The beginning of each day began with waking up to a little window to the world of Paris. Around eight or nine, Arcy and I would get ourselves ready for the day. I was always a little worried about what to wear during Paris Fashion Week. Walking out of our Airbnb in Le Marais, we were greeted by pigeons on our way to what felt like “our” Cafe. Two Cafe au Lait, and two Pain au Chocolat were ordered and we ran to catch a taxi. This is what most morning routines looked like. 

INSIDE THE SHOWROOM 

Some of our favorite moments consisted of our personal time with designers and CEO's. At our Sofie D'Hoore appointment, we had our espresso and got to work. Live models wandered around a naturally lit showroom and transformed the hanging garments into beautiful, wearable fits. It was so helpful to see garments "on model" so we could get the true image of how it looks on a body and how it would look for our customer. We were there for quite some time and we kept noticing a very cool and stylish lady with funky glasses flitting around the room. Silently, we wondered...who is she? Soon enough, "she" came over to us and introduced herself, it was Sofie D'Hoore. We were trying to hide our sense of being star struck while she modeled clothes and chatted with us about her designs. This was incredible.

Another one of our favorite moments was our visit to Extreme Cashmere. They flew in lunch to Paris from Amsterdam. We ate soup, the most delicious grilled cheese of my life, sausage, and veggies. They then explained to us that it is part of their company's ethos to have a "family meal" for lunch everyday filled with delicious food and quality time. We were also very spoiled to meet the CEO of Extreme Cashmere who was excited to hear that we were from a resort town and hinted at a visit to Jackson Hole. While live models pranced around the showroom, they showcased how amazing Extreme Cashmere's fall collection is. Bold colors complimented by simple silhouettes amazed us. Transforming objects such as a large scarf that were shown as a scarf, waist wrap, shawl, and a blanket were incredible to see.

We also met with Toast for the first time. Yes, we are excited to say that Toast will be a brand we carry at Habits starting next fall. Their showroom was tucked away in an atrium and as you walked in you were greeted with the smell of incense and coffee. Stone surrounded the walls and beautiful textiles and clothes were inside the room. After a small coffee, we make our selects and sat down on a lovely sofa to discuss it all. This was a dreamy moment and set us up for relaxation. 

The experiences we had with the brands who had their own showrooms, took the time to introduce us to designers or CEOs, and made the buying experience special, really stuck with us. They made decision making fun and entertaining. When we sat down at the end of each day, we were so quick to talk about the brands that we were so proud to have. Mostly, these were the brands with their own showrooms and the ones that made special efforts. The special effort went a long way, and these were some of our most remembered and treasured moments.

With our most favorite moments and brands in mind, we noted a few trends for Fall/Winter 2023. Lots of greens and blues with hints of neutrals mixed in. We saw plenty of plaids filled with greens and blues and perhaps a pop of yellow. Large, oversized pieces are still a thing. Baggy denim, large coats, oversized button ups are all here to stay for the upcoming season. It feels that in a post COVID world, we all got used to being comfortable in our clothing, I think we will continue to use comfort as a muse for upcoming trends as we continue to see heavy layering, loose clothing, soft textures, and distressed pieces. 

While the slowness of the first two hours of our day were dreamy and eased us into the day, the remainder of hours were spent darting to appointments, trying to find addresses, and making so many decisions that you had brain fog. Meeting designers, reps, looking for new brands, pulling our favorite picks for the Fall was all exhausting but extremely rewarding. As mentioned from our “Men’s Fashion Week • Sunday Edit”, most brands would show at trade shows or have their own private showroom where they welcomed buyers. Luckily, we were so spoiled by our brands to be treated with tea, coffee, or a treat at each stop, which we so desperately needed. 

After each crazy day, we would head back to our Paris apartment where we would check in and see how the shops were doing in Jackson, and get some computer work done. This is where we would narrow down our orders to make sure we were getting the best pieces possible and of course, staying on budget. While we mellowed out at home, we were dreaming of where to eat. Eventually, we would muster the energy to wander Le Marais and find delicious eats. Some of our favorites were: Frenchie (Wine Bar), Django, Bouche, & Buvette. 

Eight days of work flew by, clothing picks blurred together, and the days felt shorter. We had one free day together at the end of our trip and we decided to go to the Dior exhibit. After standing in line for 30 minutes in the rainy but sunny Paris weather, we entered a room filled with half scale Dior garments and accessories on a wall that went up three stories. The Dior Exhibit was awe inspiring. Each room felt sacred and special, highlighting Christian Dior, and the designers that worked under the Dior label. Beautiful dresses lined perfectly designed rooms and it was incredible. This was our Mona Lisa. An excellent way to end the trip. 

At our final visit to our favorite spot, Frenchie (The Wine Bar)...I asked Arcy what her takeaway from the trip was. She said it was that it was a reminder that a world beyond Jackson exists and how great it felt to experience it. She was so right, and I keep thinking about it. There is an entire world outside of our beautiful home and it does us some good to get out every once and a while. Seeing new things, tasting new food, meeting new people, and having new experiences and then bringing it back to our small town in Wyoming is what these buying trips are all about. 

TO MARKET TO MARKET 

ARCY'S INSIGHT | PARIS, FRANCE 

We have written before about heading to Paris for market week. This time I would like to expand on the reason.

I love the quote from Diana Vreeland, “The Eye must Travel”. It is paramount to my creativity. The Tetons inspire as well, but not in the way a vibrant city filled with culture, art, and fashion can be inspirational.

So off to Market we go. I chose Paris this time because since Covid many designers were not able to travel and for the first time in three years, I was able to see and visit with some of my favorite brands and to see and touch their amazing collections in person. I leave Paris with new eyes and a fresh take on our little corner on the Jackson Hole Town Square.

A reminder that we should open our minds to different style, food, and culture. I hope this glimpse into our process and the amazing people we get to work with will inspire you to take a journey and also visit us and learn more about these very special brands. 

The next time you purchase your new favorite piece at Habits, remember that a very creative lady with extreme intention and a strong vision hand selected that garment perhaps in Paris where designers from all over the world gather to show everything they have been working on for months or years, putting it all on the table. There is an immense amount of effort put into designing, buying, and merchandising to show you the most incredible items to purchase from. It was an honor to watch and help Arcy in her realm, bringing the excitement of the world and Paris back to our small home in Jackson.

We are so eager and excited for you to see the selections for Fall/Winter 2023.