Category Archives for luxury

Our Annual Sale 2019: Frequently Asked Questions

The beginning of a new year means that it’s time to start things off with a new note!  That said, we’re thrilled to share some answers to some frequently asked questions regarding Our Annual Sale (the perfect opportunity to update your stationery wardrobe with new notes of your very own).

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What is the Dempsey & Carroll Annual Sale?

Our most popular correspondence cards are offered at special pricing during the month of January.  Pricing of $295 (regularly $480) includes 100 #3 3-ply engraved correspondence cards, 100 plain envelopes, and a new one-line engraving plate.  Not sure what any of this means? Don’t worry, we’ve done the heavy-lifting for you. You’ll be sure to impress anyone with this classic choice.

 

Can I use any ink color or typestyle for my new cards?

This year, we are offering a selection 9 ink colors and 9 typestyles as part of the sale pricing. The 2019 offerings are listed below and on our website!

Correspondence Card Sale 2019 Offerings

 

What if I already have an engraving plate that I’d like to use? Is there an additional discount?

You are more than welcome to use an existing name plate for your sale order. Your existing plate can be in any typestyle.  There is no additional discount offered when you use an existing plate.

 

Can I add a return address to my envelopes?

Yes, you can certainly have your envelopes engraved with a new or existing return address plate.  The pricing for a quantity of 100 engraved cards and engraved envelopes with an existing return address is $490 (regularly $745). A new return address plate can be purchased at our normal pricing for an additional $190.

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Will I receive a proof for my sale order? 

A design proof is not included with your sale order, though you may choose to purchase a proof with your order for an additional $10.

 

I am planning on using my cards for more formal occasions like sympathy notes and professional correspondence. Do you have any ink color suggestions?

We would suggest using a more neutral ink color like Black, Regent Blue, Baron Gray, or Hunter Green for formal correspondence.

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Our Annual Sale is available through January 31, 2019
Please feel free to email us with any questions: info@dempseyandcarroll.com 

 

A Look Back at our 2018 Partnerships

As we look back at another great year at Dempsey & Carroll, our partnerships remain some of the most memorable highlights. 2018 brought several new collaborators into the Dempsey & Carroll mix, as well as some of our old friends who we were delighted to work with again. Our collaborations allow us to push ourselves in new directions – experimenting with new techniques and designs. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work alongside these visionary and truly wonderful brands this year. 

 

Caitlin McGauley 

Having worked with Caitlin in 2017 through our partnership with The Maryn we were thrilled when she decided to introduce stationery to her own business. Her whimsical, bright, beautiful designs have been favorites of ours since we began working with her in 2017 and we absolutely adored translating some of her famous animals and animal-inspired prints into stationery. Who can resist her charming fox or a pink cheetah with red spots?!

Shop the collection here

Caitlin McGauley Fox
Caitlin McGauley Fox
Caitlin McGauley Cheetah

 

Sister Parish Design 

We have been following Sister Parish Design for years now as admirers of their stunning prints, so you can imagine our delight when they approached us about developing a line of Sister Parish-inspired stationery. As the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Sister Parish herself, Susan and Eliza Crater lead their amazing brand and embody Sister’s vision. We took two iconic Parish Hadley prints, Serendipity and Desmond, and highlighted these motifs as classic stationery sets.

Shop the collection here

Sister Parish x Dempsey & Carroll Desmond
Sister Parish fabrics
Sister Parish x Dempsey & Carroll Serendipity

 

Whispering Angel 

Who doesn’t love a little something pink? We absolutely adored working on this collaboration with the winery behind our favorite rosé. Two charming angels engraved in Whispering Angel’s signature pink adorn the top of the luxurious 4-ply note cards we created for this wonderful winery. Time to drink pink!

Shop the collection here

Whispering Angel x Dempsey Carroll

 

Life Itself 

We partnered with the team behind Amazon Studios’ Life Itself this year to create a set of stationery reflecting two of the beautiful locations featured in this film. The stationery set showcases New York City and Carmona, Spain alongside a charming engraving of a fountain pen. The collaboration was inspired by the reasons we write, and connecting people in places thousands of miles away from one another.

Shop the collection here

 

Lingua Franca 

We could never in our wildest dreams have imagined that one day we would be selling stationery that had been embroidered and even more so,  embroidered with the coolest phrases like “booyah” and “everyday i’m hustlin’,” and we couldn’t be more thrilled about it. Hi, it’s us, Dempsey & Carroll, a 140-year-old stationery brand just selling cards with Rick Ross lyrics on them! How cool?! We loved every second of working with Rachelle of Lingua Franca and her truly amazing team. We are so happy to be able to offer these amazing note cards and delighted to partner with Lingua Franca, a company whose work we admire and are proud to be affiliated with.

Shop the collection here

 

J.McLaughlin

Third time’s a charm (though we loved the first and second ones too!)! This holiday season we released our third collaboration with famed ready-to-wear brand, J.McLaughlin. We shifted towards playful prints inspired by the season and created by artist John Pirman paired with cheery engraved phrases like “What a bright time,” and “Cheers.” We’re certainly cheersing a few of our friends this December with these note cards

Shop the collection here

140 Years of Dempsey & Carroll

In honor of Dempsey & Carroll’s 140th Birthday, our CEO, Lauren Marrus, wanted to share a few words on how we are continuing the legacy of our founders while making traditions modern. Cheers to 140 years! 

140 years ago today, two men, John Dempsey, a talented engraver, and George Carroll, a savvy businessman came together to found Dempsey & Carroll.  Their mission still remains at the core of our business today:  to provide luxury writing papers along with advice on etiquette and proper decorum in a variety of social settings.  To the founders, the social institutions of correspondence and etiquette were inseparable, and they saw Dempsey & Carroll as the ideal marriage of the two.

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Today, we celebrate both how far the business has come in these 140 years, and how dedicated we remain to our craft – many of our presses from the early 20th century are still in use today.  And, while, we are no longer on 14th Street in Union Square, we still call New York City our home.

Our team today uses the core values that John Dempsey and George Carroll put in place over fourteen decades ago to work together with our clients to make traditions modern.  The calling cards of John Dempsey and George Carroll’s time meant to announce a visitor are now used to share Instagram handles.

Formal dinners, once a regular event, are now more relaxed and seating arrangements and place cards are more about lively conversation and table adornment than matchmaking and social status.

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The impression of the handwritten note on the finest engraved paper has never been more meaningful.

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We thank you for being a part of our history and we invite you to join us in making traditions modern for many years to come.

— Lauren Marrus, CEO of Dempsey & Carroll

Spotlight on Sister Parish Design

In honor of our new collaboration with Sister Parish Design, we had the pleasure of interviewing its President and Co-Founder, Susan Crater. We learned about her decorating style, inspirations, and the lasting influence of her grandmother, legendary Designer Sister Parish.

We are thrilled to bring the Parish-Hadley design legacy to paper with the launch of our Desmond and Serendipity correspondence card sets!

Susan with one of our Desmond cards
Sister Parish fabrics
Sister Parish x Dempsey & Carroll Desmond

What inspired you to revive your Grandmother’s work and start Sister Parish Design in 2000? Did you always know that you wanted to work in the design field?

The truth is that I did not always know that I wanted to work in the design field. I did always know that I appreciated a beautifully decorated room, and especially appreciated and loved the rooms that my grandmother and Albert [Hadley] designed. It is these rooms that inspired me to create this collection.

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Sister Parish x Dempsey & Carroll Serendipity

Many of your patterns are from the Parish-Hadley archives, though you have also launched new patterns along with a home accessories collection. How do you find a balance between honoring the Parish-Hadley tradition while continuing to update your offerings?

We look to the rooms that Parish-Hadley decorated and we look to the rooms that inspired Parish-Hadley to guide us in building our collection. How are textiles being used and what types of textiles are being used in these rooms?  Will decorators today want to use these textiles in the same way or will they want to use them differently? These are the types of questions we ask ourselves in order to build a collection that will continue to honor the Parish-Hadley legacy.

Desmond Wallpaper
A home study with Desmond Wallpaper

What is your favorite piece of decorating advice that you like to share with friends and clients?

“Innovation is often the ability to reach into the past and bring back what is good, what is beautiful, what is useful, what is lasting.”  -Sister Parish

Photo: Horst P. Horst/Condé Nast Archive

Sister Parish, 1974

What do you think that everyone should avoid when decorating a home? Do you have any design-related pet peeves?

One thing my grandmother taught me was the importance of scale. Overly large and overstuffed furniture will ruin a room.

 You have a gorgeous house up in Bedford, New York!  How would you compare your personal design aesthetic to that of your Grandmother’s? Do you have any favorite pieces of hers that you have out in your home (furniture, decorative pieces, etc)?

I’ve always wanted to create the same comfortable and beautiful rooms for my family that my mother and grandmother created for theirs.  I’m particularly in love with a green velvet Lawson style sofa designed by Billy Baldwin. Baldwin was small in physical stature and would use the Lawson sofa as his bed in his studio apartment. The same green velvet has been on the sofa since the 1980’s and it has only gotten better with time!

Photo: Oberto Gili for Architectural Digest
Photo: Oberto Gili for Architectural Digest

We’d love to hear a bit more about the Desmond and Serendipity patterns that are featured as part of our collaboration. How did you end up choosing these particular designs?

Both Desmond and the Serendipity are small all over prints that make a big impact. They are tried and true patterns that have added depth and sophistication to many rooms over the years. We knew they would have the same effect on stationery as they’ve had on rooms.

Sister Parish x Dempsey & Carroll Serendipity
Sister Parish x Dempsey & Carroll Desmond

You have priceless handwritten letters from First Lady Jackie Kennedy to your grandmother in your archives—a perfect tie-in with our partnership. Why do you think that handwritten correspondence is still important in 2018?

A beautifully handwritten letter is like a beautifully decorated room. If properly cared for, it will last forever!

A closer look at a letter from Jackie Kennedy to Sister Parish
Letters from First Lady Jackie Kennedy

Where is your ideal place to sit down and write a letter?

My porch in Maine.

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Susan and her daughter, Eliza, at the Dempsey & Carroll office during the photo shoot for our collaboration

Many thanks to Susan for taking the time to speak with us. Be sure to shop our collaboration on our site here!

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is right around the corner, but there’s still time to find a noteworthy gift from our collections.  Follow along to see a few of our top suggestions to fit any Dad’s style!

 

John Derian Fly Fisher

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Lure one in with our John Derian Fly Fisher Set. Go Fish! $65 for a set of 10 cards and envelopes, shop here.

 

Caitlin McGauley Fox

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Dapper style can continue from the closet to the desk with all of the colorful patterns by Watercolor Artist Caitlin McGauley. $55 for a set of 10 cards and envelopes, shop here.

 

Happy Hour

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Most Dads know that a well-crafted cocktail is often the perfect punctuation mark at the end of the day. Say cheers to Dad with the engraved silver bar set from our Happy Hour set! $65 for a set of 10 cards and envelopes, shop here.

 

Handsome Notes

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Keep it classic with the stately motifs from our Handsome Note Collection, a must-have for the Dad who knows less is more. $55 for a set of 10 cards and envelopes, shop here.

 

Personalized #7 Monarch Cards

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At 7-1/4” x 3-3/4”, the Monarch Card is wider than our standard correspondence card and is sure to make an impression. Pricing begins at $405 for a set of 100 cards and envelopes, shop here.

 

Personalized Jotter Notes

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These 3” x 5” sheets can be personalized with a name or monogram and are perfect for quick notes on the go or at the desk. Helpful Hint: All bespoke stationery orders are completed within our standard 4-6 week timeline, though you can gift your dad one of our Leather Jotter Note Holders as a preview of the delights to come!  Pricing begins at $305 for 100 engraved jotter notes, shop here.

 

Spotlight on Double G Events

Designer Maggie Brucker of Double G Events knows how to throw a perfect party! Recently, Maggie graciously indulged Dempsey & Carroll’s Austin Ackles with a delightful dose of her wit and wisdom.

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We adore your work! How were you first drawn into this beautiful business?

Thank you so much for your kind words! I actually got into this industry “by accident,” though I always knew I wanted to do something creative for my career. As I was growing up, I took theater and dance classes, voice lessons, performed in plays, painted, and more. I went to college for Interior Design thinking I would open up my own design firm some day, but I realized that it wasn’t for me after working in the industry for two years.  I then did what every other 24-year- old college graduate did when they didn’t have a job and started bartending at my friend’s restaurant. The restaurant soon started to offer off-site event catering and my friend asked me to help, thus my love for events and weddings was born!

After a few years with my friend’s catering company, I was offered a position as the Event Planner for Barteca Restaurant Group (Bartaco, Barcelona Wine Bar), where I took on the role of planning and designing all in-house and off-site events. Six years later, I decided to open my own Event Planning and Design boutique and Double G Events was launched in 2010!

 

Your events are so fresh and spirited, yet so timeless. What’s the secret to striking this perfect balance?

You hit the nail on the head! There are so many talented planners and designers out there, and I am so lucky to be friends with most of the ones based in Connecticut–they really are my soul and support group. Being a solo entrepreneur, it’s wonderful to have these gals just a phone call or text away for some “water cooler talk” or comedic relief. Sometimes you just need someone to lean on who gets your industry!

With that said, we all offer similar services and need to be able to differentiate ourselves from each other. It took me a while to figure out my unique style through lots of soul searching, paying attention to the clothes I wore, how I decorated my home, and more. I came to realize that my style is timeless with a bit of unexpected edge. I try to stay away from trends because I want my clients to be able to look at their wedding 30 years later and still love it.

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When I work with brides, the word I say over and over again is “AUTHENTIC.” I ask them questions about how they spend their weekends, what shows they like, how they decorate their home, and more. Though Pinterest is helpful for aesthetic reasons, it tells me nothing about my couples and who they are personally. My goal when designing a wedding is for their guests to walk into the space and say, “I get it! This is totally Jane and John!” and understand why certain elements were chosen.

As you can see from all of these photos, every wedding is unique because every one of my clients has their own unique style, and our job is to bring that to their event.

 

Within an event design, what element can you never get enough of? And what aspect do you think is most impactful when used with restraint?

Lighting, lighting, LIGHTING! Lighting will change a room’s ambiance in a heartbeat and I always ask my clients to put aside splurge money for this purpose. I describe lighting as the “jewelry” of the event. We work with Shindig Lighting a ton, and they are always evolving with innovative chandeliers, bistro canopies– you name it! In one of our most recent weddings together at Truelove Farms, we used hand-made hanging Moroccan Chandeliers that they personally picked out during their trip to Morocco to ship back to the USA!

 

Are you noticing any trends that were prevalent just a few years ago that your more recent clients are not requesting?

I won’t lie, but I am SO happy the burlap and Mason jar trend is OVER! As a designer, there is only so much you can do with burlap, and it made every wedding look exactly the same.

 

Are they asking for anything that’s new and surprising you?

We’ve definitely noticed a trend towards having a less formal affair. Instead of plated 4-course meals, clients are interested in having interactive food stations or passing appetizers throughout the reception so that guests can easily mingle and dance as they please. We’ve also been seeing a trend towards brunch weddings (my favorite meal of the week) instead of traditional dinner weddings.

Our clients are always looking for venues that have that “wow” factor, i.e, industrial factories or airplane hangars. Those are super fun to design!

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You do a lot of work at the Connecticut shore. Is there a dream venue you’ve been longing to design for but just haven’t had the opportunity yet?

Our dream venues are always backyard tented weddings—they are so personal to us and our clients. It’s a blank slate to bring in anything that the clients want without worrying about whether the décor we bring in will clash with the surroundings.

 

You receive heaps of praise from delighted clients. When they write you the thank you note, what are the two or three things that you keep hearing for which you are most proud?

I am most proud when clients praise my amazing team. I am personally not one to be in the spotlight – it actually makes me a bit uncomfortable – which is why I think I like this job so much. The bride is the show and I can stay behind the curtain.

When a client praises my team, I smile from ear to ear because they are an extension of me and my work. It makes me feel like I’m doing a great job in teaching them what our brand stands for, and watching them grow makes me feel like a proud Momma!

Here are a few of the best compliments I’ve heard lately:

“We spoke with other planners and you were the friendliest!”

 “I’m not that worried about which venue we choose because I’ve seen your work and know you’re going to make it amazing!”

 “We did not pay you enough for what you did!”

 

When it’s time for you to relax and recharge, what’s your idea of a perfectly relaxing evening?

I travel to Colorado a ton; we are currently opening up a studio in Denver and there’s nothing like the mountain views. When I’m in Connecticut, I love going to farmers’ markets and estate sales, hosting dinners for friends, trying out new restaurants (food in the way to my heart), and taking my dog hiking in the woods.

And your ideal weekend escape?

There are so many options, but there’s nothing better than retreating to a cabin in the woods without cell service or email so that I can completely unplug at the end of a busy season!

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Photo Credits:
Trulove Farms Wedding
Location: Trulove Farms, Morris, CT
Planning + Design: Double G Events, Planning + Design
Photography: Athena Bludè Photography
Florals: Fleurescent
Tent: Abbey Tent + Party Rentals
Rentals/Linen: Peak Event Services
Vintage Rentals: Gather + Lounge
Lighting: Shindig Lighting
J House Greenwich Wedding
Location: J House Greenwich, Greenwich, CT
Planning + Design: Double G Events, Planning + Design
Photography: Sarma + Co.
Florals: Fleurescent
Rentals/Linen: Peak Event Services
Lighting: Shindig Lighting
Candlewood Lake Wedding
Location: Candlewood Lake Club, New Fairfield, CT
Planning + Design: Double G Events, Planning + Design
Photography: Andrew Henderson Photography
Florals: Fleurescent
Rentals/Linen: Peak Event Services
Lounsbury House Wedding
Location: Lounsbury House, Ridgefield, CT
Planning + Design: Double G Events, Planning + Design
Photography: Monika Photography
Florals: Truffles + James
Rentals/Linen: Party Rental Ltd. // Gather + Lounge

 

A Look Back at Our 2017 Partnerships

As we look back at 2017, our partners highlight some of the year’s greatest accomplishments. We were thrilled to work with a number of incredible teams in the past year – some for the second or third time, and some for the first. Each project with our partners has been a wonderful extension of the Dempsey & Carroll brand into new and exciting sectors and we are thrilled to have had the privilege of working alongside these incredible brands. 

 

FORM Design Studio

In our latest collaboration with our friends Josh and Rafi from FORM, we looked back at our first collection as well as some new, fresh designs from Josh and Rafi’s archives to introduce new styles to the line. We’re always thrilled when we see an email in our inboxes from Josh or Rafi, or better yet, when they come into town and stop by our offices. Working with them on this latest collaboration was, as always, truly fantastic.

Shop the collection here.

 

FORM Voices
FORM Voices
FORM Tache Gift Tags

 

The Maryn 

As longtime fans of Michelle Adams, we were delighted when she reached out about her new venture, The Maryn, and the opportunity to create a line of stationery for the store. This seaside-inspired collection featuring work by Caitlin McGauley was a great way for us to explore translating watercolor designs to our medium.

Shop the collection here.

 

Photo Credit: Caitlin McGauley
Photo Credit: Marta Perez

 

India Hicks

We have been following India Hicks for years now, and when we heard we would be able to join her and her team in creating a stationery line for her Curated Collections we almost couldn’t contain our excitement. The island and England inspired line was truly incredible – a sea of gorgeous assets, perfect for an exquisite line of stationery!

Shop the collection here.

 

 

The Met

Just a few blocks up from us, with one of the most unbelievable library of assets we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with – it was a dream come true for us to introduce our first stationery collection in partnership with The Met. Five gorgeous SKUs, featuring a range of works from the museum translated to Dempsey & Carroll paper. It doesn’t get much better than this!

Shop the collection here.

 

 

J. McLaughlin

In our second collaboration with our good friends at J. McLaughlin, we were drawn to their resort patterns and prints. How could we resist?! When they brought their designs adorned with gorgeous corals, beautiful, bright aquamarines, with a touch of wicker we knew we had to put them on paper. This print-forward collection has us smiling each time we go to write a note, or jot down a quick to-do.

Shop the collection here.

 

J.McLaughlin Correspondence Cards
J.McLaughlin Wicker Tablet

 

Hill House Home

If you’ve ever met Nell and Katherine from the Hill House Home team, you’ll know as well as we do, a good night’s sleep is their passion. Their product speaks for itself, and the wealth of information the two of them have gathered about the science and art of a perfect night’s sleep is beyond impressive. But more impressive than the quotes from authors from Oscar Wilde to Hemingway on sleep that they’ve collected in their studies, is how devoted they are to helping their clients create a dream bed and bedroom. With that in mind, we were thrilled to help them continue to make the bedroom a sanctuary with our collaboration on bedside tablets and coasters.

Shop the collection here.

 

 

Hill House Home x Dempsey & Carroll

Our celestial-inspired collaboration with our friends at Hill House Home has been on our shelves for a few weeks now and we are so in love. The charming bedside tablets, and the dreamy coasters are the ideal way to dress up your nightstand.

We first met the Hill House Home team over coffee at The Crosby Street hotel. It was a match made in heaven. We had been following the brand since its inception and were thrilled to finally get our teams in the same room. Once they told us about their plans to open their gorgeous shop on Bleecker Street, we knew a holiday release would be perfect.

A few weeks later, we were all uptown and Nell, Katherine, and our Creative Director, Leo, had come to a decision on an exquisite collection featuring the perfect dressings for a bedside table.

Our party at the HHH Bleecker shop was a fabulous way for us to toast the collection, and begin stuffing Christmas stockings near and far! We’re excited to share some fun photos with you from our gathering the other day – we hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed the celebration!

 

Shop the collection here!

J. McLaughlin x Dempsey & Carroll

We absolutely adore when we get to partner with other brands to produce a stationery collaboration. A sprinkle of this, a dash of that, and suddenly you have something amazing that truly speaks to both parties involved. We were tickled pink when the team at J. McLaughlin got together with us earlier this year to begin designing our newest collaboration with them. 

With a J. McLaughin just 2 blocks away from our office, we are constantly watching what new and exciting prints and patterns they’re introducing.  You can imagine how difficult it was for us to narrow down the collection to only a handful of our favorites. After a few snacks from our neighbor William Poll it was decision-making time and we landed on a resort theme. 

Pops of aquamarine, coral, a flash of wicker and we were ready to go to production. With the weather in New York dropping more and more each day, our warm, breezy, balmy J. McLaughlin stationery has us dreaming of island getaways that are only a few weeks away. 

Spotlight on: Christos Dovas

Celebrated designer Christos Dovas is your first stop for a celebration in unforgettable style. Dempsey & Carroll’s Austin Ackles sat down with him to discuss how Greek origins formed a great New York talent.

 

QUESTION: You’ve been involved in garment design and construction since an early age. Can you tell us about those beginnings?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: I believe I was born artistic – The fact that I grew up with a father who was a shoe designer was a coincidence of destiny. I first learned to design from picking up the leather scraps from the floor, and making small wearable pieces. As a child, I watched my father buy raw materials and deal with market professionals – This taught me about business. watching my father work at the bench itself taught me how to pull the grow and straighten the fabric. I would say I was most fortunate to see my dad working original designs from the 50’s 60’s 70’s in leather skins, fabric and laces.

QUESTION: When we think of your work, what images would you like first to pop into our heads?  Light? Air? The sea? How has your Greek heritage informed you design?

CHRISTOS DOVAS:  I am a dreamer. I want my designs to conjure up the imagery of books, sculpture and paintings– secret stories all through the medium of my pencils and threads. It sounds funny but I get inspired while in New York; blending my past work experience and the city’s active lifestyle results in contemporary, artful pieces. My creations are influenced by pure poetry, clarity and symbolism. I love to design, create, and ultimately make women feel beautiful.

QUESTION: What thrills you most about Greece? And what do you find most exciting about New York?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: In Greece, it is exciting to be surrounded by time. History and Art have left marks with the Ancient Greek artifacts that inspire me daily. In contrast, New York’s contemporary presence is alive with a melting pot of different cultures.

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QUESTION: You’re an amazing colorist! When you use color, it feels at once bold and yet gently nuanced. Are there colors have you not been using that you are becoming more and more interested in?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: Since childhood, I have loved to draw with my pencils in black and white, along with watercolor and wax. I love gentle, smooth, soft pastels in combination with strong, dark, powerful hues. There are many different ways that color and fabric can be combined to create unique creation. The personality of someone is definitely the most important factor to consider when applying color onto fabric.

 

QUESTION: What’s it like to work with you and your studio? Can you tell us a little about the experience of commissioning your work?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: I am an old fashioned designer, which means that I like to show personal interest in the commission of a dress. Once we agree on the design, I begin to drape the fabric and bring to the drawings to life. Lots of hand-stitching is involved in the execution, and many fittings will happen to perfect a bespoke design.

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QUESTION: Can you give us a tip? What design elements should be avoided for practicality reasons?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: My philosophy revolves around beauty and timeless elegance. I would rather stay with simplicity instead of opting for a design with lots of lines and shapes.

 

QUESTION: When you’re seeking inspiration and renewal, where do you head?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: I often seek inspiration through books, art history, paintings, and sculptures. I always like to head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art here in New York and I love reading biographies of artists and designers.

 

QUESTION: Before we go, will you please share a sweet story about one of your favorite clients?

CHRISTOS DOVAS:  Every moment is a special occasion, though weddings take the cake. When designing a wedding dress, the mother is always the biggest advisor to the bride.  When it comes to details, there are usually different ideas and opinions to be had, especially when choose sleeve embellishments. A bride-to-be chose one ribbon with embroidery as the finish detail, and the mother chose another ribbon with bugles and crystals. There were a lot of hard decisions to make on their end in terms of which ones to choose. The final creation was beautifully stitched with attention to detail to make both the bride and mother happy with the design!

Learn more about Christos Dovas at http://www.ChristosDovas.com 
Credits:
Photography: Manuel Vasquez and Stephen Shadrach
Model: Jackie Swerz
Make Up artist: Alison Cornely,
Hair: Abby Ballin
Portrait credits: Francois Legagneur