Hello Schmattaworld!
Greetings from bed where I’ve been put out by a god-awful stomach bug. I’m on the mend and thankful it happened before Saturday, which is when I depart for Salone del Mobile aka the biggest design festival of the year. FYI, likely no letter next week as I’ll be in the thick of it, but you can count on a rundown of my experience the following week. I’ve never been to Salone, so I’ll be telling the tale as an outsider. You can read about my previous adventures in Design Industryland here:
P.S.: Don’t forget that this month’s giveaway is open to all subscribers. Like and comment to enter!
Ahead, what I’m packing for my trip. Feel free to share your favorite travel things in the comments.
4 nights in Milan…lezzzgooooo!
Because I am someone who cares about what everyone else thinks of me, the first thing I realized after getting invited to Milan is that I wanted to look cool. Sorry if that’s lame, but whatever—I just want to look really, really cool!
Clothes & Accessories:
I acquired a bunch of new stuff from my favorite “cool mom” label, Roucha. Many many thanks to my pal, Jill Roucha, for straight up sending me a care package from heaven. I genuinely recommend Roucha for some very specific reasons—many of the jeans feature adjustable drawstrings, and are made of the softest denim I’ve ever felt; the pieces have an architectural edge without feeling too austere; and Roucha also has a points system to get free stuff! Here’s my haul:
The Oko coat, a voluminous trench that I accessorized with the Postmodern pin. And it really is all about the pin.
For pants, I got two pairs of jeans: Duchamp Stud Denim and Dessau Vintage Denim.
The Sota shirt, an oversized short sleeve button up.
The Toyen shirt, which I plan to wear as a light jacket option.
The Keaton sweater, which can be worn buttoned up, or open over a tank top.
The Gauguin sunglasses because obviously.
For bags:
I’m cosplaying as a rich lady with a first class ticket thanks to Vivrelle, a bag borrowing service. And not to be cheesy, but yes I can get you a deal. If you use code LEONORAEPSTEIN you will get to try it out for a month for free. I borrowed a YSL bucket tote primarily for the plane. It’s gigantic and will fit my laptop and all my millions of medications.
My purple Clare V. Poche is great for when you just need a phone and wallet.
My trusty Clare V. Fleurine will be making the trip with me. Yes, it will probably rain, and yes, she is suede. But that’s all okay if you’ve got a Jason Markk suede protect/care kit.
Other helpful things:
Look, I’m no packing guru, but there are a few things I do love for travel.
SK-II sheet mask twin pack: The ultimate airplane face mask.
Antiwash. This new company offers a “functional clothing spray.” I’ve been begging for something like this for years…it’s like high-end Febreze for your clothes. And there’s a travel size! My preferred scent is Hinoki Daydream.
EPICKA universal travel adaptor. My husband got this for me a few years back. And he picked out the pink one, which makes me smile.
Maison Louis Marie Bois de Balincourt mini rollerball perfume.
I’m bringing a few packs of Last Call (which I heard about from Emily Sundberg) to offset hangovers. They definitely help, but I’m not sure if there’s a placebo effect going on because just taking them reminds me of hangovers, and then I’m a bit more conscious of my intake on a night out.
Schmatta Fam: What are some of your travel go-tos? And do you have any hacks for finding great design in unknown cities? Let us all know in the comments.
I’ll be there too!! Would looove to meet finally if you have time! It’s my first Salone so I still can’t grasp the concept of how chaotic the week is going to be. 😂