This roundup of things we liked this week originally appeared in the October 17, 2024 edition of the Secret Strategist newsletter, a weekly email where we share the stuff our staff — plus a rotating cast of writers, design-world people, and various others with very good taste — would otherwise keep to themselves. If you want to get our picks straight to your inbox each week, sign up here.
This week: a few things from us and then a few things from someone with even better taste. —Katy Schneider and Simone Kitchens
This Week’s List
* Married artist couple Erin and Sam Falls have made a series of very beautiful ceramics together, now available through Galerie Sardine. They’re imprinted with plant matter! And will be on display in Paris this week.
* The Parisian outdoor shop A Young Hiker is filled with great things like this orange jacket.
Editor’s note: A Young Hiker lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.
* The Crocodile bag from Saks Potts is compellingly massive.
Editor’s note: Saks Potts lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.
* Kathleen Sorbara, who opened Chickee’s Vintage stores in Brooklyn (and has contributed to this newsletter), recently closed those locations and opened a new men’s and women’s vintage store called Sorbara’s (326 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg).
Check These Out Too
Giancarlo Valle, founder of Studio Giancarlo Valle, sent us a list of his favorite things.
* Pentel Sign drawing pen: “I always start the design process with a sketch. Freestyling. This is my absolute favorite pen for sketching. It has a bit of weight to it, and the felt tip flows really well. You simply cannot beat it.”
* Persol sunglasses: “These sunglasses are as classic as it gets for me. A bit retro but not too much. They have a little metal flourish, and that is it.”
* Cartier Tank Cintrée watch: “I have a soft spot for Cartier watches. My wife gifted me one for my birthday, and I have been in love with them since. The exaggerated proportions of the dial on this 1969 tank Cintrée are subtle and feel both classic and modern.”
* Gardenheir clogs: “My studio has been into clogs for a while. Someone in the studio first started wearing them during the day and we had the idea to convert the entire team to use them while at the studio as our version of ‘house slippers.’”
* Neptune Papers: “One of my favorite lifestyle and interior magazines at the moment. Daytona Williams created this publication as an intimate portrait of creatives. It seems like a crazy idea to launch this project in the middle of the transformation that media is going through, but it also feels very timely.”
* Saman Amel sweater: “Saman Amel is a young Swedish brand that was introduced to me several years ago by a mutual friend. I think they have taken a slow and measured approach to fashion, and they travel to meet their clients in cities, which makes for a very unique shopping experience. It’s personal and very hands-on. They want to create modern heirlooms, which is the way we think about our work in the world.”
Editor’s note: Saman Amel lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.
* SGV mohair blanket: “We just released this mohair blanket in three colorways. It is created in a manual weaving process in Spain that dates back to the 15th century, and it is ultrasoft. It’s important to have blankets on hand in different rooms for wrapping yourself up! We think these colors are quite versatile.”
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
