POV: You're a humble bookstore owner in New York. As much as you love summer, there's something about the crispness of fall in the city that just makes you want to buy school supplies. A backpack! A new bike perhaps? A bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils even! You always take the same route to your store, but today's a bit different. You swing by the bodega to pick up the end of the season's fresh sunflowers — they have your card on file so you keep cruising past. Down the avenue you go, to a looming intersection where a large store sign is being installed. "Who calls a bookstore 'Fox' anyway?" you wonder to yourself, peering into their covered windows where there's undoubtedly a chain coffee shop counter being mounted, alongside mass manufactured bookshelves in a very predictable (and boring) oak finish.
You sigh, just as a cab honking nearby startles you out of your thoughts. Now remembering the shipment of L.M. Montgomery books you've been expecting for weeks, you hop back on your bike to beeline to the shop around the corner. Breezing in through the front door, now looking for a vase for your sunflowers, your mind wanders again..."I wonder how L.M. Montgomery would write an email to a man she hardly knows...?"
4minute read4minute read Rainy days at home, working on my couch as Elvis snores at my feet. Old photography books (just picked up a 1980 copy of Diana Vreeland's Allure). Falling asleep to soft classical music.
At their core, John Hardy is a brand that is all about artisanship -- putting craft and sustainability above all else. All precious stones are ethically sourced, they only use 100% reclaimed silver and gold in their work and their commitment to caring for and truly supporting their artisans and their families -- the men and women who craft each piece by hand using an array of traditional Balinese royal court jewelry making techniques -- is an admirable and fair employment practice that I could only wish more companies followed suit. I've worked with their team before actually a few holiday seasons ago to meet and actually learn from their Bali-based artisans and it's still one of my favorite brand experiences to date.
As for Adwoa Aboah, you've likely seen her face before. Well, everywhere. And for good reason. She's absolutely stunning. She's a London-based model who's walked for the likes of Fendi, Erdem and Alexander Wang and has been on pretty much every cover of Vogue you can think of from US to to Poland. What I especially admire about her though, aside from her obvious grace, is her female empowerment platform, Gurls Talk, a story-submission online community of women to discuss everything from body image, to sexuality, from mental health to relationships, both professional and personal. At the time of writing this post, in fact, I've already bookmarked over 11 different articles I want to go back and read. I highly encourage you all to check it out.
[/half][/row]
So what happens when two ethically conscious and aware brands, like John Hardy and Adwoa get together to design? Pure magic. I previewed the collection last week, which is sold exclusively at Farfetch until October 24, and fell in love with the variety -- ranging from the more classic notes to the downright avant-garde, a true testament to Adwoa's chameleon style and John Hardy's traditional but organic roots. Expect dramatic body hardnesses, reversible bracelets, earring chains meant to be worn between two different ear piercings, multi-layered earring cuffs and classic two-tone necklaces. And expect a lot of personal touches too: all stones have been selected for their mystical properties (pyrite, black tourmaline, and hematite are grounding, while pink tourmaline, rose quartz, and spinel represent light and energy) and there's even a specific signet ring that's inspired by one Adwoa's grandmother used to wear. For the astute eye: you'll notice a subtle "GT" engraving on some of the pieces -- a playful nod to Adwoa's aforementioned Gurls Talk platform.
Huge thanks to the Farfetch team for having me and even bigger congratulations to the John Hardy team and Adwoa Aboah on such a beautiful collaboration. Nothing makes me happier than seeing two humanitarian-focused brands come together to make something beautiful. And beautiful is certainly an understatement when it comes to this collection. You can check out the full range and even see how Adwoa rocks the pieces herself right here!
3minute read3minute read Voter registration deadlines, Sabrina the Teenage Witch the reboot and Suistudio's new capsule collection with Vanessa Hudgens.
4minute read4minute read "This is what you do on your very first day in Paris. You get yourself, not a drizzle, but some honest-to-goodness rain, and you find yourself someone really nice and drive her through the Bois de Boulogne in a taxi. The rain's very important. That's when Paris smells its sweetest. It's the damp chestnut trees."
