Photograph courtesy of Meghna Davé

Like many, Meghna Davé left Atlanta after school for the bright lights of New York City. She grew up in an Indian family in Dacula, where textiles were the family business—her mom created niche, high-end costumes for local dance groups. “I wasn’t interested in continuing in the family business or entrepreneurship,” she says. “I wanted to work in corporate America in NYC. That was my dream.”

After two years in New York City, though, she realized that life as a forensic litigation consultant wasn’t necessarily for her, either. She quit and traveled around Asia, beginning to think about becoming an entrepreneur. Surprisingly to her, her business ideas revolved around textiles, but with one key difference. “I realized that my own thing didn’t have to be exactly like my parents’ business, but rather a combination based on my heritage and how I grew up American,” she says.

What that business was going to be, though, she didn’t quite know. During her sabbatical, Davé enrolled in a dressmaking school in Thailand, then went to India to research natural dyes. She had no goal other than to learn new skills and meet artisans. While in India, she met a local family who block-printed traditional fabrics, and began experimenting with the possibilities of their fabrics. A year later, with the help of her parents, she began delving into business conversations to make a clothing line a reality.

Now in its 12th year of operation, Maelu is the marriage of Davé’s Indian heritage and American spirit. Collaborating with three block printers in India that specialize in different techniques, she combines the traditional with the modern. Her focus is on natural fibers, sustainable practices, and well-made pieces. She works with an NGO in India for sampling and manufacturing that provides resources to women who have suffered from domestic violence, teaching them sewing skills and offering the support they need to work with the organization or start their own microbusinesses.

Maelu comes from the Thai phrase mai ru, which loosely translates to “I don’t know,” a perfect fit for Davé’s philosophy of figuring things out as she goes. “The nature of the unknown appealed to me,” she says. “I didn’t want to put a vision on it. It was more about doing one step at a time.”

She began her business in Atlanta, but after she met her husband, they moved to Portland. Her line of dresses, pants, tops, pillows, and more has blossomed into an avenue for community since they moved back to Atlanta in 2022, after the birth of her son. She opened her retail space in Grant Park in September 2023. While she wasn’t actively searching for a brick-and-mortar, she was, once again, open to possibilities unknown. It more than worked out. “I’m five minutes from my house,” she says. “I take my son to the park across the street.”

She enjoys having a physical space to help customers and amplify local brands. Right now, that includes a section for such specialty foods as Spicewalla spices and Portrait Coffee, and a kids section with small runs of toddler- and baby-sized clothing in Maelu prints, plus toys and accessories. There’s jewelry from Grant Park–based Connie n’ Jack and Decatur-based Fossil & Hide, and fragrance from Sandy Springs’s Eidecker Studio. She’s planning more events this year, continuing to build the community that has supported her so passionately. “We’re a lifestyle store. We’re creating a story, a feel. We want this space to feel welcoming for all,” Davé says.

This article appears in our June 2024 issue.

The post Atlanta native Meghna Davé brings Indian-inspired apparel and textiles to Maelu in Grant Park appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by Katie Michelle Photo

Pickleball is undeniably hot across Atlanta. It’s not surprising, perhaps, given how much Atlantans love tennis. Pickleball is tennis’ louder, more social cousin and if the debut of places like Painted Pickle are any indication, the sport will have longevity in our city.

For some, dressing the part is just as important as how you play the game. A new collection, CROSBY by Mollie Burch x La Point, debuted from two Atlanta-based brands recently to help those who want to look stylish while playing achieve that goal. CROSBY by Mollie Burch is a ready-to-wear brand that was founded in 2015, is known for its bold and bright original prints in feminine, easy-to-wear silhouettes.

La Point, founded last year by Lindsey Catone, is a pickleball paddle and accessory brand. “Our philosophy is that pickleball doesn’t have to always be so casual, it can be fancy and fun. We want to meet performance with fashionable designs,” she says.

Catone originally reached out to Burch to talk about collaborating on a paddle, communication that was fortuitous as Burch was thinking about launching an active line. “It was very serendipitous, and we loved Lindsey’s philosophy of making pickleball pretty but functional. We loved supporting another small, women-owned, Atlanta-based business, too,” says Burch. The timing was right, and the two launched the CROSBY by Mollie Burch x La Point line this spring.

Featuring paddles and matching dresses, the collection is available in five vibrant prints with names like Palm Beach, Ace It, and Pickle Plaid. The paddle collection is available on both websites and the corresponding activewear can be found on the CROSBY by Mollie Burch site, with the pieces available at select in-town boutiques like East Magnolia in Marietta and Barnett & Co in Peachtree City.

It’s been fun for the two to see the collection out and about around town and see the response. “Putting our prints on paddles hits a niche market,” says Burch. “We definitely hit on something that was missing. Our paddles play well, but they look really pretty and come in a beautiful branded case people like to show off.” Catone, who is an active pickleball player, recalls a recent run-in. “I was at a tournament, and there were so many women that showed up with the paddles and in the dresses or skirts. A team of two signed up, and the pair did the Palm Beach pattern. They had the paddles, and one was in a dress and one was in a skirt. That was really cool to see,” she says.

The post Two Atlanta-based brands team up for a new pickleball collection appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by James Cool

It might seem counterintuitive given pandemic and postpandemic shopping habits, but malls are thriving. According to a recent study by Coresight Research, a retail research and advisory firm, top-tier enclosed malls are flourishing, outperforming in occupancy, revenue, and foot traffic. A stroll around Lenox Square or Phipps Plaza validates the data: “Coming Soon” signs dot both. There’s a tenant waiting list at these shopping centers as stores, particularly luxury ones, clamor to establish a foothold in Atlanta.

That’s not surprising to Su Longman, a longtime mall patron. The CEO and owner of Pallet Central Enterprises, she has shopped around the world and is proud to say that Atlanta’s offerings rival, if not beat, that of some major fashion cities. “I can find things to my eclectic taste much easier here in Atlanta, which might be contradictory to what non-Atlantans might believe,” she says.

Longman, who has frequented Atlanta malls for 20 years, also loves how the carefully selected stores have changed the demographics of the shoppers, with more variety in the clientele and brands, perhaps driven by the influence of the entertainment industry and the diversity of people moving here. “Atlanta is truly becoming the Beverly Hills of the South, and the designer shops coming in definitely attest to that,” she says.

Brands have felt the pull of the malls, too, with several opting back in to the shopping centers as home bases. Brunello Cucinelli, Akris, Christian Louboutin, Etro, Jimmy Choo, and Hermès have all returned to Phipps. Alo Yoga has already moved to Lenox Square, and Moncler will complete its migration there by the end of 2024. Here, a selection of stores to keep an eye on.

Balmain
The second half of 2023 saw the arrival of Parisian fashion house Balmain at Phipps Plaza, only the eighth flagship store in the country for the brand, joining others in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. Men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, handbags, and popular sneakers designed under the tutelage of creative director Olivier Rousteing are on display in the store’s minimalist interior.

Photograph by James Cool

Fendi
Several retailers, such as Tory Burch and Tiffany, already have a presence at both malls, doubling down on exposure and catering to their popularity. Fendi joins this elite list, complementing its Lenox outpost with a store in the former Tavern at Phipps space. Over 3,500 square feet showcase the brand’s signature men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections, accessories, shoes, and leather goods. A private client showroom and exotic leather goods section are decked out in Pakistan green onyx marble floors, adding to the sumptuousness of the store.

The Webster
Atlantans have missed Jeffrey at the malls, but that hole might be filled in late 2024 when The Webster comes to Lenox Square, the 10th location for the fashion powerhouse. The boutique, founded in Miami in 2009, is known for its more experimental brands, such as Alexandre Vauthier, Marine Serre, Paco Rabanne, Rhude, and The Attico. The Webster’s color- and print-heavy private-label brand, LHD, designed by CEO and founder Laure Hériard Dubreuil, is exclusive to its boutiques. In addition to clothing, shoppers can expect expertly sourced fine jewelry, plus home and beauty products.

Zegna
Perhaps one of the most striking spaces is Zegna’s new location on the ground floor of One Phipps Plaza, the LEED-certified office building adjacent to the mall. Facing the reimagined green space across from Citizens Market, the store reflects the brand’s sophisticated look with a modern twist. Fans will also be able to partake in its bespoke experience, with a master tailor on-site to hand-construct anything from suits to leather goods.

This article appears in our May 2024 issue.

The post Believe it or not, malls continue to be the epicenter of Atlanta shopping appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

It’s impossible not to notice the bright exterior at the corner of Oakdale Road and McLendon Avenue in Candler Park. Painted saturated tones of purple, pink, and green, the building formerly housed a gas station, thrift store, and, most recently, a Hungarian bakery pop-up in the driveway. The striking makeover is courtesy of Space Queen, a new vintage retail concept and community arts center from Michelle Norris and Forrest Aguar, the duo behind creative studio Tropico Photo. The pair have enjoyed successful careers in photography and commercial styling, bringing personality to campaigns for brands like Target, American Express, and Mailchimp.

Shoppers are greeted by a white and airy space showcasing racks and tables filled with bright, saturated and poppy colors. Everything from a vintage Tadashi hot pink evening dress to a Michael Simon knit bath sweater vest is available. Most items are more than 20 years old, although she does have some early 2000’s pieces sprinkled in.

Norris picks items that appeal to her eclectic style and the archetypes she buys for based on her friends, curating them to ensure they apply to a modern, funky dresser. That also includes a healthy amount of accessories, which have been a surprise for her. Whether charm necklaces handmade from vintage charms by Atlanta-based jeweler Prettiest Lobster, hand-painted vintage bags by Atlanta-based Good Golly, or things she’s handpicked, she loves seeing people gravitate towards accessories. “I didn’t initially think about accessories, but they’ve become one of my favorite things to source. I love looking at them and seeing the time and energy put into making each piece. It’s inspiring.”

Norris, a UGA graduate, has always been a vintage shopper for aesthetic and practical reasons. “Vintage is the absolute highest quality you can get for the price,” she says. “These price points are still a quarter of modern price points for things that are unique and well-made. The oldest pieces we have here are from the 1920s, so some items are 100 years old. And they’re still usable.”

In addition to being an office space and retail boutique, the intention was always for Space Queen to be a community arts space. “We want this to be more of a community arts space,” she explains. Artist workshops will debut soon, such as flower arranging, food photography, and watercolors. They also plan on hosting vintage collective pop-ups in the front driveway, supporting other vintage sellers.

Norris says that while she’s only been open a few months, the types of people who come in have been wide-ranging. “We have everyone from 10-year-old girls to 85-year-old women. It feels like everyone can figure out some way that these clothes and accessories apply to them. What ties them together is a love of whimsy.”

The post Space Queen brings bright vintage to Candler Park appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass

Atlanta-based fashion designer Abbey Glass is starting 2024 with a bang: a new spring/summer collection, a new bridal capsule, two new retail stores, and a spot in Dillard’s new concept, the Coterie. Here, she shares her inspiration and how she’s expanded her business.

You have a lot going on! Let’s start with the spring/summer collection. What was your inspiration?
Spring was very much inspired by florals—groundbreaking, I know! There’s also the influence of our muses, our 1960s-style icons. This spring, it was heavily influenced by Grace Kelly, with royal- and coastal-inspired pieces, and lots of dramatic bows. There’s a beautiful blue and yellow fabric that’s almost like an interior fabric, which I think will be really popular, and aqua and green organza pieces. I’m excited about a focus on floral fabrics and attention to isolated dramatic details on classic shapes.

Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass

You’re new to Dillard’s this year in their the Coterie collection. What’s the collection like?
The collection was designed with the Dillard’s team for the Coterie. It’s our Abbey Glass brand DNA and our best sellers which have been expanded or modified for the Dillard’s customer. There’s crossover [from the Abbey Glass collection] in the mood, but merchandised a little differently. There are also exclusives coming. Dillard’s is doing that beautiful yellow and blue fabric I mentioned in shapes that are a bit more avant-garde, and we’re running it in more of our best-seller shapes at Abbey Glass. We started dropping in January of this year. There are drops monthly from now until June.

Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass

How did the partnership come about?
We had a very successful event in Charleston with Southern Living (I’m a Southern Living Tastemaker) about two or three years ago. That team said that it was the best pop-up shop they’d had. There’s a lot of cross-over between their reader and the Abbey Glass customer.

We followed the thread with Southern Living, thinking about how could it apply to retail, to find our customers. We identified Dillard’s as a target retailer. It was an organic chain of introductions, and we pitched the brand to the contemporary department. They said they had been looking for a brand like us for so long, amazing quality with great fabrics at a great price point. [Atlantan and VP, General Merchandise Manager of Dillard’s] Alexandra Dillard Lucie and her team were starting a new concept called the Coterie. The premise of it is to bring female-founded brands with very unique points of view to a larger audience through Dillard’s. They made it accessible for brands like us to get into the big leagues and to scale this way and get visibility, without putting us at risk. We’re now a top-selling new brand at Dillard’s.

Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass

Why did you decide to also launch a bridal capsule collection this year?
We’ve always had white dresses in the line that were meant to be bridal, but we never could launch at the right time and curate it properly. Now, we have a marketing team that is intentional in their messaging, which made it the right time. The collection is our best-selling Abbey Glass styles in gorgeous white fabrics. Who wouldn’t want a beautiful classic one-shoulder gown with a bow, just in white? I love the Annabelle, a new silhouette. It’s a retro pleated fit-and-flare with spaghetti straps and a super low back meant to be a pre-wedding or getaway outfit.

Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass

You’re on a huge growth trajectory in 2024. Why is this your year?
We raised money in 2023 through the Tory Burch Foundation’s the Fellows Program. Each year, they select 50 women entrepreneurs for a yearlong program to help grow their businesses. I had a lot of support from them, asking ‘What’s next for the brand?’ and ‘What’s our value proposition, and is our customer market big enough?’ I’m a designer, but the fellowship made me a business person.

I started in custom dressmaking, so being able to make accessible, designer-quality clothing that most women can wear is where my passion is. It’s also what the market needed. I think a lot of mature and modest women aren’t being designed for anymore and they’re out of options unless they want to get to that custom $3,000 price point. So raising money to scale through the Tory Burch Fellowship has set me up for success. We’re excited to be a resource for women who want a trusted, go-to brand they can wear and feel confident in that feels timeless and classic. We want our customers to feel comfortable in their skin, focused on being with people they love instead of worrying about what they’re wearing.

Photograph courtesy of Abbey Glass

You’re even opening new stores.
Yes, this spring we’re expanding into [brick-and-mortar] stores in Charleston and Dallas in late spring/early summer 2024. Charleston is the special occasion hub of the Southeast, and people from all over the world come to Charleston. We saw a lot of customers in Dallas coming from online, and it’s a very similar culture to Atlanta, people love hosting and pay attention to dressing up. We love being where people like to be fancy and get dressed up.

The post Catching up with Atlanta fashion designer Abbey Glass appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by Wedig & Laxton

The pull of familial ties is strong in many industries. But in Atlanta, nowhere is this more true than in the jewelry business. Many local companies span decades and generations, often deeply rooted in their communities. Sara Beth Brown Prendeville, president of Brown & Co. Jewelers, thinks clients gravitate toward independent and family-owned stores because of their experience, which is often predicated on core values set generations before. When investing in fine jewelry, buyers value longstanding relationships. “Purchasing a piece of jewelry is so much more than a transaction,” she says.

Ronnie Agami, owner of Universal Diamonds, also stresses that “the relationships you make in this industry are priceless, from the client all the way to the supplier. We now work with children and grandchildren of our father’s original clients. It’s a privilege to work in a family business.”

Photograph by Wedig & Laxton

Here are seven family-run Atlanta-area jewelry stores to browse this Valentine’s Day.

Brown & Co. Jewelers
Brown & Co. Jewelers celebrates 50 years this year with big news, such as the Roswell location’s addition of the largest David Yurman boutique in the state, and the Buckhead location’s recent move to Buckhead Village District. The company has been helmed since May 2022 by president and second-generation Brown family member Sara Beth Brown Prendeville (her father, Frank, still serves as CEO). The Buckhead outpost offers Rolex, Cartier, and designer watch boutiques—and is adding a Patek Philippe boutique this year.

D. Geller & Son
Founded in 1939 by Dan Geller, D. Geller & Son was the first jewelry wholesaler and diamond dealer in the Southeast. (The family’s industry ties go back 15 generations, and a branch of the Geller family served as jewelers for a czar of Russia.) Three retail showrooms are in Kennesaw, Atlanta, and Sandy Springs, offering bridal and retail jewelry, repairs, and appraisals. Mike Geller is the current owner and CEO, with son Jonathan serving as managing director.

Guven Fine Jewelry
The Guven family has been serving customers for 40 years at its Buford location. Started by Isa Guven, who originated his trade in Turkey in 1969 before coming to the Atlanta area, it’s now a full family affair, with Isa’s wife, son, and daughter joining in. Retail jewelry, custom pieces, watches, appraisals, and more are on offer, with fast turnaround times.

Icebox
Brothers Zahir, Rafi, and Mo Jooma run Icebox, the jewelry store originally founded by their parents in 1976. The brand is known for its custom designs for celebrities like Ludacris, Grady Jarrett, Lil Baby, and more, and scores social media views in the millions. In 2024, the 24,000-square-foot store will add a boutique focused on preowned luxury watches. The brothers have also expanded into wholesale for Saks Fifth Avenue, e-commerce, manufacturing diamonds, and leather goods.

Pickens Jewelers, Inc.
Hays Pickens is the third generation looking after his family’s jewelry business, one of the oldest established jewelers in Buckhead. He now serves as a vice president, having joined officially after college in 2010. Pickens Jewelers started as a trade shop serving other jewelers and continues to do so today, in addition to selling retail and custom work. They have nine bench jewelers—a tribute to Pickens’s grandfather, who began creating fine jewelry in the ’40s.

Solomon Brothers
Brothers Ivan, Howard, and Anthony grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. Ivan came to Atlanta first and started the jewelry business in 1982. The brothers joined soon after, and now Ivan’s son Jaron serves as president. They have locations in Buckhead and Alpharetta.

Universal Diamonds
One of the largest diamond wholesalers in the Southeast, Universal Diamonds specializes in engagement rings and diamond jewelry. Amos Agami founded the business more than 40 years ago and now runs it with his two sons, Ronnie and Jonathan. The Buckhead boutique also offers estate and loose diamonds, which can be made into custom pieces.

This article appears in our February 2024 issue.

The post In Atlanta, the jewelry business is often a multigenerational affair appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by Steve West

In the market for a warthog head to mount on your wall? How about a vintage gremlin doll? Or a century-old vibrator? At Rainy Day Revival, an oddities shop in Little Five Points, these are just a few of the strange items artfully displayed throughout the store, which is like an antique shop on steroids.

Its founders, artist Jeremy Gibbs and interior designer Kim Gibbs, didn’t start out trying to feed Atlantans’ desires for weirdness. Rainy Day Revival began in 2018 when Jeremy and Kim decided to remodel their house, which was filled with the novelties Jeremy has been obsessed with ever since he glimpsed the two-headed calf at the Georgia Capitol Museum during a middle school field trip. “I’ve always made art and, ever since I was a kid, gone hunting and finding things in the woods,” he says. Jeremy’s art appears throughout the store. There’s a stack of toilet prints for sale, inspired by his former work as a plumber.

Rainy Day’s first location was in Chamblee, where they sold things like taxidermied two-headed cows and ceramic clowns. “We started getting a lot of business from the film industry for prop rentals,” Jeremy says. Then, in 2021, when property opened up in L5P, they moved Rainy Day there and kept the Chamblee location for exhibits and rentals, renaming it Obscure Prop House.

It was a homecoming of sorts. When they were teenagers, Jeremy and Kim used to hang out at L5P’s Junkman’s Daughter. “I felt perfectly safe down there and in my element, where I could talk with likeminded people. And where my artistic tastes were not only welcomed by other people but encouraged,” Jeremy says. “We want to be welcoming to the people who are into the weird stuff. As a teenager, at home, it wasn’t welcomed.” That’s why they sell “affordable things that are still weird . . . like plushies and toys and buttons,” Jeremy says. The store is a family affair; their dog and 10-year-old son sometimes come with them to work (“There are some times where I think he thinks we’re crazy,” Kim says).

On an August day, Kim meets me at the store in a Rainy Day T-shirt and jeans, and introduces me to her employee Qate Bean, a puppeteer clad in mushroom-print overalls. Jeremy joins on the phone because he’s transporting their traveling exhibit, “A Cryptic Collection of a Mad Clown.” (A permanent Atlanta museum is in the works.)

Rainy Day is roughly divided into themed sections: funeral equipment in one corner, vintage dental drills in another, and octopuses in formaldehyde neatly lined up on one shelf, while taxidermy—from a unicorn butt to a pronghorn head—hangs on the wall among pinned butterflies. A pterodactyl model, Jeremy’s favorite piece, dangles from the ceiling.

Kim and Bean walk me to a glass display case and gesture to a human fetus and a two-headed turtle. “These are items that come from the oddities museum that are not for sale. One, because you can’t really sell some of these things, and, two, they’re just so invaluable,” Kim says. Small placards explain their historical significance.

Other startling items on display include taxidermied dogs. Kim and Jeremy say that during the Victorian era, such items were common for wealthy people. “They didn’t have cameras . . . So what better way to keep Fido around than stuffing him?” Kim says.

Jeremy doesn’t give me much detail about where his stock of oddities comes from, aside from saying he’s “built a network” of suppliers. “I search high and low, mostly low,” he says.

Bean says that they are very careful about where they acquire “wet” specimens, like the octopuses. “There’s one guy who seems to emerge from the woods and tries to bring us all these wet specimens, and we’re like, Dude, we’re not sure where you got these,” Bean says.

Bean says she has been most surprised by the type of customers who shop there. Last year two conservatively dressed women entered, and she expected them to be unnerved. “But then they start telling me about the mortuary business that they run, and they’re getting all into talking about embalming,” Bean says.

Photograph by Steve West

Embalmers and mortuary workers are regular customers, as are dentists who buy vintage equipment, Kim says. And they’re not just buying products to display. “We’ve sold embalming fluid pumps to morticians for them to use,” Jeremy says.

After Jeremy gets off the call, Bean takes a “cursed” Kewpie doll down from behind the counter. A man bought the doll from the store and returned it hours later, Bean says. “Apparently in those two hours, a great deal of misfortunes befell him, and he felt sure it was because of this Kewpie doll,” she says. They decided it would be unethical to resell it, so they stuck it in a box. “A day of it being in this box, and then the head just started melting,” Bean says.

The Kewpie doll was a rare occurrence. What Bean is more concerned about is customers looking after their purchases. “I tell people when they buy something that they have now become the steward of its preservation, and you are keeping care of this little piece of history,” Bean says.

This article appears in our November 2023 issue.

The post Rainy Day Revival in Little Five Points is full of the unexpected appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by Wedig & Laxton

No one rocks the merch quite like the students and alumni of historically Black colleges and universities. Have you planned your Homecoming wardrobe?

Some Atlanta University Center favorites, with nods to Georgia HBCUs outside the metro:

Morehouse “Frankenstein” Hoodie, $175, African American College Alliance, aacaclothing.com

Fort Valley State University PrimeTime Crew, $59.99, Legacy History Pride, shoplhp.com

The Spelman Collection Crest Blazer, $598, Polo Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren.com

Morehouse Montblanc Meisterstück 149 Fountain Pen in gold, $1,495, M. LaHart & Co., mlahart.com

Black College Nines Tee, $37, Team Brown Apparel, teambrownapparel.com

CAU Red All Premium Leather Letterman Jacket, $625, MDJ Original, mdjoriginal.comThe Brooklyn Carry-on, Morris Brown College, $185, Chicer Collegiate, chicerc.com

Clark Atlanta University Ada Auto Timepiece, $688, Vitae London, vitaelondon.com

This article appear in our October 2023 issue.

The post Time to represent: Check out these cool pieces of Georgia HBCU merch appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph by Inari Briana

Miranda
From: Phoenix, Arizona
The Fest: I love dancing. There is dancing, and then there is dancing with a thousand people who also love dancing. I’ve met my soul family thanks to music festivals.

The Look: About a year ago I started a festival fashion company, where I design and handmake the dreamiest, one-of-a kind pieces! This set is one of my favorites because it makes me feel like a Rodeo Disco Mermaid.

Photograph by Inari Briana

Tori and Alex
From: Orlando, Florida
The Fest: “We visited Imagine Music Festival for our six-month anniversary,” Tori says. “The energy of the people you meet at these festivals is like no other. Everyone follows PLUR (peace, love, unity, and respect, the common principles of rave culture) and it just makes the experience so unique and enjoyable.”

The Look: “You could ask anyone I know—this outfit describes my fashion aesthetic perfectly,” Tori says. “I love anything colorful and neon! I got it custom made from Sassypantsthelabel, a small UK based clothing brand.”

“My outfit describes how outgoing I am,” Alex says. “It was super fun to match with Tori!”

Photograph by Inari Briana

Kevin
From: Perry, Florida
The Fest: I love music festivals because they give you the opportunity, for one weekend, to be your most authentic self and be in the presence of so many like-minded people. I grew up thinking I was weird and there was no one else like me; attending music festivals, I very quickly found my tribe. It’s the music that brings us together.

The Look: One thing I dislike more than anything is showing up to a party and find that someone has the same outfit on as me. So this year, I decided to tailor all my outfits myself. This year’s festival theme was Aquatic, and I wanted to look like Poseidon or even the king of Atlantis himself! I needed to turn heads—and that’s what I did.

Photograph by Inari Briana

Sky
From: Chicago, Illinois
The Fest: I love going to festivals like Imagine because that is where I feel at home. I know I can be myself without worrying about judgment from others—the EDM community is truly all about peace, love, unity, and respect.

The Look: I am a spooky person year-round, so my outfit was inspired by my love of all things scary. The entire outfit took a month to plan and was not 100 percent finished until a day before the festival. My favorite part has to be the mask; it was eye-catching and shocked pretty much everyone who saw it.

Photograph by Inari Briana

Hannah
From: Columbus, Ohio
The Fest: I am a professional shuffle dancer and have always loved EDM. Music festivals bring all different kinds of people together! You will be in a crowd looking one direction seeing a purple mohawk princess rocking her outfit, and the other way see a man who looks like he prefers country music but is loving life at a house stage! All stigmas, inhibitions and judgements are gone and we are one.

The Look: Lisa Frank will always be the best—I pulled every ounce of inspiration from her! I ordered this set from a UK designer, McEwan Studio—it was supposed to arrive the day before we left for Imagine, but I was heartbroken when it got delayed. Then I got a notification it had arrived at the post office the morning of our drive. Being the crazy girl I am, I called the post office and convinced them to hold the package for me! My husband picked it up and we hit the road two hours later than we had planned. It was definitely worth being late for!

Photograph by Inari Briana

Allen
From: Owen, Wisconsin
The Fest: A group of friends I met online wanted to go last year, but the festival got canceled (due to Hurricane Nicholas). We all love the music and artists—I had never been to a festival like this!

The Look: I was once dared to wear this maid outfit—I went through with it, and the smiles I saw while wearing it made me want to do it even more!  My friend bought me the collar and cuffs as a joke back in the day—adding them to the maid outfit just felt right for the crowd at Imagine Fest.

Photograph by Inari Briana

Kia
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Fest: I love festivals like these, not only because I love the music, but because there’s so much to do! They give me the ultimate feeling of freedom and creativity.

The Look: My outfit was inspired by sunset/golden hour colors. I did the paintings on my legs myself—I was planning on only doing one small sun, but I zoned out and kept painting bigger doodles and ended up with a little leg art gallery! My favorite part of my outfit was the mushroom hat: I bought it the at the festival pre-party and just had to wear it because it went with the colorful vibe!

Photograph by Inari Briana

Carolyne
From: South Florida
The Fest: Festivals let me escape reality—it’s a magical place where strangers become friends. I attend two to three festivals a year. Imagine definitely got my heart: I already bought my ticket for next year!

The Look: I create all my costumes. My look is aquatic theme-inspired: this mermaid outfit I’m wearing, I decorated with rhinestones and glitter.

Photograph by Inari Briana

Tiara
From: Austin, Texas
The Look: I love rainbows and colorful things, so having an outfit where there’s rainbows—which double as pockets to hold all my rave essentials—was a definite win!

Photograph by Inari Briana

Gio
From: Tampa, Florida
The Fest: I always love camping at festivals. It’s a great way to really detach from worries and be present with good energy!

The Look: Green is clearly my favorite color right now! My hair was a solid color but faded and ended up matching my outfit. I thrifted the shirt and made it into a tank top, and got the pashmina here at Imagine.

A version of this article appears in our December 2022 issue.

The post The fashion of the Imagine Music Festival appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.

Photograph courtesy of Reese Blutstein

Reese Blutstein started an Instagram account out of her Georgia State University dorm room in 2015 to share her outfits with the world. That account, @double3exposure, now has more than 351,000 followers and the 20-something has become known for her distinct style. She’s been featured in fashion magazines and traveled the world, often with her twin sister Molly (@accidentalinfluencer, who also has quite an impressive following).

Blutstein has parlayed her sense of style into impressive business opportunities, the latest of which is a Target collaboration. Called Future Collective with Reese Blutstein, it launched this month. The Future Collective umbrella of the retail juggernaut aims to highlight what it calls “creative makers and culture shapers.” Blutstein’s collection features more than 100 apparel and accessories items, most of which are under $35. Here, the Atlantan shares more information about the collection and her vision. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did the partnership come to fruition?
I have always been inspired by how Target collaborates with designers and creatives to bring in new perspectives, so when the opportunity to join the Future Collective family came about, I of course jumped at it. As someone who has been a Target shopper ever since childhood, and continues to this day, I still find myself wandering up and down the aisles with so much joy, so this partnership is full circle.

It’s also a natural progression for me as over the years, I have had the privilege of working with Target on several exciting fashion initiatives including modeling for the 20 years of design partnerships anniversary collection. It’s truly a “pinch me” moment.

Can you describe your inspiration for the collection?
My vision for this collection was to provide pieces that allow everyone to feel like they have something simple yet cool to wear. I have always had a very unique sense of style, drawing inspiration from everything around me from vintage fashion trends and color combinations to everyday nature. I love classic pieces and items that are easy for people to style and can be worn again and again.

My Future Collective collection combines effortless fashion with versatile closet staples allowing everyone to express themselves through style and fashion. [Shoppers] will find fall essentials like outerwear, sweaters, skirts, dresses, and tops in a beautiful color palette of reds, yellows, browns, and blues. If you follow me, you know that I love these specific colors and talk about them all the time.

There are over 100 items. How did you go about designing and curating what would make the final collection?
This was such a cool and collaborative process! I had never been involved in designing clothes before, and the Target team really knows what they’re doing. First, we had a call to go over ideas of what we were thinking, and then the Target team and I both made mood boards. I wrote down every idea I had in my head and shared it with them. They came back with sketches of their interpretation of all my ideas combined with theirs, and I was truly blown away by how much they understood my overall vision for this collection. They sent fabric samples to show color and texture, and we decided which materials to use from there. It was truly a dream collaboration.

The first dropped last week. When can we expect the next two refreshes and what can we expect in them?
Guests will definitely find more fall must-haves, especially as the temperatures start to change! We wanted to keep the versatility and cool vibes going throughout each refresh with a touch of coziness sprinkled in. The next two refreshes will be available over the next couple of months, with the final refresh available in mid-October.

What are some of your favorite items from the collection that we might see you wearing?
It’s so hard to choose because this entire collection was a labor of love. If I had to choose a few pieces, one would be the V-neck strappy slip dresses (coming soon) that we created in the prettiest colors, a buttery shiny yellow and a soft blue shade.

We also made this belt buckle pleated midi skirt, which is a staple in my wardrobe, and a long-sleeved button-down shirt with an exaggerated arm detail. It comes in a green and blue combination, as well as tan and white. Everything in the collection is really fun to style, and I can’t wait to see how people wear the pieces.

The post Atlanta-based influencer Reese Blutstein has a new collaboration with Target appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.