Shopping in Paris, France Posted on 10 May 06:00 , 0 comments




Why we chose Emporio for the shoot location: Emporio is a village on the island of Thira (Santorini) Greece. Santorini is well known for blue domed churches and white painted cavelike houses built into steep cliffs overlooking a sparkling blue ocean. A deluge of tourists flood the island during the day from cruise ships, while international guests flock to the towns of Oia and the capital, Fira. While Oia and Fira are especially crowded, the village of Emporio is still little known to most travelers. The quiet was the perfect place for us to photograph the collection, given we wanted to capture the collection without interruption or waiting for tourists to step out of the picture.
Emporio’s architectural landscape consists of winding steps and pastel stone walls with small windows. Some areas have been left to naturally deteriate - the stone walls crumbling to the ground they were taken out of.
A local sailor informed me that most of the churches were funded by wealthy religious travelers that were caught at sea during a storm. They promised God they would build a church if they made it to shore. There are over 250 churches on the 11.18 mile long island.
INSPIRATION: Before traveling to Greece, I studied the architecture, landscape and flora of the islands I was visiting. Architecture and nature are my main inspirations while designing. Greek nature is natural and fluid with colorful bougainvillea blooming abundantly. In contrast, Greek architecture is mostly straight and simple. The juxtaposition of elements made designing the pieces especially enjoyable.
It was important to me that we captured (in the photos) the jagged shoreline, the rugged cliffs, and the sea that sparkled like diamonds in the sun. It was a photo set that only nature and the location could provide. The afternoon light was gentle to the complexion but brilliant, streaming through the doorways and illuminating the pieces. The architecture in Emporio provided a charming backdrop with straight lines and pastel colors.
COLLECTION DETAILS: Delicate silks, luxurious satins, fine lace and wools were embellished with silk embroideries, semi-precious crystals and lace appliqués. The collection was made in New York, New York by the designer, Kate Stoltz, in her design studio, along with her team of local production professionals. Each piece was made with the greatest attention to detail, striving for excellence in construction, design and fit.
CREDITS: Matt Licari, a photographer that traveled from New York City, and Sissi Petropolous, a makeup artist based in Athens, Greece. Model and designer: Kate Stoltz
FAVORITE DINING SPOT IN SANTORINI: Ammoudi Bay Fish Tavern, a sea side restaurant in Ammoudi Bay, right next to Oia. You can sit on the dock by the water, and eat fresh fish caught early that morning by the local fishermen and fisherwomen.
Do you believe in making New Year's Resolutions? I do for business goals. However, I believe personal goals should be updated on a daily basis, not necessarily on a yearly basis. As humans, we are subjected to ever changing life circumstances, human error and outside influences. My only personal goal is to improve the person I already am, on multiple emotional and physical levels. I believe that resolution alone covers a lot of ground. In the meantime, career goals are much easier to look at in a yearly context. Numbers don't lie, and it's easy to make goals based on the information on our tax returns alone.
I started by writing down three of my biggest goals, then added details beneath each goal. I am keeping the piece of handwritten paper to read until the end of this year. Knowing that I have my goals written down and stored in a safe place, I know I need to accomplish (at least) ninety percent of them. To start the year off with a fresh start, I spent the New Year out in snowy Aspen, Colorado. Having learned how to snowboard in my teens, I still enjoy spending a couple of days shredding the slopes. Literally shredding the slopes, considering that most skiers actually hate snowboarders.. our wide boards pack the powder and the slopes can become icy. A new board, combined with a year long absence from the slopes made the first day on the slopes a little treacherous for me. However, snowboarding is like riding a bike- you never really forget how to ride.
Gliding down the slopes during the day, shopping in the town of Aspen with my dog Victoria after the slopes closed, then going out to dinner with friends was a satisfactory way to bring in the new year. The fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery was a welcome retreat from New York City... I will be back <3
If you are planning a trip to Bali, Indonesia, then Ubud needs to be added to the list of places that you are planning to visit. I had the pleasure of spending a week in this beautiful country, and fell in love with Ubud. The rich culture, the kind people, the food, the jungle and the peaceful air was an incredible experience. I stayed at the Viceroy in Ubud, which is in the middle of the jungle.woke up to the peaceful sound of birds chirping, and fell asleep to the sound of crickets. The air was refreshing, and it was the most peaceful, beautiful setting. During the day, I visited the Saraswati Temple, a beautiful, ancient Hindu temple that is still attended daily by the locals.
Saraswati Temples in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Hindu offerings at the Saraswati Temple in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
What is there to do in New York City? The many museums in Manhattan are a great place to start.. I've been visiting museums every day for the last couple of weeks for an art class. Yesterday, we visited the Frick Collection, which quickly became my favorite museum. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a close second, but the Frick collection offers a more private experience. It's definitely worth seeing.
Indoor Courtyard at the Frick Collection
Just a little background: Henry Frick was a wealthy merchant that built an elaborate mansion on 5th Avenue in the late 1800's. He built the mansion to live in, but intended it to eventually become a museum. Frick loved art, especially pieces of beautiful sceneries and women. The walls are lined with incredible works from the likes of Claude Monet, Vermeer, Van Dyke and many other masters. The Frick Collection doesn't allow photos to be taken inside the museum, only in the courtyard. Photos don't do the Frick Collection justice though. You really need to go yourself to enjoy the mansion, the valuable art and the courtyards
Frick Collection outdoor courtyard
Imagine if ten percent of Manhattan residents left their buildings at one time and tried to drive out of the city as fast as possible. That's what it feels like if you leave the city at 4pm on Independence Day Weekend. I left right after class, but still didn't beat the evening traffic. Traffic was so slow that I jumped out of the car to grab food at a deli while the driver kept driving. Five minutes later, I was back in the car- ready for the road trip.
Even though the traffic can be horrendous, the drive to the Hamptons is worth it. I had the pleasure of staying in Montauk for the Fourth of July Weekend. The Hamptons are incredible for a good dose of visual inspiration. A casual and cool nautical theme is consistent through the towns, boutiques, homes, restaurants and of course, the outfits of the stylishly dressed visitors and locals. There are designer boutiques, delicious restaurants, barbecues, beach bonfires, and pretty much anything you could want at a beach except for Uber drivers....
Storm clouds at Flying Point Beach, Southampton
Pretty dunes on the beach and the beautiful sunsets make up for the fact that the water is too cold for most to go into. I made sure to take my camera with me wherever I went to capture the pretty sunsets and storm clouds. Here are a couple of my favorite snaps of the beach and of Hampton's nature.
XO- Kate Stoltz
People often ask me what inspires me. The answer is simple: Travel. I love traveling, and get inspired by the different cultures, landscapes and lifestyles. Here are a couple of photos that I took while I was in South Kuta in Bali, Indonesia. ❤ XO, Kate Stoltz