Can I tell you...about Lila Dupont.

Ok so full disclosure, I have yet to meet Lila Dupont in person. However, her mother Lauren and I go way back to when she was the Accessories Director at Vogue. Last year while we were catching up over lunch, she mentioned that her daughter Lila had just released a single. I was intrigued and immediately looked her up, followed her Instagram, TikTok and Spotify. I found her music to be emotive, dreamy and soulful. I especially love listening to her songs when I’m traveling and staring at the view from the window.

While I was working on my collection last season I was inspired to design a bag that Lila might like. Something timeless, with a vintage vibe and a nonchalant attitude to it. The Lila Top Handle bag is constructed in a blue jean fabric trimmed in cognac color leather and features a sporty stripe webbing strap.

Read out Q & A :

1.    What is your idea of happiness?

Every summer my family and I go up to our house up in Maine, and the feeling of returning home after a long day on the water. My idea of happiness is playing a perfectly tuned guitar after a long day of picnicking in Maine with my friends. 

2.    What is your greatest extravagance?

Travel and good coffee.

3.    What is your current state of mind?

My current state of mind is content. I just returned home from a long semester at University in Scotland. For months I was on the go, and now I am finally back home and am finding extreme joy in the moments of simplicity. 

4.    Whose style do you most admire?

For years I have admired Harling Ross Anton’s style. Her style is playful but also extremely mature. I love her ability to incorporate pieces that carry a youthful and creative essence while maintaining a level of professionalism.

5.    What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I would consider recording my first EP to be my greatest achievement. My dear friend and producer Scott Jacoby and I worked for almost two years on the songs, and I am extremely proud of them and the outcome of their releases thus far. 

6.    What is your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession is my gunmetal- blue Gretsch guitar. It was my first electric guitar and I have written some of my favorite songs on it.

7.    Who is your favorite writer?

My favorite writer is Jane Austen. I love the timelessness of her novels and the different personalities of the female protagonists. 

8.    Which living person do you most admire?

Although there are countless people I deeply admire, I would say right now I most admire Greta Thunberg. Her resilience and persistence at such a young age is powerful. She has been attempting to warn people about the severity of climate change since she was only a child, and still has faced immense adversity. 

9.    Where is your dream destination?

My dream destination would have to be Madagascar.

10. What is your motto?

“The important thing is not to stop questioning” 

If you love the Lila Top Handle Bag as much as Lila does, don’t wait too long. Only a few are left in stock.

Can I Tell You...about Bellee Huang.

Bellee with her #belleeknotpouch bag.

I met Bellee ( Isabelle ) four years ago while I was on vacation in the Philippines. I’ve known her parents for years but I had only met her on that trip. She has a radiance that emanates as soon as you meet her. Of course, I immediately followed her on social media and was impressed at her talent as a dancer; ballet, jazz and modern.

In the past two years, she has been a part of Steps Dance Studio’s Elite Training Bubble, training rigorously every day with other professional and pre-professional dancers from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Washington DC and New York. As a senior in International School she’s focused on keeping her grade levels up, but also teaching herself how to play the piano and guitar. Whenever possible, she joins her family on trips to El Nido, Palawan where she scuba dives and explores the beauty of the rich marine life in the islands.

While I was working on my Spring / Summer 2022 collection I designed a bag inspired by her effortless grace and cheerful personality. The #BelleeKnotPouch is created from a soft leather with handwoven panels and no visible hardware. It features a self knotted shoulder strap so you can adjust the length and comes with a detachable shoulder strap so you can wear the bag across your body.

Read our Q & A below :

1.    What is your idea of happiness?

My idea of happiness is spending my a morning 30 meters underwater, in the pristine El Nido coral reefs. Time seems to stop when I dive, and Itruly feel alive.

2.    What is your greatest extravagance?

My greatest extravagance is a peaceful, 5 am coffee. A great start to my day consists of alone time, a rich cup of hot black coffee, and my favorite alternative-rock music. I’ve discovered the peace I find as the sunrises with a cup of coffee in my hand allows for me to clear my head and heart.

3.    What is your current state of mind?

I must admit that with so much going on in my life right now—dancing, school, family time, creating art, and more—my mind feels like the song “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. My mind is in a constant state of flurry, yet I find such peace in that movement. Keeping busy it what keeps me going!

4.    Whose style do you most admire?

I admire Iris van Herpen’s haute couture pieces inexplicably. Each piece is carefully designed with such intricacy, and being passionate in art, what more is there to love other than beautiful textures, movement, and biomimicry?

5.    What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I competed in the Asian Grand Prix international ballet competition in 2019. It was only my second ballet competition, and I was able to achieve first place in Manila regionals and was a finalist in the Hong Kong semifinals and finals. The entire experience taught me about the importance of perseverance, self-compassion, and a support system. I learned how to stay focused and block out negative energy—important life skills that I still practice today!

6.    What is your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession has to be my first ever pair of Pointe shoes. Using them for the first time is an extremely important milestone in any dancer’s life. It signifies a step up in your career, as well as a new chapter of hard work, momentary pain, beauty and passion all at once. 

7.    Who is your favorite writer?

Kurt Vonnegut, author of novels such as “Galapagis” and “Slaughterhouse Five” is my favorite author at the moment. His Post Modernist novels opened up my eyes to the ambivalent nature of literature. Themes of skepticism, and the role of ideology in asserting political and economic power are extremely intriguing in his works. 

8.    Which living person do you most admire?

My sister Nikki, is the first person to come to mind when I am asked this question. She is my best friend, and I look up to her in so many different ways. Her work ethic, drive, and unconditional love for those closest to her heart are some of the many qualities that inspire me everyday. She is always there for me, and she is my rock.

9.    Where is your dream destination?

My dream destination has to be the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. I’ve visited the archipelago where Charles Darwin completed his study on the Theory of Evolution back in 2010. With such beautiful wildlife and biodiversity, I’s really love to visit again, now that I am older and am beginning to understand much more about the world around us!

10. What is your motto?

I have an acronym that I use and have inspired a lot of my friends to use whenever we are dealing with difficult situations: RIB. Responsibility, Internal power, and Balance. These three concepts keep me balanced and hold me accountable for so many different obstacles that I have encountered and will encounter in my life ahead of me.

Bellee wearing the #belleeknotpouch as a crossbody.

I love seeing how the #BelleeKnotPouch compliments Bellee’s easy, breezy style. She’s wearing it exactly as I imagined she would.

SHOP THE SPRING / SUMMER COLLECTION!

Can I Tell You...about Joy Moyler.

Joy Moyler with her #JoyWickerTote

I met Joy Moyler a few summers ago while she and her husband were visiting mutual friends in Greenport for the weekend. We converged at our favorite spot for oysters and rose’. I was immediately drawn to Joy’s affable personality and vibrant conversation. Joy is a celebrated figure in the Interior Design industry. She’s been on the Elle Decor’s A-List since 2019, AD 100 Designer and Hollywood Reporter’s Top 20 Interior Designers and a Contributing Design Editor for Veranda Magazine. She’s worked for some of New York’s most prestigious firms like Thierry Despont, John Saladino, Ralph Lauren and was the Head of Giorgio Armani Interior Design Studio. And if that isn’t enough, her residential projects include an A-List celebrity clientele like Pia Getty, Leo DiCaprio, Adrien Brody and John Mayer to name a few.

When I began designing my Spring-Summer Collection I was inspired to design a bag that Joy could wear from Spring through Summer. I know she likes wearing color so the bag had to be versatile enough to wear with almost everything and distinctive enough to stand out.

The #JoyWickerTote

Read our Q & A below :

1. What is your idea of happiness?

SLEEP and being stress free (though neither happen much). But I find happiness in the quest.

2. What is your greatest extravagance?

Travel, without a doubt.

3. What is your current state of mind?

Varies moment, by moment.

4. Whose style do you most admire?

Lena Horne, she was a family friend and her style remains etched in my memory.

5. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

These days... a good nights sleep!

6. What is your most treasured possession?

My late Dad’s watch, and memories of those who I've lost.

7. Who is your favorite writer?

Robert Ludlum, I devour a good mystery thriller. Especially, with a political edge. Much like life I guess.

8. Which living person do you most admire?

No one specifically, just anyone who has the courage to get up and try it all over again and giving their best shot!

9. Where is your dream destination?

Jaipur - I cannot wait to bring back all the textiles I can carry!

10. What is your motto?

"Best of Life, Best of Love"...

Joy Moyler in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Judging from Joy’s radiant smile, I think the #joywickertote complements her effortlessly chic personal style.

If you’d like to shop her latest project, Joy launched a capsule tabletop collection Joy Moyler Atelier in 2020, inspired by architectural landmarks (Majestic, Dakota, Beresford) along Central Park West here in New York City.

SHOP THE SPRING COLLECTION!

Can I Tell You…what's new for you this September.

Ella cut out handle tote

Back to life, back to reality, back to the here and now, yeah!

September is the perfect time to update your wardrobe with some major pieces. The Rafe New York Fall / Winter 2021 collection is packed with all new styles that are sure to be head-turners on the streets or at any fun events you’re planning to be seen at.

I’ve picked a few to introduce to you.

The Ella cut out handle tote is a compact little number that evokes structured handbags from the 1960s, an era that I’m always inspired by. I love it in leopard and in silver metallic. It has a detachable chain strap so you can wear it as a cross body bag.

Small Brooke cross body

The Small Brooke pleated clutch is an update from the bigger Brooke style. A little shrunken but still retaining all the charming details like the detachable resin chain link handle and the skinny cross body strap. This is the perfect day to evening bag.

Angie structured hobo

Sometimes, you have to look back to go forward. While working on this collection I delved into my archives and found some styles that felt relevant again today. The Angie structured hobo is a throwback to one of my original designs but updated with new logo hardware, additional function and materials.

In the coming weeks I’ll be introducing more new styles. I hope you like them as much as I enjoyed designing them.

Can I Tell You...it's a case of Natural selection.

My affinity for objects made from natural fibers began at an early age. I have memories of lazy afternoons lounging on rattan chairs while having ‘merienda’ and taking siestas under the mango tree on ‘banig’ mats. These visual snippets of my Philippine childhood evoke such happy times. Fortunately, the country of my birth has an abundance of sustainable raw materials and weaving traditions passed down through generations. All over the archipelago certain provinces are known for the varieties of woven materials they produce. Over the years, whenever I design a Spring-Summer collection I inevitably add natural elements into my collection.

This season, consider adding the Tracy wicker tote, the Eliz tote, the Vianca bucket tote or the Katrina bucket tote to your wardrobe as well as these other handwoven objects for your home.

If you love the bags I selected or any other style from our Spring-Summer collection we are offering a 20% reduction for our loyal subscribers. Use code: RAFELOVES at checkout! ( Good for the month of May and valid for US residents only ). Shop the Rafe site or click the button below.

Can I Tell You...give Mom some Love.

I have many fond memories of my Mother collecting Chinese antiques. Naturally, these early recollections have influenced my own aesthetics and find their way into inspiring my designs. Mother’s Day is around the corner and it’s an opportunity to give her something blue and white. Here are some of my picks that you might want to consider. You know she’ll love any of these.

If you love the bags I selected or any other style from our Spring-Summer collection we are offering a 20% reduction for our loyal subscribers. Use code: RAFELOVES at checkout! ( Good for the month of May and valid for US residents only ). Shop the Rafe site or click the button below.

Can I tell you...about Jussara Lee.

Jussara Lee and I first crossed paths in New York in the late 90s. I collaborated with her to design bags for her runway show during New York Fashion Week. That was a really fun experience especially for a newcomer in the industry. Almost every look came out with a bag which was unheard of in those days. Ever since then we have stayed in touch throughout the years. Whenever we could, we would grab a bite or a coffee just to catch up. Our conversations were always heart to heart, full of love, honesty and laughter.

About 10 years ago Jussara started transforming used clothes into new clothes. She learned that In the US alone, the average consumer wears only 20% of what is in their closet. According to her clients and friends, the remaining 80% mostly ends up hidden away in the back of their closets or are donated. That motivated her to start a mending program called the Hand Me Up collection.

When I started designing this season I had the opportunity to do some up-cycled bags and I immediately thought of Jussara. This was something I knew she would love. The #jussaratoteandmask set is a combination of patchwork fabrics collected from factory overruns then hand-embroidered in naive motifs using the Japanese Sachiko technique. Each piece is worked on individually by different women; making every bag a one of a kind.

Read our Q&A and get to know Jussara:

1.    What is your idea of happiness?

Picking cherry tomatoes from my kitchen garden on a cool afternoon. One for me, two in the basket...

2.    What is your greatest extravagance?

Not to have a regular job

3.    What is your current state of mind?

 Sounds cliche but I really mean it: I feel blessed for being healthy

4.    Whose style do you most admire?

Mine.

5.    What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Growing up eating meat, I never thought I could become vegetarian let alone vegan. Except once a year when I indulge and eat churrasco, Brazilian barbecue :).

6.    What is your most treasured possession?

I am not attached to anything. But if you squeeze me hard, I would say my prescription glasses.

7.    Who is your favorite writer?

Miguel Cervantes

8.    Which living person do you most admire?

My mother

9.    Where is your dream destination?

I love my home.

10. What is your motto?

Tasty, healthy, nutritious food will get me to climb a mountain.

If you love the #jussaratoteandmaskset or any other bag from the new collection, use the code RAFELOVES at checkout and receive a 20% reduction.

Offer only valid for US residents and good until April 30, 2021.

Can I tell you...about Vianca Soleil.

On one cold day this past winter I was scrolling through Instagram and virtually escaping the reality of winter in East Coast when I happened to see a photo that immediately transported me to where I wanted to be. Vianca Soleil’s feed is full of dreamy images of her life on the beach. We started following each other and immediately formed a connection with our love for nature, the sea and seashells.

She has been working on finishing Unna, a eco-resort her family owns whilst designing furniture and doing some photography work. Construction work on the property has been very slow due to pandemic restrictions. They hope to be open as soon as it’s safer but that may not be until 2022. In the meantime, I will keep wanderlusting after her images.

Whilst designing my Spring Summer 2021 collection, I kept referencing images from Vianca’s Instagram. I was so inspired by her vision and her life. She fueled my desire to escape. The Vianca bucket tote is constructed from hand-woven abaca embellished with real fan shells, straw embroidery and trimmed with leather handles and a detachable long strap.

I asked Vianca a few questions about what’s on her mind these days and what inspires her.

1.    What is your idea of happiness? Living by the sea.

2.    What is your greatest extravagance? Travel is probably my greatest extravagance. I crave to keep exploring places and don’t mind spending a little extra on unusual experiences.

3.    What is your current state of mind? Finding balance.

4.    Whose style do you most admire? Christophe Lemaire and Sarah Linh Tran are creating the most inspiring collections at Lemaire. 

5.    What do you consider your greatest achievement? Designing and building Unna. I consider it to be my life’s work. I see it as my greatest achievement because my father would’ve wanted me to achieve my wildest dream and I’d like to think I’m beginning to reach it.

6.    What is your most treasured possession? My mom’s mother of pearl clutch from the 80s.

7.    Who is your favorite writer? Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

8.    Which living person do you most admire? I’m fascinated by Buddhist culture and have always admired the Dalai Lama.

9.    Where is your dream destination? Dreaming of a trip to Egypt, Israel and Jordan!

10. What is your motto? My dad would always say, the best is yet to come.

If you like the #ViancaBucketTote or another bag from the new collection, use the code RAFELOVES at checkout and receive a 20% reduction.

Offer only valid for US residents and good until April 18, 2021.

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