Helen Frankenthaler, 'Connected by Joy',1969–73
September is a special month, one as full and bright as the moon last night and seems to share the same golden glow of transformation. The feeling this time of year brings is palpable, one torn between bittersweet longing for languid summer nights and a restless desire for change. While the Sausalito air has hung heavy and bright, a sweeping fog cloaked the hills today, bringing with it a gentle, chilly mist and welcome reprieve from the beating sun. There seems so much to look forward to in the coming weeks but perhaps the most precious is the fleeting scent that can be caught in the morning breeze or stolen between beats, when the perfume of leaves tickles the air and just for a moment autumn is near.
I'm writing to you from the studio, where soft whispers of jasmine waft through the open window and a blissful stillness fills the air apart from the twinkling trickle of the fountain and low hum of the Caledonia dinner crowd. The past few weeks have been a blur of movement and energy between the Collection I sale and the opening of the studio. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your visits, words, posts and orders throughout these past few weeks. The impact of just one of these actions alone is immeasurable, meaningful on the best of days and encouraging on the worst and I am grateful beyond words for the support you've given me. Steaming, wrapping, packing and writing each of your orders, both in person and online, has brought me such joy and seeing these pieces out in the world filled long days with delight.
As many of you understand firsthand, being an independent creative and running a small business can feel like you're swimming upstream and at moments has led me to feel alone in quiet search for connectivity. While the act of making might be blissful, steeped in the clean essence of your own intuition, the act of sharing is much murkier. This piece has always felt impossible to me, but through this newsletter and within the studio I am beginning to see and appreciate just how integral this piece may be to the greater creative puzzle. There seems no point in making something you don't believe in, for why make at all, but the hope of making something that just might bring someone else joy is the true north star and reason enough to keep swimming.
Perennial is not a singular vision, it is an ever-evolving mosaic of mirrors reflecting the people who inspire me and who share in an unwavering appreciation of beauty, intention and community. I wanted to share just a few of the talented, creative women whose light I hope to reflect with a belief that they might spark inspiration in you too.
First Sunday was inspired by Lauren and the personal, spiritual and impactful newsletter she writes for her naturally dyed mindfulness goods and immersive sound meditation brand, Sound As Color. Her newsletter is just one example of the soulfulness she pours into everything she makes (by hand, with flowers). Julia, who paints the world in words is the brilliant poet behindA Lemon Invitation (a collaboration on paper between her and Morgane's worlds, printed by Arion Press), co-founder of Thalia Magazine and now journalism student at UC Berkley. Her spirit is magnetic and she has spent the past 29 years quietly teaching me the importance of fostering community and the magic to be found in memory. The muse behind nearly all Perennial garments is the magnificent New-York based artist Morgane. Talented, dynamic and determined she is an inspiration for living in true authenticity and her confidence, curiosity and uncompromising appreciation for beauty have been the fire beneath years of conversations that have fueled both me and my work. Finding new ways to nurture both people and planet at every opportunity, Juliana is an inspiration for her heart alone. She has recently co-founded Nudah Basics, a Peruvian underwear brand with a mission to address the health and environmental impact of traditional feminine hygiene products by making their sustainable, re-usable underwear accessible to everyone and facilitating health education in vulnerable communities. If there was anyone who could prove it possible to create a uniquely personal retail experience in a progressively impersonal world, it is undoubtedly Zabrina, the founder, curator and exquisite eye behind Etéreo Vintage. The appreciation, knowledge and delight and she treats each of the pristine garments hung in her jewel box of a Brooklyn studio with is a testament to the genuine and impeccable care she extends to every aspect of her work and clients. Finally, a woman who seems to encapsulate it all, Katya, my studio neighbor and the founder, artist and jeweler behind Katya Glass who has spent her life dedicated to the craft of appreciating, distilling and sharing the beauty found in the nature. There is a French term used frequently in wine (learnt from my sweet somm husband), 'terroir', that roughly translates to 'being of a place'. This idea has become a guiding light for me, organic in it's nature and the purest reflection of authenticity. Katya has captured exactly this.
With gratitude,
Amelia