Honoring your matriarch with a bevy of beautiful choices
THIS SUNDAY (MAY 8), we honour the maternal influence of mothers in society and celebrate Mother’s Day. If you’re looking for something special for the matriarch in your clan to show her just how much she is appreciated, for this issue of Tempo we’ve interviewed a few local boutique shops, studio owners, sales staff, curators and designers whose passion is to shape, innovate and celebrate the Taos woman with a bevy of beautiful choices.
French fashion designer Coco Chanel said “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Taos attracts those who want simplicity and a more nuanced style and natural elegance. Taos women want clothes that transition from morning chores mucking the horse stalls to cocktails at The Adobe Bar, or an awe-inspired trek to Wheeler Peak and date night at Lambert’s and every occasion in between.
Sophisticated, sensuous and rugged — you’ll find clothes and accessories that elevate the natural beauty in all of us, and may just inspire an aesthetic frolic in a new direction.
Taos and Tribe
110 Paseo del Pueblo Norte - Suite A.
Owner Karoline Sophie’s adobe space is simply gorgeous, with an intimate gypsie parlour vibe, a place Stevie Nicks would shop, Django Rhinehart and Gypsie Kings playing softly under a twinkling vintage crystal chandelier.
The thick adobe walls are lined with white shelves and low slung racks showcasing the Magnolia Pearl line of handmade clothing, Carol Folda leather bags, N&S Bespoke Knitwear, Lovely Bird Artisan Hats, Jen Smith Artwork, Catori Life Jewelery, Kathy Hansel Turquoise Jewellery and Indigo Creations. It is a feast for the eyes everywhere you turn.
Taos and Tribe is a place you go to explore the magic of texture and textiles and to collaborate. Karoline’s clothes philosophy is deeply rooted in the psychology of colour and the textures of textiles. How clothes make you feel and how you vibrate differently in the world when you’re comfortable in your skin, and your clothes reflect it. Karoline shared the best part of her work is creating a safe space for women to find their muse and take a leap from the conventions of cookiecutter patterns and pedestrian fabrics.
She says the satisfaction is in the transformation, when a woman listens to and heeds her own voice, and that choice is reflected in her clothes.
Karoline has been called the clothes faerie — a confidante and a clothes shaman. And she has an international following of enthusiastic collectors. Painter Roseta Santiago said, “Taos has always had the reputation of being sacred, unique and beautiful. The famous founder painters put their roots down here and produced everlasting masterpieces — Taos and Tribe proprietor, Karoline Sophie, is one of those people. Dedicated to “unique “and always welcoming in her beautiful boutique to those seeking to enhance their individual beauty and style.”
Mosaic artist Kristin Javier said,
“Karoline radiates kindness and grace. She is a talented stylist who helps her clients discover pieces that both coordinate with and elevate their existing wardrobes. Karoline has helped me find jackets, blouses, and tops that fit my life as an artist and mother of teens. All the pieces are versatile, span several seasons and can be styled in various ways. Taos and Tribe inspire me to express myself more creatively through my clothing.”
Follow Taos and Tribe on Instagram @taosandtribe.
Artemisia
117 Bent Street - Unit B
Artemisia is home for over 20 years to some of the finest New Mexico fibre artists and weavers offering their creations as wearable art. It is a bright space with beautiful cascading racks of warm colourful shawls and wraps, perfect for summer nights at the Santa Fe Opera. The inventory includes: New Mexico weavers Nancy Paap, Barbara Ehrlich and Elizabeth Jenkins; Tennessee silk and velvet artist Lisa Mergen; Florida fiber artist Kathy Skomsky, and hand painted silks from Alexis Abrams in California. There are knitwear and new silk organza creations from Renata Z, and elegant handwoven shawls from Lore Wills, as well as one-of-a-kind handwovens from Sandra Doak and Cathy Swindle at Studio 3 in Austin. You’ll find Colleen Launer Yarbrough with Heartwoven Designs and Santa Fe textile artist Natasha Nargis, who works with hand dyed linen, silk, cotton, cashmere and alpaca fibres to create beautiful handwoven wearables. Her son, Karim S. Jaekel, works with cotton and linen and Bobbie Sumberg, with KNIT in Santa Fe, creates contemporary reversible knit ponchos and lightweight ponchettes. If mom loves opera, gallery openings and museum concerts, you’ll find something special at Artemisia.
For details about Artemisia visit https://artemisiataos.com/
Overland Sheepskin Company
1405 Paseo del Pueblo Norte
Store Manager Marc Sauseda greeted us at the door announcing “every day is Mother’s Day,” and Linda Rawlings, one of his sales associates, guided us to an Alessandra Lambskin Suede Leather Jacket in orange, Sonny Paper Braid Fedora Hat and a matching Sonoma Leather Crossbody Bag to pull it all together. Overland has everything a Taos mom could hope for keeping her warm in the winter and stylish year round.
It all began in 1973 with a sewing machine and a bale of sheepskins in a small adobe nestled between the rugged Sangre de Cristo range and the Rio Grande Valley. Overland has grown from a handful of sheepskin coats to over 1,000 styles of quality sheepskin, leather and fur products. There are hand painted leather jackets, hats of every ilk, shoes, slippers and more. The showroom has a warm, inviting glow with an antler chandelier over the registers, hardwood floors and islands of leather beauty everywhere to behold.
For details, visit them at overland. com.
Sky-Eagle Collection 131 Paseo del Pueblo Norte
Native- and veteran-owned clothes designer and artist Dante Biss-Grayson said the Sky-Eagle Collection began percolating when his daughter, Ella Sky-Eagle, was born. “I am a Native American Veteran from the Osage Nation. My clan is Eagle, and I am an Artist and Fashion Designer. I started my journey into art when I was very young in Santa Fe., where I have taken many awards at the SWAIA Indian Market,
and have artwork in private and museum collections. Plan on becoming one of the first global Native and Veteran Fashion Brands.”
Sky-Eagle collection is an eclectic line of bold geometric designs, silk scarves, a high heel in black leather with bold electric geometrics in deep red on the sole. The vibe is modern, with deep roots in traditional designs and motifs. The intent is to push the envelope and evolve contemporary Native designs. Dante Biss-Grayson is poised to soar with Sky-Eagle in the international style and fashion arena, with his energy and passion and a commitment to keep the vision firmly grounded in native traditions.
Visit Sky-Eagle on Instagram @ skyeaglecollection, or their website at skyeaglecollection.com.