Half-packed for Paris, dreaming of cobblestones and café au laits, I couldn’t sleep.
It was one of those nights when you stare into the dark abyss — above and within:
Envisaging, doubting,
Wondering, pondering,
Brooding, obsessing,
Questioning, guessing,
Craving, wishing,
Yearning, fishing
For a moon in the dark...
Then — that moment — two stray thoughts ran into each other in the chaotic ballroom of my mind and… click! They began to dance. That’s how Brooding in Paris began to whisper itself into being.
I first called it The French Connection — a wink to the film classic and France — but it didn’t quite fit. The collection wasn’t inspired by high-speed chases or trench coats. It was about reflection. About the stories that linger beneath the surface — the whispers of history and the quiet power of finding meaning in unexpected places.
Think less Gene Hackman, more existential wanderer with an espresso.
The Guardians of Stone and Story
The gargoyles of Notre-Dame came to mind — towering above the city, jaws agape, spitting rainwater as if they’ve had it with everyone’s nonsense.
Timeless stone beasts watching over centuries of human drama. Beautiful, yes — and incredibly practical: rainspouts guarding their foundations.
Aesthetic marvels and humble plumbers — keepers and purveyors of countless stories.
Apparel as Messenger
Isn’t that what clothing is? It adorns; it shields; it speaks.
Symbols, statements, quiet rebellions, philosophical winks stitched into form — garments broadcast messages to the world. They’re narratives close to the skin.
Brooding in Paris: More Than Just Style
The Brooding in Paris collection is about beauty and depth, the seen and the unseen — about the understanding that passes between strangers, the resilience of old stone, the power of art you can wear.
I wasn’t just packing clothes. I was packing ideas. Curiosities. The belief that every thread carries a story.
Next stop: Paris.
I couldn’t wait to hear what the gargoyles — and perhaps the city itself — had to say.
🖤
— Vibe & Verse
From page to thread — a story you can wear
The Night Before Paris $35.99