Marvelous finds from coast-to-coast like L.A.’s Maison Nathalie help us lucky Yankees exercise our inner Parisian in true style.
Paris was my first international trip, for immersed French study in college. Spanish was the popular and only other foreign language to start in my little town’s two middle schools. But I knew then I was a future writer. Paris is a near rite of passage for Black artists; in order to go one day, I had to speak the language.
But luckily, we don’t have to dig up old vocab flash cards and hop Air France to get our “Oui oui” and “Merci” to France on this Bastille Day. This one of America’s strongest and earliest allies also provided some of its oldest settlers, creating entire French regions in the States. Just search for a local French alliance, cultural society or commercial chamber to fast track to Francophone eateries, boutiques or businesses in major and even minor U.S. cities.
Or go online for one of my most delightful American fashion finds a la française.
Los Angeles: Maison Nathalie
Go West. Chase compulsory pics of your best cheesy face against the Hollywood sign and your toes at your favorite actor’s name on the Walk of Fame. Have a fun day at Venice Beach risking to surf and reliving volleyball days. Then, get into the homegrown people and character making Los Angeles one of America’s most rustic and diverse inner cities with Maison Nathalie.
Owner and principal designer Nathalie Seaver’s French roots, years living there and love for the culture account for joyful effort to help people shop for a mélange Francoise… baby clothes, socks and dish towels in one swoop. The pandemic cost her brand its whimsical storefront boutique brimmed with home décor and jewelry, with a quaint cabine d’essayage after shoppers picked through handmade one-of-a-kind garments. Seaver powered through via her loyal following online, even selling London’s epic Liberty print face masks like those made visible by none other than Kate Middleton in 2020.
Meanwhile, closing the shop’s doors opened a window for Seaver to give more time to her other passion: film. Now, as this multitalented creative artist drifted to the gargantuan task of producing important documentaries, her existing stock of timeless pieces and devoted customers cried out for her attention. Well, Seaver answered in the totally French gal way: She hosted an intimate invite-only, private location, old-school yard sale. Lemon trees and provincial clotheslines were the hangers. How chic is that?
Seaver’s nimble business sense envisions more salons due to requests and demands for her most popular styles to whittle down storage. The next charming special event will be most likely October, to show even dressier things for holiday. She’ll also display Fall dresses, skirts, sweaters and jackets and gifts. Join her mailing list so you don’t miss out.
Especially stay on watch if you are TV/film pro. Those successful enough to be called often to red carpets, but not for the actors’ bigger paychecks, may snap up the kind of dress to get asked “Who are you wearing?” without going into debt.
Finding everyday and formal at Maison Nathalie
It’s easy to discern the country’s famous effortless sartorial character in tops, skirts and dress silhouettes in Seaver designs. She sketched, cut and sewed everything herself— often custom for weddings and red-carpet events.
(All upcoming and aspiring brides: We owe it to our maids to dress them in an easy but unforgettable grown woman frock to re-wear, not a prom dress in disguise. Owing to elegance in bare minimalism, Seaver designs are worthwhile to go by and check for a bridal, bridesmaid or mother-of-the-bride gown remaining in her affordable couture.)
Demure or quietly playful collars, hemlines and flirty accents are Maison Nathalie’s signature details. Sustainable fashion is a guiding principle. Discarded rayon crepe helps pre-washed solid and romantic prints hold without dry cleaning or pressing. The bestselling Stanwyck Dress sings “Je ne sais quoi”: plain simplicity near to boring, yet magically one can’t help but still be excited by it. For more overt attempts to stand out, the figure-hugging Weston Dress fits.
So light and soft are these dresses you will forget you’re wearing clothes, until maybe you get nonstop compliments like I do if I step out in my own black-white flower print Stanwyck or solid slate blue Tea Dress. All cuts accept and beautify the full spectrum of body types. Most qualify for both every day and fancy fêtes. And (drumroll!), they wash-n-go with scarcely a wrinkle, so travel well. No merci necessary. Thank yourself for finding a new gift and dress treasure chest online or in out in L.A..
Follow Maison Nathalie on Instagram @nathalieseaverdesigns or Facebook @nathalieseaverboutique for alert to all future private salons and sales. In the meantime, Nathalie’s so not boring weight loss journey recipes are on Instagram @slimgourmandise.
