One of those destinations is the Côte D’Azur, which is absolutely teeming with natural beauty and human creativity, from Saint-Paul-de-Vence to Cap d’Antibes.

Come along as my mind wanders around a dream itinerary and suitcase, below.

xAlly

For an overnight flight, I’d wear an oversized soft t-shirt and men’s sweater with our drawstring pants (in raw silk they truly feel like fancy pajamas and double as a dinner option after a quick steam — I swear). On long travel days, I often wear sneakers with Comme Si socks and carry a soft vintage duffle that fits a lot (e.g. toiletries in clear zip pouches, a paperback book, my laptop, headphones, a day’s worth of clothing in case my luggage gets lost). I read somewhere recently that you don’t want to look like you bought a new bag for the trip, even if you did. (Was it on one of my favorite Substacks, Magasin?). In any case, I think I was browsing new weekenders at the time and immediately closed my browser…. Nothing to see here!

I’m a nervous Nelly traveler (Did I bring too much? Not enough? IS THAT A COLONIAL WOMAN ON THE WING?!), and I like to unwind on my first day of a trip—maybe a swim in the sea, a nap and a gelato at Fenocchio. In a dream world, I’d then have 3-4 culture-filled days, solo or with a pal: St. Paul de Vence for lunch (and maybe an overnight) at Colombe d’Or, a quick wander about town and a visit to Fondation Maeght; Musée Picasso and market browsing in the old town of Antibes; a day for Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and Villa Kérylos; stops at Matisse’s La Chapelle and Musée Matisse. OK, might need to up that to 4-5 days…

For hot weather with lots of walking I would pack super comfortable sandals and several of our cotton-silk shirtdresses. These dresses are great because I can stomp around all day, sweat in them, and then throw them in the wash when I get home. (Note: We generally recommend hand-washing or dry cleaning them, as the color can fade a little with washing — but that doesn’t bother me, personally.)

On a fantasy trip, I’d also start one day at Villa Nellcôte for a bit of Rolling Stones history (alas, it is a private home and not open to the public). After lunch and a walk on the Sentier du Littoral, I’d visit Villa Santo Sospir for its history, incredible Jean Cocteau murals and textured interiors. Open hours are limited, but since this is a fantasy world, I could stay the night, too.

To recoup from all the walking, I’d have the next day(s) by the pool to read a stack of books. I am currently reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, the first of a trilogy about Henry VIII. At home, I usually get through just a few pages late at night before falling asleep, but on this trip, perhaps I would re-read Tender is the Night (too on the nose?). Followed by a historical novel or nonfiction that’s France-centric. (One of my all-time favorites is The Hare with Amber Eyes, and my friend recently gave me The House of Fragile Things…I’d love any additional recommendations!)

In the evening, I’d go for a sunset cocktail sail with friends before dinner, wearing our new Deeda Top and matching Palazzo in an airy ivory silk cloque. The Deeda Top was named for my wonderful and brilliant friend Deeda Blair — the first one was custom-made for her, and now we’re introducing it in this beautiful reclaimed silk.

For my last night, I’d have a drink at the rooftop bar of Hôtel du Cap (an obvious choice, but it’s a classic for a reason), wearing either our Billowy Tank Dress or the Robe and Trouser in our reclaimed silk jacquard. It’s the prettiest blush pink (all the better to pair with the sorbet skies). On my dream vacation I could also have a second drink without getting a headache, but in real life I’d probably have a sparkling water or a delicious Ghia, which a friend recently packed in her suitcase — smart.

Post-drinks, I’d head to Mamo in old Antibes, which is so cozy and has the best lobster spaghetti. Our Crop Flare pants would be another great outfit option because they are so easy to dress up or down (who doesn’t love a style that takes you from plane to pasta??). We’ve made them in five or six different fabrics since we introduced them a few years ago, and I love them in this new pea green silk. (I love weird greens…and taffeta!).

Aaaaand now I’ve spent so much time thinking about my hypothetical holiday that I didn’t even get to fall asleep to a book tonight…. On the plus side, I have visions of France dancing in my head as I close…my…ey—

Our very first Rose Room styles—the Short Robe and Trouser—were designed for dinner party dressing…. For the kinds of evenings where everyone lingers around the table as the candles melt away, laughing and having seconds (or thirds). It’s the best. Who wants to do that in a too-tight cocktail dress? Or pants you can’t breathe in? Not us.

Give us pieces to have a great time in. Like pull-on pants with elastic waists and no zippers. (WSJ says to pair them with a white shirt — Charvet makes my favorite or this one is great). A thin cashmere knit is another good option. We also love a set — our Party Pant has a matching top, and the head-to-toe is pretty great with the front tucked in and back out (business up front, party in the back, if you will).

I started thinking about other favorite easy party looks. I often wear the Tie-Back Dress, which stands out in its silky simplicity, and — in the spirit of a good party — some friends have turned around to make a deep-V tie-front dress. It comes in many colors but the chartreuse has been a go-to for a few winters for its offbeat festivity.

Nothing is less “fuss” than something you can truly wear all day and then out, like our shirtdress. It’s a silhouette that’s traditionally daytime only, but we’ve dressed our version up in a few ways: with a cotton-silk construction, a removable wrap-style belt, and a great original print. It’s relaxed but polished without much effort, which is really the goal with the whole collection.

Our duchess satin Bubble Dress is one of the fancier styles we have and can lean more black tie. But it still has true comfort and ease (pockets!), whether styled with our Jewelneck Jacket or a structured blazer. I sometimes like to dress it down, too, by adding a vintage Western belt or an oversized shawl.

And last but not least: velvet. We spent years searching for a gorgeous soft-yet-structured velvet and sourced an amazing Italian cotton from a century-old family factory in Italy. (Surprisingly, most “silk” velvets in the market are made of mostly poly or rayon….and most pure cotton velvets are very stiff.)

We have a velvet wrap coat that can be an inside or outside look—great paired with a tank dress and a velvet drawstring bag to match. (The bag also comes in duchess satin for some contrast.)

Wherever you go and whatever you do, we hope you have moments that are merry and bright and most of all, cozy. Festive without the fuss!

—Ally

Happy Holidays!

x Ally

If we’ve seemed quieter than usual, it’s because we’ve been in an altogether state of unquiet — whether in the form of screeching newborns or deeply noisy brain churn. The mind of an entrepreneur-parent never seems to rest, though we are trying to find ways. We are grateful. We are exhausted. We are challenged. Every day is chutes and ladders. Pulling ourselves up one rung at a time and bracing ourselves for the inevitable slides. (As a sign of the times, this post has been semi-drafted for at least four months.)

Meanwhile, Rose Room drums on. Behind the scenes is a soft hum of productive quiet, powered by snacks, Butterfield iced coffee (half hazelnut/half regular)…and, perhaps surprisingly, our own designs. While not originally designed as perinatal wear, our Tunic Dress in particular has contained multitudes. I’ve seldom worn another dress in the past year. It’s seen fireworks and a classical music concert, ErgoBaby carriers and drool, Central Park playgrounds and dinner al fresco in Ireland. I even wore it home from the hospital.

The more I thought about it, I realized I’d worn a lot of Rose Room a lot in the past year+. My camera roll confirmed. Indulge me on this visual journey….

Ally found a similar penchant for Rose Room in pregnancy…she is a couple months behind (and a lifetime with me) on the baby front.

So we drum on in our dresses—hot children in the city in tow—balancing babies and business in this unending heat. If you find yourself in a similar state of semi-organized chaos, for any reason, just keep moving. (Preferably toward shade and caffeine.)

Have questions about any of the above? Whether it’s what formula to use or how to run a business while raising tiny, irrational humans? (Frankly, same.) Ask away. We’re probably up—but at least wearing a great dress to meet the moment.

— Louise

I’ve been obsessed with Verdure tapestries for a few years now. They are a type of textile that came into prominence in 16th-century Flanders but their influence soon spread to the famous French workshops, like Aubusson and Lille, which produced some of the most famous examples.

Patrons would commission several to cover walls from floor to ceiling, bringing the outdoors in — and making those standing in front of them part of the scenery. Compared to other tapestries, Verdure is distinguished by dense green flora and at the time were unique in making lush foliage the central design, rather than a background or afterthought.

There’s something about the layered landscapes of the tree design that is totally captivating, now as much as then. It was a perfect inspiration for our latest print (all of which are original and inspired by antique interiors and textiles). We studied several and made our own mash up of Verdure elements and created a pattern we love.

I felt a true obsession in creating our Verdure print – so much so that I made it a focal point of my wedding decor this past June. I was wedding planning and designing Collection IV in tandem, so interiors and clothes very much informed each other.

And because more is more, here are some additional tapestry-feeling items I’ve seen recently and loved:

— Ally, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Rose Room

Our most-oft asked question: Why did you start Rose Room? Great question. For all of the options out there, why bother? We break it down here:

Ally: I love all things visual and am an all-the-time student of fashion and the arts. I was looking for pieces to wear for hosting dinner parties at home – pieces that were chic and a bit dressed up but easy to wear and still felt cozy. It felt impossible that there weren’t options for that, but other friends felt the same way. We all want to feel great in our clothes and were often compromising on either style or comfort. It’s hard to find both.

Louise: It was also about bringing people together. Rose Room is a clothing collection as much as it is a concept: a way to celebrate togetherness, grounded in a sense of place. These are the pieces we want to wear when we’re together with others. They make us feel like ourselves and put the focus on the conversations and experiences around us. You don’t have to think twice when you put them on…comfort is luxurious and should be the standard. The “C word” is often reviled in fashion, but to us,  comfort is the ultimate in style. 

Ally: So we set out to create those elusive pieces that are equal parts comfortable and chic: nice but relaxed, put together and easy, practical and great quality….which translated into our first pieces: wrap tops with roll-tab sleeves, stretch-back pants for pasta and dessert enthusiasts, and dresses that flow and move with you.

Aesthetically, we both have studied the arts and love interiors as a personal passion – I went to design school at NYSID during the pandemic and Louise minored in art history. And we found it’s how we often wanted to dress, too. We love drawing visual cues from decorative arts, so that the lines between fashion and interiors blur. 

Louise: From an operations perspective, we also felt there was a lot to be improved about the way clothing and accessories are being made in our industry. So if we were going to launch a collection, it had to be done differently. That meant: working only with the best naturally-derived materials like silk, organic cotton and Tencel, producing locally in New York with the highest-quality manufacturers to support our community, repurposing "unusable" scraps and materials usually tossed in landfill, and making the collection on-demand and in small quantities to avoid overproduction…all of which reduce our carbon footprint (and are big challenges in the fashion industry). 

To break it all down, there are the key “pillars” to the collection (forgive the corporate-speak), which we measure each design against. Rose Room is:

1/  Sophisticated, edited, timeless and comfortable

2/ With an aesthetic and original prints inspired by antique decorative arts, interiors, and architecture

3/ Made thoughtfully in New York from the best materials with quality craftsmanship

4/ Meant for gathering together with friends old and new and having fun (think: "dinner party dressing").

Have you started something? What were your reasons? Would love to hear —drop a comment below.

— Louise and Ally, Co-Founders of Rose Room

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About Rose Room

Rose Room is a collection inspired by the idea of being together. The clothing is about ease, comfort, timelessness and quality — for spending time with great people and having fun. Table linens layer in, connecting where to wear the collection (think: dinner parties with friends old and new) and collected fine jewelry and home objects, offered at special events only, complete the looks. Pieces are made in New York on-demand or in small batches, and Rose Room’s original are decorative arts inspired.

The name Rose Room is a nod to where the Algonquin Round Table, a group of eclectic creatives, gathered daily for work, games and cocktails during the 1920s in New York City. Their friendships gave way to a decade of creativity and ideas.

It’s this spirit of togetherness and fun that inspires the Rose Room collection.

Why we’re here

Despite our ultra-connected, information-driven world, we find that the personal is increasingly going by the wayside. Other digital platforms offer ways to engage but often fall short of true connection. 

As founders of Rose Room–a collection, a brand, a business, a company–we do a myriad of things on a given day that don’t fall neatly into an email newsletter or Instagram post…and many more things that cross over into our personal lives that we haven’t had the right place to communicate. Enter our new Substack column: A Seat at the Table. Admiring the Substack content of friends like Gumshoe (Harling Ross), 5 things (Becky Malinsky) and Objects of Desire (Noora Raj Brown), and the distinctive voices they impart, we’ve planned to launch our own for the better part of a year. (Chalk the gap up to a founder’s to-do list – we are super excited about this space.) 

But here we are at last! Come here for a seat at the table – for the personal side of running Rose Room and how our individual interests and inspirations make their way into our clothing collection and business. 

— Louise and Ally, Co-Founders of Rose Room