Many of my students asked if I had been to Paris before, and the answer was excitedly and a bit bashfully, yes. I went with my dad and brother when I was in my early teens to explore the city for a fabulous week. My memories of the experience are scattered and blurry, but the standouts are these: soft yellow stone facades, twirling balconies, whimsically medieval metro archways, Dante et Virgile by William Bouguereau, and a long black trench coat that was unbearably chic. I had a bob and wore a pair of mirrored aviators nonstop- it was absolutely a stunning moment for me as a 14 year-old. 

A beautiful side effect of these diced memories was that they allowed me to continue to elaborate on my experience when I returned more than ten years later. And as I sit here to reflect on this past month, I am certain that my explorations of the city are not yet closed. I will be sure to follow that thread further dear reader, but for now let me share some morsels of what was discovered and learned from Paris r.2. 

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I can’t tell if I locked in or clocked out, but Paris was a blur. A beautiful, snowy, textured, thumping blur. Je keffe cet endroit. 

At my job I found a rhythm, pushed hard into what I do well, and backed away from what felt sticky. It is not a professional space that I want to live in, but it is working within this specific set of circumstances and it allows me to focus on the things that are bright and new while also protecting myself. 

Personally, I was sated, coddled, and emboldened. I roamed the rues de la ville with a winterly Parisian angst that made me feel hip. I connected with friends new and old who touched my heart and reminded it to pulse. I lived in good health (1.5 baguette/day). I went to Spain and was drastically moved (because of the emotional connections as well as the intense cycling). 

Creatively, the theme was, ‘new discoveries of old classics’: Fashion in Pairs! 

I led two courses in Pairs that centered fashion and textiles, probing the history of their artistic depth and global influence. We approached the curriculum from an observational lens (I am sensing a bias here…) and asked ourselves a few key questions: What are the principal influences of design, and where do they originate? Can we connect fashion and place? How is fashion used to reflect self, and the things that define us?

We went on architectural walks to discover patterns and texture. We watched people move through the streets and got up close and personal with fabric at le musée. We studied the influence of renowned fashion houses and beheld the exposition of the new and daring. 

This episode of investigation had less of an official ‘output’, so the focus was on expansion of thought and acquisition of new interests. I was decidedly the most novice in the sphere of fashion and trend, but I discovered a deep appreciation for the genre as a whole. The history, the design, the social/economic/environmental influence, and the FUN. 

Each interaction I observed or learned about seemed like a sandbox moment; everyone playing with their friends, hopping from sandbox to sandbox, exploring the different buckets, shovels and shells. Turrets are built in every shape. Facades are copied and then leveled. Castle fads are constantly shifting, but everyone always wants a moat… The discovery and joy of making in this way- with your hands, weaving the expression of art with the practicality of wear- was so obvious and alive. It was absolutely contagious.  

To honor this feeling, continue my staunch campaign for practices in observation, and give a gift to my teenage self, this mailer is focused on fashion drawing. Made in a five-layer process, each of these drawings are unique, and attempt to capture a state of pure, grainy sandbox joy.

Step 1) Observe [pattern, texture, history, other people’s drawings]

Step 2) Develop the Paris Palette [purely vibes]

Step 3) Express [organic movements, dance, runway, ‘vogue’ from the 1990 hit single, Vogue | watercolor]

Step 4) Swatch [emphasize the power of pattern | alcohol markers]

Step 5) Enliven [feed the teenage dream | sumi ink]

Upon interacting with this mailer, I invite you to participate in Step 6) Interact. What would you name these figures? Their styles? What stories come to mind? What are you prompted to do next?