Collaboration at Cultivate712
Cultivate712, the Austin Avenue art gallery, continues its push as one of Downtown Waco’s elite event spaces showcasing artisans from across the state.
Tomorrow from 11am-2pm, representatives from EM Jewelry + Design, Mary Claret, and Esperos Soho will be sharing wares at a collaborative sample sale. Lauren Conley, Marketing Director for Esperos Soho, said the partnership between the Austin and Waco designers “makes sense.”
Handbag and photograph by Esperos Soho.
“Both [EMJ and Mary Claret]’s aesthetic are just beautiful,” Conley said. “It fits really well and compliments our brand and our aesthetic. It flowed naturally for the three of us to work together to bring our products to the people of Waco.”
Austin-based Esperos Soho operates with “a focus on women’s education and women’s empowerment.” Sales from its high-quality leather goods, which are designed in Texas and manufactured in New York City, support education efforts in East Africa.
"Esperos has always been a bag company that has wanted to give back,” Conley said.
The company is giving back in more ways than one, including trekking up I-35 for tomorrow’s show with two local brands.
The Como Necklace, available with a 17” or 19” chain. Photograph from EM Jewelry + Design.
Ellen Mote, the creative force behind EM Jewelry+Design, will be highlighting work from The Como Collection, which includes the unique Serpentine Necklace with detachable clasp and pendant function that has her avid Instagram followers in a tizzy. Mote’s popular designs have been featured in the Magnolia Home Journal and are carried in both local and national boutiques.
"I feel so fortunate and so blessed that [Magnolia] have given EM Jewelry the honor of being a vendor in their store," Mote said in her Downtown Depot interview from July 2017. "It has definitely made a huge difference in and allowed me to grow the business in ways I didn't think I'd be able to right from the start."
Linen skirt from Mary Claret. Photograph from Elle Wildhagen
Mary Claret is a contemporary women’s clothing company specializing in linen garments sewn with extra room for additional comfort and a more flattering silhouette. Prior to producing her own line, designer Andie Day worked as the costume designer for the television series, “Dallas,” and as a lecturer in Apparel Design at Baylor University.
My clothing is all woven and I use a nice, heavy fabric that slims the body," Day said in her Downtown Depot interview from October 2017. "Extra fabric around the gives you a little distance between the clothing and the body to create a slimming effect."
Locals like Mote and Day are helping Waco become a recognizable design destination. When asked about her expectations for Esperos's success at the event, Conley replied, “The target demographic is very much there in Waco just as it is here in Austin.”
The sample sale will take place on Saturday, July 14, inside of Cultivate712 at 712 Austin Avenue. Free frose, Topo Chico, snack, and giveaways are on the agenda.