Talking shop with Melissa Ventosa Martin
The founder of Old Stone Trade on shopping IRL, Bob Dylan's closet and her quest for the perfect jeans.
Melissa Ventosa Martin has the kind of deceptively simple, timeless aesthetic that gives one the urge to haul everything out of your closet and start anew. Her earliest and most abiding influences were her “always nicely dressed” grandparents and her Catholic school uniform. While she experimented with trends during her 20-year tenure as a fashion editor at magazines like Departures, Travel + Leisure and T, she explains:
“As I got older, I came back to the simplicity of tried-and-true classics. I just gravitate towards simple things every day.”
That love of classicism, plus an eye for craftsmanship and detail are the twin pillars of Melissa’s company Old Stone Trade, an online marketplace featuring the work of artisans from around the world informed by her precise curation and customization. Pieces like a hand-embroidered linen blouse, bespoke cowboy boots and fine Kashmiri shawl beg to be pored over before purchase, so after years of traveling trunk shows, Melissa recently opened the Old Stone Trade Studio, on a quiet Upper East Side block, serendipitously around the corner from newly renovated Frick Collection.
An appointment at the studio is typically an hour, though they can stretch to two. Melissa is a stickler for client experience, taking care to select the right music, snacks or even lunch for each one as they consider fabrics and stitching and have measurements taken. “People seem to really enjoy the process,” she said.
Below, we talked more with Melissa about her summer uniform, where she loves to shop and her favorite places in Old Stone Trade’s new neighborhood.
My first fashion memory… I was probably five, shopping at Century 21 with my mother and my grandmother and they lost me. When they finally found me, I had taken all these fancy dresses into a fitting room. I was totally oblivious that everyone was in a panic, and said, ‘Don't I look like one of the Von Trapp children?’
My summer uniform… will be Bermuda shorts and an oversize button-down. 100 Hands makes a great white button-down that I wear all the time. I also have some vintage Brooks Brothers that my husband buys on eBay.
I’m always looking for the perfect… denim. I wear it every day and it’s so hard to find good jeans. I wear the OST Blue Jean but I don’t always want to wear raw denim. I like vintage Levi’s and recently bought a second pair of Celine jeans I already have in a smaller size; I wear them pretty much daily.
The Old Stone Trade piece I’ve worn the most… the Aran cardigan. It’s on a hook by my front door. It’s almost like a jacket — the perfect layer.
If I could trade closets with anyone, living or dead… Bob Dylan is the first person who popped into my head. There were so many good periods, the 60s and 70s. He had the best jackets — those suede jackets; he definitely had a good peacoat.
The best city to shop for fashion… Paris — there’s a great sense of discovery, wandering around the Marais or Saint Germain and stumbling up different shops. It always feels like there’s some new to find.
My favorite season to get dressed… definitely fall. I’m obsessed with crewneck sweaters and peacoats. It’s just so easy. I wear jeans, a button-down and crewneck every day.
The best city to shop for home… Copenhagen. I love The Apartment founded by Tina Seidenfaden Busck. She has the best taste and it was really the first store in a residential space. This kind of aesthetic has gotten more familiar but she was on the forefront.
My favorite way to say ‘thank you’… is a hand-written note. Our notecards are made in this old letterpress printing shop in Troy, New York. They have our logo, which was hand-drawn by Mark Leithauser, my husband’s uncle who is an artist in Washington D.C. and was the chief of design at the National Gallery for many years.
My favorite hostess gift to give… a really nice tea or bag of granola. I love a gift that you can actually use the next morning. I do like special tea towels and napkins; Les Indiennes has pretty ones.
My go-to spots on the Upper East Side… The Frick — the lines have been crazy but I think it’s worth getting a membership and booking a time to go. William Poll, this very old New York sandwich shop. They make the best sandwiches, and I order their cookies a lot for appointments. Zitomer Pharmacy — I love it there. Via Quadronno has the best vegetable soup. And then KRB, the design store. I love to go in there and look around.
The Peep-Toe Mary Jane ballet from the SS25 runway recently arrived on our site. We’ve tried it on in the office, and it’s extremely flattering on the foot. It’s also the perfect hybrid of ballet flat and sandal that provides coverage without feeling heavy.
ICYMI, we launched a collaboration with Swedish candymaker BonBon that’s selling like marshmallow-covered hotcakes. Becky Malinsky featured two candy-inspired bags last week in Five Things, and made a convincing case for bright green as the ONLY neutral.
On the subject of bright green, this neon lime satin skirt is another great summer piece to consider. We’d style it simply, with an oversize button-down or white t-shirt. The skirt says it all and doesn’t need much more.
Need more hostess gift ideas? We love this carafe and cup set, hand-painted with a delicate floral — a beautiful upgrade for anyone’s bedside table; this pair of basketweave vases (that Tory herself loves) and these salad plates, each painted with a different lilac branch.
Melissa has impeccable taste - and she’s the loveliest person to boot!