Talisman World Tour 2022 Recap

Parque Mexico in La Condesa, CDMX

It’s Wednesday, January 11th, and I am sitting in my studio on this snowy day in Colorado, still thanking my lucky stars for what a beautiful year 2022 ended up being. In particular, getting to tour around to showcase my wares in some amazing destinations, along with good friends and plenty of good food, was a real treat. Thought you all might enjoy a little photo recap of said travels - specifically to Mexico City, and then rounding out the year in Austin. Enjoy!

The Carla Fernandez flagship store in Colonia Juarez, CDMX

Our first stop on Talisman Fine Jewelry’s World Tour 2022 was Mexico City, where we were joined by a group of friends (shout out to Bianca, Anthony and Bonnie!), as well as designers/artists Salihah Moore, Animal Handmade, Young in the Mountains, and Mario Zoots for a special pop-up shop at the flagship store of noteworthy Mexican designer Carla Fernandez. There’s no way I could possibly recap here all of the amazing food, art, architecture and cultural experiences we had while on this journey, but below are some highlights…

Checking out Mercado de Artesanias La Ciudadela with (from left) Bianca Parra, Anthony Duran and Bonnie Gregory.

A vendor with an authentic indigenous Tigre mask from the Guerrero region of Mexico

An artisan at work on gilded wooden crafts at La Ciudadela

Anthony and Bianca at Tacos Orinoco… we pretty much bee-lined there from the flight. IYKYK!

Cannot rave enough about the mish-mash of art deco, modernist, and colonial architecture that is Mexico City. This image was taken in La Condesa.

Bonnie peeping the Talisman Fine Jewelry setup at the Carla Fernandez pop-up event

The pop-up crew, including (from left): Salihah Moore, host Carla Fernandez, myself, Bianca Parra, Anthony Duran, Bonnie Gregory, and Hana from Young in the Mountains.

One of my favorite aspects of CDMX architecture was the creative use of formed concrete blocks, and their many textures.

A quick popover to Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo was definitely worth the journey

Diego Rivera’s personal collection of traditional Mexican cartonerias - including Judas, alebrijes, and other papier-mache figures.

Our group enjoyed many incredible meals… among them: this lunch at neighboring Masala y Maiz.

Even the public library in CDMX was awe-inspiring

The art deco influences abound

A street vendor of delicious tlacoyos, just up the street from Carla’s shop… thanks to Ben from Hoja in Denver for the recco :)

Next (final) stop last year was Austin, Texas, for a trunk show with Talisman stockist Good Company. Can I just say, I love these ladies so much?! We had a great time hanging, and I even managed to sneak in some more wonderful meals, a concert, and some explorations along S. Congress Ave.

All ways welcome in Austin! Gotta love the vibe at the Austin Motel, just down the road from Good Company’s S. Congress location.

Stockist Good Company’s South Congress Avenue location

Some of the Talisman wares at Good Company

Good Company’s oh-so-adorable Meredith Marker wearing the Plane Earrings and Mirror Eye Chain

Boss-lady Chandler Hedequist’s Talisman neck stack, including the Skinny Flow Chain, Linked Chain, and the Linear Y Necklace <3

Xmas in Austin

That’s all folks! Cheers to the new year… let’s see where 2023 brings me…

Talisman and Friends Are Mexico City Bound with Carla Fernandez

The Carla Fernandez flagship store in Colonia Juarez, CDMX. Image via Conde Nast Traveler.

Join Talisman Fine Jewelry and friends Animal Handmade, Salihah Moore, Young in the Mountains and Mario Zoots as we travel south of the border, for an extra special pop-up shop at the Carla Fernandez flagship store in Mexico City! Happening November 18-20 here.

Carla Fernandez flagship boutique on Calle Marsella in CDMX. Image courtesy of the designer.

As a longtime fan of Carla Fernandez’s work in fashion, including not only her incredible handmade garments, but also her forward-thinking ideas for the industry, memorialized in her Manifesto of Fashion as Resistance, I couldn’t be more thrilled.

So how did this opportunity come about? Thanks to the Denver Art Museum’s recent exhibit and my dear friend Jane Burke, a curator there, I had the opportunity to meet and work with the inimitable designer during a trunk show that was held in conjunction with the exhibition opening in May. Carla, ever gracious and down to earth, was incredibly warm and welcoming, and invited Talisman to come do a trunk show at her shop. Little did she know how readily I’d jump on that offer ;) Plus, I figured, why not invite some other artist friends to join us, and turn the whole thing into a CDMX-meets-Denver pop-up celebration for the books… Once in a lifetime, right?

Designer Carla Fernandez. Photo via Culture Trip.

So mark your calendar, because this is one that is not to be missed. Truly, you’re all invited… friends, clients, family, and anyone else who is looking for a little adventure. Fun will undoubtedly be had by all. Plus, it’s a fabulous excuse to visit one of the best cities on earth with some like-minded design folk :)

Curious about the other designers attending?

Animal Handmade. Image via the designer.

Animal Handmade’s hand-stamped leather bags and goods incorporate mystical, mythological motifs that not only tell a story, but are also an unbelievably cool addition to any wardrobe

Works by Salihah Moore. Image via the designer.

Salihah Moore’s painstakingly hand-beaded jewelry and garments play with geometry and come in unexpected shapes, offering both a visual and sensory experience for the wearer

A diamond and turquoise ring by Young in the Mountains. Image via the designer.

Young in the Mountains makes hand-forged, stunning inlay rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that nod to traditional artisans of the Southwest, yet are decidedly a look all their own

Mario Zoots installing his collage work. Image via the artist.

Artist Mario Zoots began his journey painting trains as a graffiti hooligan. These days he transforms images, colors and shapes into immersive collage works that are powerfully transportive.

Field Trip: Carla Fernandez at the Denver Art Museum

The opening looks from the Denver Art Museum’s Carla Fernandez Casa de Moda exhibition. Each piece is OOAK, incorporating traditional artisan techniques specific to various indigenous Mexican groups around the country. Carla’s husband, sculptor Pedro Reyes, designed the mannequins and their sculptural headwear for the show.

It’s pretty safe to say that in the world of fashion, a designer referencing each and every person by name who stitched their garments is pretty unheard of. But not in Carla Fernandez’s world. Carla is a Mexico City-based fashion designer on a mission, who uses her collection to lift up indigenous Mexican artisans, while also calling into question fast fashion practices, apparel industry waste, and violations of human rights all the while. I’ve been a huge fan of Carla ever since I learned about her line many years ago. So you can imagine my utter excitement when my friend Jane Burke, Curatorial Fellow of Textile Art and Fashion at the Denver Art Museum, told me that she’d be co-curating an exhibition featuring Carla’s work, along with Florence Muller! What a dream! And, doubly exciting, Jane invited me to help out at an ancillary pop-up event for the brand. A chance to meet Carla IRL? Count me in.

A quick photo op with Jane Burke, collector Tanya Melendez (Senior Curator of Education at FIT), Carla, and myself

Not only was the exhibition of Carla’s work utterly stunning and inspiring, but I was so happy to find how kind and down-to-earth Carla herself was upon meeting her. Truly a gem of a human. And her work… oh. my. God. her work! The attention to detail, the fabrications, the colors, the dance performances in lieu of fashion shows… there’s so much there. Personally, I love Carla’s aesthetic, which I would describe as both modernist and yet also evoking the style of Mexican indigenous garments… Ancient modern, if you will. Peep little snippets from the DAM exhibition below, and also be sure to read Carla’s “Manifesto of Fashion as Resistance” in its entirety here. It’s worth a scroll through if you’re into fashion, or yunno, if you wear clothing in general (cough cough). And, if you find yourself in the Denver area, get yourself to this show at the Denver Art Museum stat. Thank you Carla, you are a true inspiration.

A group of Carla’s garments from the exhibition that really evoke traditional indigenous Mexican craft work

Obsessed with the fuzzy (alpaca?) fabrication on this piece.

Carla created a protest collection specifically for the Women’s March in 2016. Truly powerful work from a powerful woman.