carry stories and memories, and only get better with wear.” True to form, you rarely see the designer without his own cotton jacket, typically layered over a simple shirt and pants. This is the heart of his Bergfabel brand: easy, classic pieces that enliven their lifelong companion… you.
One of our favorite things about a Bergfabel is the feel of their fabrics. Hand-selected from small mills in Italy and Japan, Klaus and his partner, Barbara Cavalli, seek textiles with a particular handfeel—often soft and flat-woven cottons, with just a hint of crumple
Klaus and Barbara’s approach to design simultaneously resonates with our competing rural and urban sensibilities—a topic we further explored with them during a brief interview. We encourage you to read their responses here… They have much wisdom to share with us all on living, loving and dressing.
“I love how nature’s imperfections create the most beautiful harmony. Faded greens, earthy neutrals, soft florals, and sun-washed tones reflect [a] quiet poetry…”
While Péro’s work in collaboration with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty dominated their Spring/Summer runway in Paris, what drew our eyes in the showroom was their soft florals. Péro has always excelled in celebrating nature, using floral motifs in ways that are simultaneously playful and powerful.
There’s an inherent nostalgia to designer Aneeth Arora’s ability to interpret the lackadaisical without going comic. In her designs for Péro’s Spring/Summer 2025, we are transported to the secret garden of our childhood dreams… a beautiful, blooming place where we could be whatever fits our fancy.
While we aimed to bring in many favorite silhouettes with this delivery—notably, Aneeth’s shirting and flowy tunic dresses—we found ourselves particularly enamored with Péro’s jackets for the season. The shapes are classic and easy to wear, echoing elements of old English peacoats and carcoats transformed by Péro’s signature whimsy.
After decades of traveling to the Tucson Gem Show to buy gems for Greig Porter and to work with other designers such as Todd Pownell and Lika Behar, Shobhan has also met artisan goldsmiths and dealers from across the industry. And, with a bit of an eye for antique, vintage and special finds, she found two exquisite diamond slice necklaces that we are excited to share with you.
Unlike traditional brilliant-cut diamonds, inclusions in diamond slices are celebrated. They provide character and the more unusual that character, the better.
Each diamond slice offers a clear view into a diamond’s history with just the right hint of faceting for extra sparkle.
“What I love the most about these diamond slice necklaces is the combination of expert hand work that it takes to set each slice and the subtle glimmer of the diamonds. There is a softness to each piece that is alluring instead of flashy.”
During our quick tour around the Tucson Gem Show last week, we made sure to stop at Ara Collection to admire their work. This was a designer we discovered last year at the same show and have thought fondly of since.
Run by two brothers, Cuneyt and Ali Akdolu, this small, Turkish studio originally caught our eye for their high quality of gold. Their pieces are made exclusively with 24K, a practice informed by their family’s heritage of goldsmithing in Bodrum.
The brothers use the tone in the same way a painter might use precious yellow or white on a blackened canvas: for precise strikes of texture and contrast. The deep, yellow tone of this gold ignites the internal fire of sapphires and black diamonds alike.
Ara Collection’s pieces are extremely sophisticated, prizing wearability and elegance over big stones or trendy compositions. We’ve focused on bringing in their necklaces, which can be worn alone or layered. It wouldn’t be Tucson without us acquiring a bit of turquoise too… find a bit of dreamy Sleeping Beauty nestled among the offering.
On the Riviera del Brenta near Venice, Marsèll’s studio—led by designer Marco Cima—dedicates itself to the study and exploration of form in all its interpretations. Our first spring delivery from the Italian brand features their trademark perfection of shape in a bold new color—a metallic Rosso
Slip on a Coltellaccio Ballerina Flat or a Steccoblocco Sabot Mule and experience the lightness and comfort that comes with wearing Marsèll. The research and care that goes into craftmanship and design make them versatile enough to pair just as easily with rubies as with denim.
Marsèll also excels in the suede department. Using the finest leathers and rigorous attention to detail, the matte finish of the Steccoblocco and Listello in Basalto Brown and a new shade of grey—Argilla.
With slightly stacked heels and leather soles, these shoes are made to last and ready for just about anything the new season will bring. We hope you’ll also enjoy the hit of dopamine this shimmering red provides.
When we first came upon the ceramics of Nobue Ibaraki, we were entranced… There was so much grace and humility abounding from her shapes, we wondered for a moment if we had stumbled upon long lost vessels from Mesopotamia or Ancient Greece. Rather than chase the crystalline glamour of high-fire ceramics, Nobue has dedicated herself to the art of earthenware. We immediately contacted her to acquire a few pieces for the stores. Over a year later, we are happy to announce the arrival of a large body of work straight from her studio in Sano, Japan, a small city north of Tokyo.
Born in Niigata, Japan, Nobue studied fashion design before finding her calling in ceramics. In her small home studio, she gathers clay locally and then shapes it by hand to achieve her organic forms. Her unique tonal finishes are the result of the alchemy that occurs during firing, developing from the reaction between the cobalt and copper of the glazes and the iron-rich clay of the vessels. In addition to being sought after globally, her accolades include being commissioned by the famed Noma Kyoto to create all of their dinnerware.
Nobue’s textures are earthy and spontaneous, yet rendered with a skilled hand. Her work embodies the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, a celebration of simplicity and the perfection found in irregular and imperfect goods. In her collection, find objects as rugged as they are sensitive. These are pieces that play well with others, but make a fine statement on their own—perhaps most at home set upon a wooden table with a few dried flowers poking out the top.
Nobue Ibaraki is currently only available in Workshop. If you would like to contact us about this collection please visit our Workshop store or call (505) 982-6192 for assistance.
Hello from the road! As the world changes, so does the way we interact with it. We have had so many requests to see new collections and designers in the last few years, that our buy has expanded into multiple parts. While our full Fall/Winter 2025 buy takes place in March during Fashion Week, we spent these last few days scurrying around Milan and Paris to get a head start.
Tatiana was my steadfast companion on this trip. For those of you who have chatted with her in Workshop, you know just how wise and prescient she is. Together, we navigated the alleys of Paris, fumbling through our phones to find directions to showrooms hidden in the most beautiful and obscure addresses. It rained the whole time, but didn’t dampen our spirits. Laughing fits happened in concert with deep chats about the state of global design.
first stop, MILAN, Italy
DAY I
After a quick spin around Maison&Objet in Paris, we flew down to Milan to dive into the Avant Toi showroom in Milan.
MILAN, Italy
DAY II
Lots of vitality and elegance with Uma Wang and Erdem, and a stop in Bergamo to visit Daniela Gregis in her studio.
next stop PARIS, France
DAY III
A day for cool shirting with Bergfabel, Toogood and Iris Von Arnim.
PARIS, France
DAY IV
A flurry of new faces, and then a welcome meeting with friends: Jan-Jan Van Essche & Stephanie Schneider
PARIS, France
DAY V
Could have spent a whole day with Cottle… incredibly cool denim for fall.
PARIS, France
DAY VI
Lots of hugs for By Walid and Péro, and then an afternoon spent among the happy emeralds and blues…
This is my 17th Fall/Winter buy, and Santa Fe Dry Goods 40th year on the Plaza. And I have to say, this particular part of the job gets both harder and more enjoyable as we grow. Harder, in that there are so, so many people and things we want to see in such a short timeframe. More enjoyable in that there are so many people and things we get to see. Each year has been an improvement on the last, both in quality and style. This is when we find beauty in abundance: distinct and imaginative designs made by creatives who have pushed us to be cooler, faster, better over the last four decades.
Our focus remains on small studios that, by feats of bravery and genius, maintain an unyielding standard of quality. In the face of rising material prices, scarce labor forces, and the ubiquity of cheap knock-offs, they continue to champion substance over shortcuts. We see it appear in different forms: in hand-stitched selvedge denim and butter-soft suede leggings to cool feathered knits and delicately tailored pants. We find these studios to be incredibly clever in the way they flout the siren call of convenience—a virtue we hope you appreciate as much as we do.
As this was just a few days over to see Pre-Fall, what we saw was only a taste of what’s to come. Next up is the Tucson Gem Show in Arizona to seek jewelry for Santa Fe Dry Goods—until then, wishing you warmth, peace and an appreciation for the small things in the weeks ahead.
