a big splash at the last minute....

For those of you needing to profess your undying love and devotion under the tree....

All our gorgeous Tracy Johnson jewelry is 20% until we close up shop for the holiday.

Come by for a Christmas toast!

putting the pieces together....

Update!!  We had an absolutely wonderful party!  Thank you SO much to everyone who came and celebrated with us!  And now....for our friends from far away...

The Come Darkness site is here!!

we're nearly ready...

Come Darkness, Here We Are Again

prepare to swoon.....

photo by Maria Alexandra Vettese

yes, we're teasing you....

Come Darkness 2010 is almost here and it's pure, matchless Maria.

Where else could you possibly want to be on Friday evening?

the lure of the season...

photo: Emilie Faif

In case you were wondering what lusting after something in a shop window really looks like....

As winter approaches---bare trees and early darkness---the shop has transitioned nicely to embody the idea of living well in a cold climate. Coziness, home, the sensuousness of being swathed in pleasing textures, something delightful for a child, charcoal wools, enchanting prints, curling up with an inspiring book, beautiful jewels to mark an occasion or carry on a tradition---an investment on so many levels, art that celebrates both the beauty of degeneration and the coming darkness....all a prescription for late autumn and holiday cheer.  In this spirit, we're offering the work of all our amazing creators at 15% off through Thursday, December 2nd.  If you're in Portland, please do meander up Pleasant Street and pay us a visit.  If you are one of our dear online friends from away (or a local who prefers to shop in pajamas!) use the code "GATHER15" at our virtual address. 

A huge "Thank you!" to all our loyal friends!!

coming soon....

mark your calendars.....

the shop this week...

I've been having a bit of "blogger's block" lately, so I thought I'd ease my way back to more frequent posting with a relatively wordless offering.  On top is the view through the window before the Reds  opening reception. This striking series of photographs (selections in 3rd and 4th photos) by Los Angeles artist/filmmaker, Ross Albert, will be on view for the month of November.  Subtitled perspectives on deterioration as aesthetic evolution,  Albert's studies in texture and color find true beauty in disintegration. 

No. 2.... a taste of the abundant and lovely new pieces.

No. 5....the alcove hiding behind the mirror...

No. 6...could only have the title, "Unzipped Under the Shadow Light".  I'll let you decipher that one for yourselves...

Knitwear seduction...

photographs by Peter Christian Christensen

folkloric fantasy shoot for Rowan

A chill wind and a roast chicken...

...are two sure signs that autumn has finally arrived.   "chelliswilson." is having its seasonal shift, too. 

We have....

New loveliness from "le bouton" shown by Lisa here.  Wonderful designs in luxurious fabrics---a linen/silk underdress, the Tradition dress in an gorgeous muted merino/linen plaid...perfect.

Knitwear accessories by Primoeza created by Elizabeth Yong and a selection of pieces from Modaspia by Ursula Dean.  Both new to "chelliswilson.", both meticulously rendered, both sumptuous.

 

First arrivals of the "chelliswilson." line---an easy, feminine top (there's a dress, too!) in this exquisite linen print fabric by Nani Iro.

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Quietly elegant new fog linen work with more to come.

Pure artistry, romanticism, the stuff of dreams....Tracy Johnson's jewelry is extraordinary and must be worn to be truly appreciated.  I have a wealth of new treasures by Tracy, with some new pieces in silver.  I'll be devoting an entire post soon to photos of this exquisite jewelry.

And.....two boxes of this have been "en route" for nearly eight weeks. (sigh)  I do know one thing---the clothing is gorgeous. And worth the wait. Stay tuned....

Detail from these amazing fabric necklaces by the infinitely creative Imke Klee.  Imke is not only a gifted photographer, she's a member of Li Edelkoort's influential Trend Union team.  Job title? "Iconographic Researcher". Don't you love that?

Miss Margaret's chili harvest.....fog dress....

new Selvedge

And in addition to all that, I also have a most exciting announcement!  For the holiday, we will be revisiting the concept of our most beloved art exhibit.  Opening Friday, December 3rd:

"Come Darkness, Here We Are Again"

 curated by Maria Alexandra Vettese

If you've forgotten how beautiful the first "Come Darkness" show was, take peek here.  Mark your calendar!

commercial preparations....

Many new things on my desk these days and I'm in a mood for change.  And so....a sale.  Especially for my readers from afar.  Use code**............. off in the online shop.  These lovely pieces need good homes!  The shipping's on us....

***Since my largest order for Fall is weeks late,  everything's going to start coming at once.  So...please think good thoughts about boxes from France arriving on my doorstep and enjoy 30% off (both in store and online with code "READERS30").  I'm going to need the room... 

Quite a few pieces have sold already so I'll be adding some new offerings.

Stay tuned....

worth emulating...

photo: Maria Alexandra Vettese

I'm not sure I'm fully able to articulate how lovely the "Behind the Bar" experience was for me, though perhaps not in the way one might expect.  As I've expressed before, "chelliswilson.", my little "retail adventure",  is a personal gesture towards expanding the conversation about what we buy and why, that makes the suggestion that issues of intention and production should factor into our sense of what is desirable.   And, as you can imagine, such concepts don't always sit well with all and sundry.  I'm OK with that because I love ideas, have big opinions, and am generally feisty.  But when I donned my bartender/storyteller hat (thanks to Alissa and Ryan who invited me (and, of course, Grace), I realized the extent to which others embrace these ideas as well and the extent to which they, oh so generously, support me.  I blushed at the lavish praise. I reveled in the connectedness, the sense of being part of a "tribe".  Thank you for all the kind words.  Thank you for the love. 

Speaking of tribes....what are the human components of a truly great one?  Today I'll offer up three: The Burgeoning Girl, The Provocateur, The Role Model.  The first two are primary and essential to my life, the last is a supremely stylish, intelligent, and insightful woman I admire intensely from afar.  Truly worth emulating....

"Portrait of Miss Margaret" (after she left the room).  Thirteen year old girls remind us to keep embracing curiosity, romance, enthusiasm.  The Burgeoning Girl is pure potential.

photo by Ross Albert

detail of Big Flowers by Ross Albert

R.'s Artifacts....

One of the "children of Marx and Coca-Cola",  Mr. Ross is an artist, a filmmaker, and partner in crime (and "chelliswilson.").   One part Attitude, two parts Cool, many parts Devotion, we share Sondheim and Godard, Cy and Steely Dan.  Thank you for twenty years of service.  The Provocateur is fiercely loyal.

photo by Todd Selby

This spot-on interview with Sally Singer has given me new permission to blog with abandon about whatever I desire.  Yes, it's "retail", but it's also intensely personal.  Singer reminds us that our lifestyle choices are "emotional and about what moves us."  And that fashion is about "aesthetics and the zeitgeist".  Commercial ventures will be expected to show their ethical and emotional sides as our purchases increasingly reflect our core beliefs.  With perfect clarity, she makes her point by saying:

Everyone gets dressed every day and wants to look better. It's a common denominator. So the question is, what are you going to put on and what is it going to say about you in the world?....and what are you going to buy at the grocery store and feed your kids? Or how are you going to power your car? These are lifestyle choices that matter.  They may not matter as much as other decisions you make, but these decisions are emotional and relevant. And they are, in the aggregate, political.

More Sally (at length) here and here.  Any tribe would be fortunate to have her as The Role Model.

My amusing encore is from an interview in Issue VII of Corduroy with Jean Touitou of A.P.C.  When asked, "With all your success, what do you still need to accomplish?"  His answer, which I have decided should be the new middle-aged man's credo, was...

Read Philip Roth's latest remarkable novel and not hang myself.

Indeed.  OK, he can be in my tribe, too.

August thoughts...

Hello, dear reader.  Catching up now with thoughts from August.  I have been elsewhere (both literally and figuratively) this past month, and have missed my little virtual home.

Thanks to Alethea for sharing her vision with us---what an evening we had!  (Research shows: Mint Juleps are very popular.)   And congratulations are in order!  Following in the footsteps of "chelliswilson." darlings Sara & Kellen, Alethea will be spending the month of March in residence at Gas Design Center in Alabama!  Perhaps a tradition's been started?

A huge and humble "Thank you!" for this generous nod----it brought so many amazing people our way.

Pondering.....

the definition of the perfect home.  Mine has this spirit, this staircase, and this chair (!).

Set design and retail spaces.  I'd like one of these giant roses, please.

Marani winter 2010

Dining here.

A distinguished and manly shopping experience...

And most obsessively....

....the extraordinary, operatic genius of Anselm Kiefer.

love these ladies...

I like being a fan.  Not much feels better than being able to genuinely, enthusiastically admire someone.  These three are not only talented and insightful but also generous and encouraging in return.  Two need no introduction to readers of this blog.  The third, is the force behind our upcoming First Friday fete.  (an introduction and an invitation!)  So here's my news.....

Congratulations to our dear Maria!  Her book, Sundays Are For Lovers, is now being carried by this perfect bookshop/gallery in Paris.  Merveilleux!  

It's no secret how much I love Imke Klee's stunning work.  If you haven't thoroughly browsed her website, do so immediately.  It's lyrical.  Sight Unseen blog thinks so, too.  8 Things.

And I'm so very pleased to announce our August art offering, The Particulars of Persistent Reverie: an experiment in fashioning the lost and looming..." an installation and performance conceived and executed by artist Alethea Norene. She contacted me about doing project at "chelliswilson." because she loved the space and the concept.  Once I discovered she'd recently been in residence at Mildred's Lane, the 92 acre compound that serves as " a collaboration between Mark Dion, J. Morgan Puett, and their associates", I was fascinated.  Southerner by birth, vagabond by choice, Alethea Norene holds a BFA cum laude in photography from the Watkins College of Art & Design in Nashville, TN and an MFA from MECA.  She has been an assistant to acclaimed artist J. Morgan Puett and collaborated with Puett and others on the 2010 exhibition Workstyles, presented at Alexander Gray Associates in New York.  Whether utilizing photography, printed matter, or performance/collaboration, Alethea's work is at once challenging and seductive.  The work she's presenting here on Friday evening she refers to as an "experimental hosting", "a late summer party for dreamers and the well-dressed".  A "southern apparition" featuring dixie music, scandalous luxury, and beverages for both ladies and gentlemen.  Deliciously difficult to describe, our evening is sure to be a sincere sensation.  Think Bellinis. Mint Juleps. A live model in a bathtub. Victorian linens. Live jazz. 

And all your smoldering desires....

I gasp, I swoon...

This elegant object came in the mail the other day and now all I want to do is sit in a serene space and create something beautiful.  I was fortunate enough to find some fabric from this collection....what shall I make? 

More books featuring swoon-worthy Mina Perhonen textiles can be found here.  So lovely...

embody this...

And that's just the opening salvo....     This is the EVER Manifesto.  Go here to find their modus operandi, thoughtful interviews, and details of many thought-provoking projects.  Of course, I love everything the EVER Manifesto represents about the possibilities of seeing fashion (and the commerce inherent therein...) from an entirely different angle.   When we operate according to these principles, so much that's been lost is returned to us.  Beauty. Craftsmanship. Trust. The inestimable value of honest exchange.  A quote from Norwegian designer Siri Johansen distills these values perfectly:

When purchasing a garment, you are not only investing in a piece to treasure for years, you are investing in the integrity of the process it took to make that garment.

This is how I feel about every piece (garments as well as other treasures...) at "chelliswilson."  And the spirit of the work comes from each designer's commitment to aesthetics and process.  I've just updated the online shop with new treasures---clothing for women and girls, reading material, a gorgeous necklace, and two magical handmade dolls.  It's my hope that all the lovely people who read this blog and have been so supportive from afar will feel that the shop is available to them.....like being around the (virtual) corner!

other snippets of loveliness...

pure poetry.  "memory clothing" by Aurore Thibout

Above exquisite pillow slip is a prop from this glorious film created by a master embroidery designer.

Find someone who makes you feel tongue-tied and silly.

 

Lastly, here's my new fantasy hideaway.  From Mady, who feeds my dreams.