Last Thursday, I woke up with a yearning. It was very early and the sun was just rising over lake Michigan outside my bedroom window. Golden spring light was seeping into the room around the draperies. I donned my first white jeans of the season, a frilled tuxedo shirt in robin’s egg blue cotton lawn and ballet flats. By the calendar, most Chicagoans would deem me a month or more too early to wear such an ensemble.
My sleep addled husband, who has never, ever been a morning person, opened one eye and asked me where I was going. “I’m driving to Nashville to see Susan. I need some new clothes”, I replied and the ensuing silence made me think that he had gone back to sleep. He wasn’t sleeping, he was estimating miles and dollars. Yes, it’s almost 475 miles one way. Quite a distance for an impromptu road trip.
Susan is Susan Sutherland of Style Paris. Her Parisian line of made-to-order clothing is worth going the extra mile (or 475) not to mention fits in nicely with my mantra of “make it your own”. The clothing, all made in France, is custom tailored, feminine and über-elegant. Just like Queen of Cashmere sweaters, each Style Paris garment is made for the wearer in their choice of fabric and color. Patterns are altered for each customer before the fabric is cut so a perfect fit is assured. Being a tough fit, I have come to rely on Style Paris for my better clothing. Additionally, these garments are top notch and come out of a factory that produces clothing for Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga so everything is exquisite.
Currently, there are two Style Paris shops — one is in Palm Beach and the other Southampton. However, if your travels aren’t taking you to either locale, all is not lost, there are other ways to see the line. Susan is the Grande Dame of the trunk show curcuit. Each season, Style Paris sets up shop for a few days in cities around the U.S. and suites in some of the chicest hotels are turned into a Parisian salon. The collection is shown by invitation and all are welcome. To have your name added to her inviation list you can e-mail your request to info@styleparis.com .
Additonally, Style Paris can also be found online at Taigan, a new shopping website that is certainly one of the most breathtaking on the Internet. Created and curated by a Nashville based group of shopping cognoscenti, Taigan is a veritable treasure trove of goodies guaranteed to seduce you. In order to take a peek inside, you must first become a “member” but trust me, the experience is well worth the divulging of your name and e-mail. Just take a look at the roster of retailers currently featured. Divine!
But now back to Nashville; the drive was 7.5 hours and once I passed the flat, fallow fields of Indiana, spring began to bloom. Rolling hills, horse pastures and split rail fences welcomed me into Kentucky. The blue grass had turned into verdant velveteen and magnolias, forsythia and dogwood were like floral fireworks. By the time I crossed into Tennesee my white jeans began to not feel so silly. Finally, I pulled into the driveway at my destination.
One of the Taigan-esses had opened her home for a private sale for two of the Taigan retailers. There couldn’t have been a more perfect venue.
Each end of a fabulous sunroom was set up as a shop. That is Susan in the image below dashing about. She did pause long enough give me a hug hello although she never slowed enough for me to get a good picture of her.
At the other end of the room, was Susan van der Linde and her charming husband Tom. The ladies of Nashville were eating up her couture hats and handbags for The Derby. However, I was mesmerized by her collection of Fascinators. For the uninitiated, a Fascinator is a headband with a decorative fixture that approximates a hat. How I wish I had the place to wear one!
That evening, we were all invited to the Belle Meade Country Club for dinner. Sitting at the next table was a lovely couple. They came over to our group and the lady proclaimed that Style Paris has “saved her life”. Her daughter’s wedding was in three weeks and until that afternoon she had nothing to wear. She had purchased a pink Style Paris suit which will be manufactured in time and arrive altered and pressed. It’s not an uncommon story and the sort of customer service that makes a person drive almost 1000 miles in two days for the Style Paris touch.
And thus, Susan has good naturedly labeled me her favorite driving fool. Next week? New Jersey.
