Catching up with Mélanie Masarin
Plus, What Tory wore in London; the ultimate CBK book; our top outerwear picks, and a new gift guide that supports women entrepreneurs.
Even in the crowded market of non-alcoholic drinks, Ghia stands out for making sobriety feel as glamorous and sophisticated as Betty Draper sipping an icy gin gimlet. Unsurprisingly, the woman behind the company, Mélanie Masarin, is well-versed in design — her Los Angeles headquarters called Ghia House was featured Domino Magazine — with enviable personal style. Masarin is partial to expressive, embellished pieces (her first Tory dress was last summer’s yellow mirrorwork shift) which she wears with classic French-girl nonchalance.
Right now, Ghia is solidly in growth mode. Launched in 2020, it includes four canned spritzes made with the brand’s original amaro-like apéritif, colorful glassware and, for holiday, Ghianduja, a chocolate hazelnut spread. Masarin’s goal is to make Ghia as ubiquitous as alcohol. “I want it to be available on airplanes,” she says. Starting next year, it will be stocked at Whole Foods and Target. We recently caught up with Masarin to talk fashion, entrepreneurship and gifting strategies.
I’m always looking for the perfect version of…coffee tables and vintage jeans, though I have yet to find my perfect pair.
My favorite places to shop…Paris, Tokyo and Mexico. I don't love going to stores and would rather hunt for things online, but in Paris, it's such a pleasant activity. Tokyo has incredible vintage and secondhand shops, all in impeccable condition and small sizes. And the Mexico markets for the best baskets and accessories.
The best entrepreneurship advice I’ve received…if it doesn't impact the business long-term, it's not worth getting sick over. It's easy to take everyday hurdles personally, but more important to stay focused on the big picture.
My secret talent is…finding special objects and places. I’m a very good shopper for clothing and furniture. I know all my close friends’ “object of desire” as I like to call them, and I take immense pleasure in sourcing it for them. I recently launched a Substack where I talk about this a lot.
The one thing I wear everyday…my semi-hoops from Kimai. They're made of recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds, so they're sustainable on top of being the perfect everyday earrings.
I find inspiration in…art and books but mainly travel and experiences.
The gift I love to give…I cook a lot, so I love to share homemade food — fresh pasta, bread, jams, granola or ghee.
The gift I love to receive…are scented objects. Flowers, candles and nice hand soap. They’re things I don't always buy for myself but love to have. I was recently gifted a candle and large soaps on a rope by Loewe and absolutely loved them.
THE OUTERWEAR GUIDE
In New York, where Team ‘What Should I Wear’ is based, the temperature dropped 40 degrees in one week. Truth be told, we weren’t thinking much about coats before that, but as they say: Winter is coming. Here, a quick rundown of our best.
A staff favorite, our Classic Sport Puffer in the color of the season.
With soft shoulders and a gently cinched waist, this long-line tweed coat has a lovely fit. And it comes with a safety pin brooch.
Possibly a perfect pea coat, and we’re not the only ones in its fan club.
Sharp tailoring with a subtle military vibe and an A-line hem that swings just so when you walk. You may need this coat.
This caramel cropped shearling is giving us iconic rugged-chic dude. Think McQueen. Think Redford. Think add to cart.
Bonus Round: Don’t miss two extremely chic FW22 options now on sale. The beautifully tailored Chesterfield-inspired coat in nubby wool; and the oversized trench with a contrast collar.
THE ULTIMATE BOOK FOR CBK OBSESSIVES
There are at least 16 Instagram accounts devoted to the style of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, who died tragically almost 25 years ago. That may seem excessive but as fashion editor Edward Enninful writes in the preface of a new book dedicated to Ms. Kennedy’s style: “Carolyn just had it…a master of separates, a champion of European and American design, but worn with the ease of true American icon.” In “CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life,” author Sunita Kumar Nair details the separate elements of Ms. Kennedy’s style, and interviews fashion folk, including Tory, who knew her personally and/or find her to be an inspiration.
CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion by Sunita Kumar Nair (Abrams Books)
The remembrances and images serve as a time capsule of New York and the fashion industry in the late ’90s — a simpler time, relative to now. But it’s a testament to Ms. Kennedy’s personal style that her influence, in the truest sense of the word, has only grown and deepened.
ICYMI: THE PIERCED MULE ON LYST INDEX’S TOP 10
If you’re reading this newsletter, you likely know that the Pierced mule is a very good shoe. Now, fashion search engine Lyst has made it official, featuring it as one of Q3’s 10 hottest products on its Lyst Index, along with the not-too-shabby company of Miu Miu’s grey cardigan and Prada’s 3D flower heels. Brava to our exceptionally talented shoe design team.
WHAT TORY WORE: UK EDITION
Tory was in London last week for a dinner co-hosted with U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Jane Hartley. In classic Tory-does-it-best fashion, she brought an elegant new look to the black corset top from the Fall/Winter 2023 runway, wearing it over a high-necked black lace top, a versatile layering piece she uses frequently. She finished the look with Loewe’s embellished Toy pumps, because even a fashion designer knows it’s boring to be dressed head-to-toe.
SPOTLIGHT ON: LE PALAIS BULLES
Our holiday collection launched this week with a new campaign, photographed at Le Palais Bulles in the south of France. The name of the estate, formerly owned by Pierre Cardin, translates to Bubble Palace, a fitting description for its rounded, retro-futuristic domes and porthole-like windows and doorways. The campaign was shot by Oliver Hadlee-Pearch with the sublime model duo of Vittoria Ceretti and Nora Attal. See more here.
INTRODUCING THE TORY BURCH FOUNDATION GIFT GUIDE
New this year, the Tory Burch Foundation gift guide exclusively features women-owned businesses with products from over 200 entrepreneurs that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere including fashion, food, home, beauty and gifts for kids.
Adore Melanie and her Substack. Perfect collab! x