Travel and the desire to learn about new destinations has always been at the heart of Merlette, and in that spirit, we are bringing you a new series dedicated to visiting the neighborhoods of inspiring collaborators. Stylist Dione Davis took us through her beloved Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn — we even got her go-to orders at her favorite restaurants. And we are as inspired by her unique styling of her pieces as her thoughtful approach to sustainability. Read on for her very personal City Guide.
Q: How would you describe your neighborhood and why you love it?
A: The draw of Bedstuy has always been the 19th century townhomes, black history, and real community. My favorite part of the year is walking on my block for the first time after the trees have bloomed again. I moved in the winter, so I didn't even know how truly beautiful it could get until summer hit. There's so much love and care that my block puts into the greenery and it's so special. I like that all of my neighbors smile and wave. I lived in Manhattan for so long and was fine with the anonymity, but I kept gravitating to neighborhoods that were iconic and people held them with pride.
Q: What makes these locations special to you?
A: Golda has all of the things I need from coffee, to pastries, to healthy salads and even a fried chicken sandwich. There's something terribly ‘90s sitcom about a place everyone on the block goes to and often visits twice a day. I've never seen a full episode of “Friends” aside from jet lag hotel background noise, but there's a comfort in staples of New York living that you don't see anywhere else. Locals treat Golda like the Seinfeld diner. It's a place to get a coffee, to gossip, or to take a casual work meeting.
My favorite dining experiences are always a balance of indulgent and nutritious. I'm not there every day, but I love walking there to take a break from staring at my computer or tracking packages which takes up most of my time as a stylist. It's not part of my routine, but it is a part of a routine. Being a freelancer means my routine is always changing and evolving.
For All Things Good is another favorite spot of mine for a casual brunch in the neighborhood. I love people watching, so this corner on Franklin avenue is always nice for a Saturday Morning in the neighborhood.
Q: What's your go-to dish at each restaurant?
A: For All Things Good: I love the Breakfast Tlayudita because it's the easiest way to start my day with protein and good fats. Golda has an amazing bread pudding that reminds me of home with a really nice spin of chocolate chips.
Q:How would you describe the styling of each outfit you put together for the shoot?
For the ideal marriage of high summer and city living, I paired the first dress with a pearl choker made by Felah Voltaire who is one of my assistants, this beautiful woven bag that is functional, and beachy simultaneously and my favorite MNZ pumps.
The second look is how I would style a dress that is a lot more femme than I'm used to. With mohair slides and the same Varlet bag, this feels like I could run out and throw this on over my workout clothes to meet someone for a casual lunch.
The third is perfect for a summer day when I'm leaving a daytime event, and want to take a quick walk in the park on the way home. If I'm going to play with color, I want to make it interesting so these mustard Martiniano glove shoes paired with red dress and white pearls feels right. Also, I love all over red, so the red bag is keeping this outfit grounded, but interesting. Sometimes the cure for styling red is more red.
Q: Sustainability is something you care about in fashion. What does it mean to you to work with sustainability-focused brands and businesses?
A: The current landscape of fashion post the rise of social media era means there's an abundance of brands and options, but almost no values. I enjoy collaborating with brands who commit to offering quality and sustainability in manufacturing practices as well as design. That’s why I love vintage, too. I’m not into the novelty of sustainability, but clothing that lasts is sustainable.
I personally don’t see how sustainable a brand is that’s catering to fleeting trends especially when they boast of saving gallons of water. It’s an empty sentiment if the clothes aren’t meant to be worn more than once. That’s the most valuable thing to me is sustainability that makes sense. Overproduction is actually the thing that drives me crazy. Brands that don’t adhere to the typical fashion calendar don’t feel the pressure to keep producing even if there’s no need.
Photographs taken by Shana Trajanoska.
