I know it’s a Thursday, but I’m working on a larger letter about my thoughts/feelings/opinions from what I saw in Paris, and I need more time with that so here we are. Let’s get started.
A BRILLIANT AND SUSTAINABLE LEATHER ALTERNATIVE COLLAB
Apple leather! Can you believe?? It’s a thing! Apparis (if you don’t know it, it’s a luxury vegan fur and leather brand) and Mansur Gavriel (who uses a really beautiful vegan leather made sustainably from apples…more on that below) have teamed up for a multi-piece collab in super saturated colors and both apple leather and faux fur. This trench and its matching baby-sized bag are my favorites. And ta-da! The whole thing is launching today. Here I am with the scoop! I love the cleanliness of the jacket - it’s mega simple. And while apple leather doesn’t feel entirely like cow leather, it’s 100000000x better for the planet than leather leather (the tanning process is mega toxic, not to mention the entire livestock industry) and INFINITELY better than PVC. The feel is tough, and durable, and has a shine I really like. So while it’s not apples to apples with leather (get it?) it’s something else kind of, and equally if not more compelling.
The bag, meanwhile, is the perfect shape. Because it’s not leather leather it’s much lighter than most little bags, and I really love the color. AND bonus, in my opinion, it has no visible branding. The ultimate win. Here’s also some more info on the whole apple leather thing, because it’s fascinating:
The material is made from organic apple waste from the food industry. Super simplified, it's an apple pomace (the pulpy stuff that's leftover after you smash up fruit) mixture that's been cleaned and dried, and is applied to a cellulose backing (made from wood pulp). Utilizing apple pomace helps in reducing agricultural waste and is a great alternative to using new resources. The quality is 66% bio-based, which means that 66% of the material is coming from natural sources instead of petrochemical or synthetic sources. The supplier has been approved by PETA as a producer of animal-free fabrics, and the fabric is certified as a USDA Certified Biobased Product. It's a cruelty-free, fruit-based leather that also produces less carbon emissions than animal leathers, up to 95%, and other synthetics, up to 65%.
You can shop the collection here and here.
A STRANGE VINTAGE CARTIER WATCH
I’m on the hunt for a new watch - one that I can wear all the time, never take off, etc, and the hunt is bringing me to all corners of the internet. I want a Cartier watch, and I think I’ll likely get a new one, but boy is it fun looking at some of the vintage ones. I found this one and it’s just so strange.. It reminds me of those Khaite belts, but it’s called a Declaration watch. The silver bands slide across and reveal a little panel with diamonds.
I’m not really a watch gal, and definitely not an authority on the category, so maybe this isn’t as unusual as it seems to me, but man, what a cool thing. Cartier, $3,300
PERFECT PRIMARY COLOR SOCKS
I’ve just started really wearing color again (thanks mostly to this incredible marigold Babaa cotton knit I got recently) and I’m so into it. The way I’m making it work with my style is by popping in little hits of very saturated primary color, and no prints (beyond a stripe….which is not a print per se). One early takeaway I have from the whole round of fashion monthwhathaveyou is this bright hit of red. It feels great right now - but I wouldn’t stop at red. Consider the whole spectrum of primary colors in mega saturated hues. I’m going with this set from Comme Si, coincidentally, also the brand that makes the striped pink and burgundy pants (you might notice I’m wearing the pants AND the Babaa knit together in that shot with the apple leather coat - it’s one of my favorite outfits recently) I can’t stop wearing, and arguably the best sock brand out there right now (also female founded!). These are made in exquisite Egyptian cotton. Comme Si, $138/5 pairs
I’M ON A WEED PODCAST!
Earlier this summer I was interviewed by my pal Ellen Scanlon for her podcast How To Do The Pot (she is THE authority on cannabis, look for more from her here soon). My episode just came out and I talk about parenting, writing, microdosing, finding your personal style, shopping sustainable, and essentially how cannabis has improved the quality of my life and how it’s possible to be a regular cannabis consumer without ever feeling high. Though sometimes feeling high is nice. Listen here!
A PERFECT ELECTRIC GREEN CASHMERE SWEATER
Here I am with the color again! Man, don’t you love this color? And doesn’t it sit right in with your neutrals (imagine it with navy! with tan! with cream! with blue, or orange or yellow!) Guest in Residence (Gigi Hadid’s cashmere brand) makes the coolest pieces in the most gorgeous colors. And as much as I typically bristle at celebrity brands, you can’t deny this one is very compelling. Guest in Residence, $345
ORANGE TRACK PANTS
Color, color, color! This one is called Persimmon, and I love it. I really love these pants for their rope belt - I die for a rope belt. Again, here’s that super graphic hit of mega saturated color, and bonus, these are on sale. Donni, $93
That’s all for today, folks! I’ll have more later this week/weekend.
Your friend,
Laurel
I'm loving this color era!!
I loooove both Comme Si (the most perfect socks) and Babaa