LABOR DAY GIVEAWAY

IF YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG for a while, you’ve seen me showcasing different women-owned and sustainable independent businesses. So this weekend, I’m featuring five of my favorite BIPOC and inclusive women-owned businesses to share with you all so they can get more exposure.

I’m also hosting a giveaway on my Instagram feed with these women, so check it out!

One winner will receive:

$200 shop credit to @selvanegra_
$200 shop credit to @zouxoushoes
any 2 skincare items from @circumferencenyc
$150 shop credit to @ozma_of_california and
shop credit to @amarilo

To enter, LIKE this post, FOLLOW all accounts, and COMMENT below tagging friends and also tag another BIPOC/inclusive brand you love and want to spread awareness for. For extra entry, share the post in your IG stories. Contest runs through Monday and announced on my IG. Not affiliated with Instagram. Good luck!

SELVA NEGRA was founded in 2016 by Kristen Gonzalez and Sam Romero and is based in Los Angeles. Their ethically produced designs are influenced by their Latina and Filipina heritage. Check out their shop here.

One of my favorite footwear brands Zou Xou Shoes comes from New York and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Founder and designer KatherineI Theobalds designs shoes that “make women feel like the best version of themselves”, and they really do! I have three colors in the Eugenia flat pictured above.

Previously working in sustainable and ethical fashion, Jina Kim, the Korean CEO and founder of clean beauty brand Circumference NYC, decided to focus the same energy to fuel systemic change in the beauty industry, creating natural skincare ethically and inclusively.

Heidi Baker of OZMA of California bases her designs on a philosophy of less is more and it comes through in her beautiful designs and the materials she works with from sustainable textiles like raw silk and washed linen. Each piece is easily paired together with neutral colors that look all go together and designs that serve multiple functions like her silk (washable!) bandanas.

Stella Simona and Ali Heiss founded Amarilo Jewelry in 2011 on a minimalist philosophy that focuses on longevity and simplicity in their pieces. Their thoughtfully designed and crafted jewelry is easy to wear on its own or layered with other pieces from their line.

SATORI BOUTIQUE

BEFORE ALL THE CRAZINESS OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I connected with Diamond of Satori Boutique in Tacoma, Washington, and planned to collaborate on a feature, but a pandemic and racial justice revolution pushed things back a bit. Consequently, sharing this beautiful, carefully curated black/woman-owned shop is even more necessary and timely. Her selections are carefully thought out in terms of sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetic, including brands like Baserange and this top I’ve styled here.

I’m excited for you to learn more about Diamond and her passions in the interview below.

• Can you tell us more about yourself? Was owning your own shop always part of the plan?

I’m originally from Nevada but have been enjoying the PNW for a little over 10 years. Tacoma, Washington is my forever home. I have 2 kids (just passed the 2 under 2 mark this past weekend ) , 2 shops, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 1 husband. My life is crazy, pretty much, but I love to stay busy! Owning a shop was never something I could’ve imagined myself doing, but here I am. After high school, I tried the college thing, but it just didn’t ever feel right. I had dropped out of a few colleges and while I was working full time I thought to try going back one more time— but with a focus on fashion merchandising. Well, that didn’t work either! I quickly found out going to art school was going to cost a pretty penny. The money I would have spent in school I decided to invest in my own business.

• What is the story behind your shop name?

It was my husband’s idea! Satori translates to enlightenment or sudden awakening. It’s a Buddhist reference. Opening Satori was kind of my sudden awakening in a way. I felt like I had been longing for some kind of direction in my life and having this store has definitely given me so much fulfillment and confidence. 

• How would you describe your personal style?

It’s all over the place. With two kids it’s gone a little downhill but now that my youngest is 8 months I’m feeling the need to get back to my roots! I’ve been rocking sweats (not the cute ones) for about 2 years. I spend a lot of my time buying for the store so don’t really spend tons of time on my personal wardrobe. If I were sum up my personal style I’d say I’m all about a statement piece, something a little unusual or androgynous. 

• How has sheltering at home and the current Black Lives Matter movement affected you and your family? How are you navigating this shift? (What does your new daily routine look like? How do you balance your work, creative pursuits, home life?)

Well, I’m Black, lol— I’m actually bi-racial. My mom is Black and my dad is White. Growing up, my family never really talked about race so the past couple of weeks have been especially heavy. Now I’m trying to educate myself more on Black history and even offer my own personal story to my friends and followers. A lot of people will never see the world through my eyes— so telling my stories is both helpful to me and hopefully to others to do anti racist work. The pandemic has been really difficult business wise but I am trying to take it a day at a time. My husband and I have been swapping watching the kids and going to work which is new and SO hard for us. We normally have childcare / extra help around from family but decided it’d be best to just limit who we are exposing the kids to for our safety. I never really say my life has any balance but doing things one day at a time has helped me feel more sane and like I can do it again the next day.

• Where do you find yourself seeking inspiration of late? 

Actually getting out of the store and not having that day to day interaction with a lot of customers has helped me search for more inspiration and happiness. I’ve been spending a lot of time finding new music and getting lost in mood boards. Music heavily influences the way I feel and discovering a new artist can really help me seek out something I need/want. 

• How do you decide on what brands and items to include in your shop? 

It’s a big mix, but pre-pandemic I would go to showrooms every few months in LA and do some self-discovery through Instagram. Nowadays, I’m doing a lot more virtual buying and it can be a little tricky because I base most of my buying off of the feeling of something. Whether that’s something that makes your heart flutter a little or something that just melts in your hands. With the new direction of my shop ,I am also doing a lot of digging into new designers that are not only ethical but also are inclusive. I want to work with more designers that are more accessible money wise, size wise and that are more representative of minorities.

• What’s something that made you smile recently?

Friends I wouldn’t expect doing activist work. Gives me so much hope to see / hear people talking more about ways we can change the world and grow. 

• How do you keep yourself nurtured/centered?

Honestly-,I don’t exercise and I probably don’t drink enough water but giving my body a solid meal and beauty sleep is all I need. That and some good late night conversations with my husband always feed my soul. 

• What are you reading right now— for edification or for pleasure?

Oh god. I don’t really read books. Guilty. But I wish I was that person in a book club. If I *had* to say I’m reading something it’s most likely some sort of fashion magazine— and let’s be honest— I really just look at all of the pictures  

• What’s next for you and your business?  

Brick and mortar Satori will be open in a month or two with a whole new look! I’m really excited I’ve been digging into what I truly want out of the store. I’ve been open for about 7 years and am still figuring it out! But this will feel so much different and SO ME. Around Fall you’ll start to see a lot of fresh, new designers online as well. Get ready!

A CONVERSATION WITH FUGGIAMO

As part of an ongoing series of conversations with friends, collaborators, and creatives to explore a dialogue on inspiration, passion, community, travel, and life in general, my friend and collaborator Jackie of L.A. based shop Fuggiamo, asked me to check in and talk about my life before and during (and a little bit after) the pandemic.

Fuggiamo carries some of my favorite sustainable and independent designers like Paloma Wool, Ajaie Alaie, and Ali Golden.

You can also find my interview on her blog here.

Hey Jackie! Can you tell us more about how you get started with Fuggiamo? Was it always what you wanted to do?

Hi! Long story short: I’m from Texas and LA, studied history and gemology in school, worked in fashion buying including a few years at Saks in NY, and took some time off to travel before starting FUGGIAMO.  I always dreamt of having a shop but didn’t have the confidence or life experience when I was younger.  As is the case for so many, my career path followed a non-linear narrative, but all the opportunities led me closer to my dreams in reinforcing a growing desire to share the beauty I was discovering and live more aligned.

How has sheltering at home affected your business and your life in general?  How are you navigating this shift and creating some sense of normalcy?

It’s been challenging.  The wide spectrum of emotions can be really overwhelming and destabilizing at times.  Naturally, my business has been negatively impacted, and it’s definitely frightening to navigate the financial insecurity of running a small business right now.  With the safer at home mandate, I’m no longer going to my studio and am a one and a half woman operation working from home.  Knowing I can’t control what’s happening, I’m focusing on maintaining my spirits and finding ways to show up for and help others.  I'm incredibly grateful to have a roof over my head, loved ones in good health, and a beautiful community of support and customers.

What does your new daily routine look like? How do you balance your work, creative pursuits, and family? 

I struggle with balancing the work hustle with self-care.  Some days, I’m better at it than others.  Besides work, I’m filling my daily routine with more intentional breaks to move my body, spend time outside, check in on loved ones, and disconnect from the internet and social media.  

Where do you find yourself seeking inspiration of late?  What's something that made you smile recently? 

Cooking.  I typically do the cooking in the house, so that hasn’t changed.  But lately I’ve been drawn to easy, nourishing foods like soups/stews or Chinese recipes my mom and grandmother used to make.  Overall, this idea of simplifying to what’s essential has been really inspiring. 

Something that makes me smile are texts from my mom.  She sends me pictures of what she cooks and lots and lots of memes.  She’s only just discovered the world of internet memes and is loving it.     

How do you keep yourself centered and nurtured? 

Exercise.  I’m trying out a mix of yoga and strength training.  Getting out of my head and working up a sweat has helped immensely. 

Favorites?

• Easy, go-to recipe: broth from saved veggie scraps.  I've been ordering produce boxes (mostly from Kong Thao) and making soups from the scraps!  

• Shows: Insecure on HBO and European New Wave films on Kanopy.  I highly recommend checking out Kanopy…it’s free with a library card! 

• Song: “It Never Entered My Mind” by Miles Davis for when I feel anxious and anything by Bad Bunny for when I want to let loose and dance

• New daily ritual:  Eating lunch in the backyard

• Indulgence: a generous chunk of dark chocolate and cheese   

How would you describe your personal style?

Comfortable, unexpected, a mix of minimal and maximal.  I like playing with pops of color, especially lately.  The spring collections in the shop are filled with bright hues like pink and citron, and I feel like they add a little slice of joy and optimism.

How do you go about selecting the brands/items in your shop? Has that changed since the pandemic? What kind of values do you look for in the partners that you work with?  

I look for design with a clear, identifiable point of view, authenticity, a similar ethos in terms of sustainability and representation, and quality.  And quite honestly, kind people to work with because ultimately, a shop is a partnership.  In looking at the assortment as a whole, I also try to maintain a balanced range of price points.  None of these values have or will change, but I'm thinking about sustainability from a different perspective.  As important as how something is made is why something is made.  

shop FUGGIAMO and find them on Instagram here.

SeaVees Spring 2020

I’VE BASICALLY BEEN LIVING IN SEAVEES SHOES for the last few months, but I’ve been most excited for spring styles to come in. So I was excited to partner with SeaVees to style their new, almost entirely recycled style, the Legend Sneaker SeaChange, made from recycled cotton. I love the pale green shade of the Seaweed color; I can pair it with a casual outfit or styled with a floral minidress, too! They’re super comfortable but also chic in pretty spring hues.

To check out the other amazing styles for yourself, head to SeaVees.com! #ShowUpInSeaVees

MORROW SOFT GOODS

I’M A BIG FAN OF LINEN TEXTILES FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING, but most definitely as bed linens, of course. Morrow Soft Goods have the softest blankets, pillows and sheets, in the dreamiest colors. Based in LA and founded/run by friends Stephanie Cleary and Michelle Toney, everything is designed and manufactured with both style and functionality in mind. Shop my Morrow Soft Goods bed by clicking the following links: Billie Baby Alpaca Blanket in Taupe, Duvet Set Heirloom Linen, and Classic Sheet Set Heirloom Linen in Fawn.

To find out more about Morrow Soft Goods from Stephanie and Michelle, read on!

How did you get started with Morrow? Was it always your chosen career path?

Michelle: Stef was working in fashion and I was working in architecture and we just sort of realized home textiles was a common passion and the sweet spot merging our two worlds. We concepted the business and went down the path of deciding on our first products and actually building a brand for about 2 years before we actually were ready to launch. Morrow was a lucky spark of an idea that we both felt passionate enough about to really pursue and bring to life. It’s been such a dream to see it grow and evolve!

What, if any, are your design inspirations? Any insight into your process?

Stef: Our design inspiration is really a combination of a few things: nature, fashion, vintage, and Pinterest. We find an element or two that sticks out to us, and we then start building out the collection. We begin to pull different colors, materials, and weaves to build a story.  Sometimes we completely change the direction because the ideas and inspirations are pulling us in a different direction. Our biggest take away would be to stay open-minded and see where the inspiration and collection takes you.

How does the place you live in influence your design aesthetic?

Stef: Our home is welcoming and inviting, and we want Morrow to be the same. We’re surrounded by natural fibers and natural color tones. It really helps and shapes our overall aesthetic. 

What is your mission statement for Morrow Soft Goods?

Michelle: We design, manufacture and sell home textiles with a focus on natural fibers and ethical production. We are passionate about feel, durability and style that stands the test of time. 

What other creative outlets do you have?

Stef: Cooking, gardening, and making things with our hands (for instance building chicken coops, weaving, etc).

Describe a typical day at work and also a day off.

Michelle: If we are not off doing a photoshoot or a trade show or meetings, etc. we are in our office in the Lincoln Heights area of LA. We feel so lucky to have an amazing space that we have cultivated into a little community. Stef and I sit about 6 feet from each other and we are either gabbing non-stop or we have our headphones in and our heads down. Ohhhh and there are lots of tacos involved. Ha! We order tacos way too much. 

On our days off we both just try and spend time with our families and get some sunshine and rest. 

What's next for Morrow?

What, if any, are your design inspirations (in terms of other designers, nature, art, etc)? Any insight into your process?

Stef: As we design and style our ideal beds,  we start to think about all the different elements that will create a perfect room. What rug should go under the bed? What pillow? The conversation starts to form naturally. We’ve now expanded to other categories organically, by styling and designing our perfect Morrow room.