The World According to Tavin - Chapter 1

Erin Tavin in one of her Afghani dresses (all are unique and embroidered! This one has mirrors, incredible)

Perfect Victorian dress

"Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order." Virginia Woolf

Love this case, a microcosm of a little desert landscape filled with cacti and turquoise (and sand!)

Our eyes went directly to this rack that had vintage blouses and dresses from India and Mexico

This blouse would look perfect with army pants or slouchy jeans

Even the tags are unique in the shop, and has Erin's writing on the back (one of her hobbies)

Lovely purple vintage Indian dress

No corner is left unturned...this book caught my eye

Why didn't we get this?! Lovely South American vintage textile bag

Adore this purple embroidered dress from Mexico

Always good to see vintage YSL

There are incredible textiles in the shop like Bolivian frasadas (pictured on the left)

There is a lot of jewelry throughout - this case was filled with some of our favorite jewelry from the Navajo

Best soap: Big Sur Country Soap

Antique library card catalog drawers filled with belts, books, et c.

"Laura in the field Laguna Beach, CA 1969." Absolutely love this picture!

There are people who have style, and there are people who live it. Erin Tavin is a very charming example of the latter, and her wondrous boutique Tavin (on one of the coolest blocks in LA, Echo Park Blvd) is an emporium of fantastically edited (Erin is a talented stylist) and expertly curated vintage and recent covetable designer finds. Shopping at Tavin is a truly special experience -- your eye travels the world from Afghani and Indian dresses and Navajo jewelry to Thai cotton skirts, delicate Victorian frocks, Sonia Rykiel and YSL gems, books from local authors, and aromatherapeutic soaps and herb bundles from Big Sur.

 

Erin and her husband Nathan are soon embarking on a shopping, camping, and hot springs road trip in the Pacific Northwest, starting in Seattle. We can't wait to get back to Tavin to see what treasures she brings back.

Tuesday + Tavin

stylist Jessica de Ruiter outside Tavin by The Sartorialist via wwd

We're so excited about our trip to Tavin in Echo Park today!! Can't wait to look (and drool!) over the amazing vintage and designer wares. And of course, we are looking forward to sharing pictures! Coming soon...

Just Say Native (and those Annie Hall-worthy cargo pants)!

I've been re-visiting the Echo Park Craft Fair, and in doing so, I wish I had gotten more pictures of Just Say Native's corner (there were a lot of people wanting to look at the lovely vintage selection so didn't want to get in the way!). There were cargo pants in particular that reminded me so much of what Diane Keaton wears in "Annie Hall" - That scene where Alvie comes over to help her with the spider the size of a Buick! I wish I had tried them on, so maybe I'll have to get in touch with the ladies of JSN who have a studio in Los Angeles.

Come to think of it, the well-curated edits (gauzy boho Indian dresses, the army jackets, the denim) could come from the closet of any '70s style maven, like Annie Hall herself. 

Field Trip: Echo Park Craft Fair (Part 3) - Tavin

There were some incredible vintage treasures to be found at the fair and Tavin (owned by stylist and costumer Erin) had a thoughtfully curated selection of vintage clothing as well as a great mélange of things for the home (like soaps from Big Sur and frasada blankets from Bolivia). I really loved how everything was artfully arranged on the tables and in the racks, and Erin was really cool about me taking lots of pictures (thanks Erin)! The clothing ranged from ethereal antique white embroidered dresses to '70s Indian cotton dresses. I had my eye on a paper thin silk Balenciaga blouse designed by Nicolas Ghesquière and a quintessential piece from Sonia Rykiel, a perfectly French striped sweater - very marinière ;)  There was also a cute pair of YSL platforms but they weren't my size.

Erin has a boutique in Echo Park and I'm really looking forward to checking it out in person with my sister - It sounds amazing!

Field Trip: Echo Park Craft Fair (Part 1) - Beatrice Valenzuela

Shoe designer Beatrice Valenzuela (her handmade footwear is pictured above) started the Echo Park Craft Fair back in 2009 and it has since grown into quite the event for southern California artisans. The last time I went was back in 2010 with my friend Rebekah (who was selling her ceramics, books and quilts) and it was at Beatrice's lovely new home. I remember thinking what a cool community of people they were and talented to boot! Even though it has gotten bigger, it has still retained that cool sense of community. Designers whom I first encountered back then, such as Clare Vivier, Kathleen Whitaker and of course Beatrice, were best kept secrets down south. Now, just a few years later, they are selling at some of the best boutiques as well as opening their own. I'm very happy for them since they really are a great group of ladies!

Thanks Beatrice for getting this (party) started!

x Kristin