Shopping the Taigan Marketplace

Posted on July 20, 2014 by quintessence   •   2 Comments

Shopping the Taigan Marketplace

As you readers know, I am a long time fan of the Taigan Marketplace, an online shopping site featuring a hand selected collection of a wide range of lifestyle products. I especially like that they focus on small companies, emerging designers and hand crafted artisanal products. Last week, Taigan came to NYC and I had the opportunity to see some of their gift ideas in person. Many are already available so whether you have an upcoming occasion or are starting lists for the holiday season, here are a few suggestions.

For the stylish gentleman in your life, Brackish feather bow ties are a dapper addition. …

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Christmas in July

Posted on July 18, 2014 by quintessence   •   4 Comments

Christmas in July

While this week wasn’t exactly Christmas in July, it was certainly a week of major treats and peeks. Wednesday, I was delighted to have breakfast at The Modern, the elegant restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art to officially welcome Pilar Viladas as the new Architecture & Design Editor at Town and Country. The adjoining sculpture garden was clean and serene after the night’s rain. 

I was then energized for more fall preview shopping, as I traveled downtown for a morning of fashion inspiration. In 2007, Kilian Hennessy, of the French cognac family, launched his eponymous perfume brand, Kilian, that has since become a cult favorite.…

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Fall Product Previews

Posted on July 16, 2014 by quintessence   •   4 Comments

Fall Product Previews

Although the last couple days have felt like monsoon season here, fall is looming on the horizon, at least according to the many companies holding fall product previews this week. While I’m sure I will be revisiting some of these favorites later in the year, I thought a little peek might be helpful to keep these in mind as projects or gift lists start to accumulate. Studio Four is a designer favorite for all things woven and printed for the home. A haven for an artisanal mix of rugs, fabrics and wall coverings, the studio’s young family is expanding in more ways than one.…

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Welcome Privet Lives

Posted on July 13, 2014 by quintessence   •   4 Comments

Welcome Privet Lives

As if the New Preston, CT outpost of Richard Lambertson’s and Suzanne Cassano’s chic shop Privet House wasn’t tempting enough already, this weekend marked the opening of Privet Lives (so clever) in the charmingly diminutive space next door.

A rotating concept shop featuring “highly covetable brands, designers, artisans and artists,” Privet Lives debuted with the gorgeous textile creations of Madeline Weinrib. From rugs and pillows to clothing, tabletop and more, the shop was brimming with colorful creativity.

In the clean and well lit space, it was easy (and tempting) to peruse the well edited version of Madeline’s beautiful creations

in color coordinated displays.…

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At Home Video with Susanna Salk and Marian McEvoy

Posted on July 9, 2014 by quintessence   •   17 Comments

At Home Video with Susanna Salk and Marian McEvoy

Whoever coined the phrase “it’s all in the mix,” must have had the creative and effervescent Marian McEvoy in mind. With a fearless style and steady hand, she takes do-it-yourself crafting to an entirely new level of sophistication. Susanna and I were thrilled to visit Marian in her über charming Hudson River Valley home. Tag along and learn the real power of a glue gun.

With a distinguished early career in fashion, Marian McEvoy was Paris fashion editor for WWD by her early 20′s. The city of lights agreed with her and she remained for 17 years as both an editor and writer, cavorting with everyone from a young Karl Lagerfeld

to fashion mentor Yves Saint Laurent, shown here with Marian in Morocco,

clearly the inspiration for her own back yard, below.…

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Lulu DK Temporary Jewelry Tattoos

Posted on July 8, 2014 by quintessence   •   6 Comments

Lulu DK Temporary Jewelry Tattoos

Sometimes the world is full of colliding coincidences that are almost uncanny in their timing. Today Susanna Salk and I were filming a group of fashionable designers sharing their sartorial style for an upcoming video to air this September. When Amanda Nisbet arrived, I immediately admired and inquired about her chic, seemingly stenciled gold bracelets, below.

She informed us they were Lulu DK temporary jewelry tattoos. A new offering from the talented textile designer Lulu deKwiatkowski, they have the same feminine and whimsical appeal as her popular fabrics. As soon as the shoot was over and I was catching up on my inbox, who should I have an email from but Lulu’s office, announcing the introduction of the temporary tattoo collection.…

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Parchment Nantucket

Posted on July 6, 2014 by quintessence   •   3 Comments

Parchment Nantucket

While I had intended to post several more shops from my trip last week, I couldn’t resist sharing a few more peeks from popular favorite, Parchment Nantucket. For the last ten years, this tiny store has been packing plenty of creative offerings in its small but charming space. From packaged letterpress note cards, to custom invitations to gorgeous wrapping papers, you could spend more time than you would imagine perusing all the possibilities.

Of course they include many Nantucket appropriate products, often working with design savvy brands like Rifle Paper to produce ACK worthy offerings.

Other artisanal companies contribute appealing ways to bring a piece of the island life home as well.…

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Happy 4th of July

Posted on July 4, 2014 by quintessence   •   2 Comments

Happy 4th of July

Wishing everyone a most wonderful 4th of July. Enjoy the weekend wherever you may be!

photo by Quintessence
…

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A Stylish Nantucket Wedding

Posted on July 2, 2014 by quintessence   •   15 Comments

A Stylish Nantucket Wedding

For her entire life, my niece has been summering on Nantucket, so it was only natural that a Nantucket wedding would be her choice. This past weekend, friends and family gathered on island to celebrate with a full calendar of special events. A destination wedding requires meticulous coordination and kudos go to Sarah Taggart of A Polished Plan, who helped my niece and sister-in-law every step of the way to flawlessly execute their vision. From the exquisite flowers (by Flowers on Chestnut - here in the church entry),

to the beautiful letterpress invitations, programs and menus, courtesy of Parchment (also a favorite cited by Jill Kargman),

to the charming welcome bags (filled with Nantucket goodies and custom printed guides), it was so pitch perfect, I had to share a few visual moments.…

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At Ease | 4th of July

Posted on June 29, 2014 by quintessence   •   2 Comments

At Ease | 4th of July

Last summer I inaugurated a light hearted shopping series At Ease that I hope to continue occasionally this season as well. For this week, I gathered a few casually chic items perfect for stylish at-home entertaining with the 4th of July in mind.

Starting from the upper left:

A fresh summer fragrance with a bottle too pretty to put away, the unisex Un Jardin Après La Mousson from Hermès expresses the post-monsoon Indian landscape with a light exotic mix of ginger, cardamom, coriander, pepper and vetiver.

Kenneth Jay Lane’s marbled enamel necklace is a an easy statement maker that adds a dose of affordable chic in a versatile summery blue.…

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