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De Vera

BY Lisa Lindblad

October 26, 2010

It didn’t surprise me that De Vera and the supremely talented Kathe Williams (see Two Green Witches 9/9/10), had the imagination to design a Marie Antoinette dress, to fashion it out of burlap, to dress a madonna-like mannequin in it, and to make it beautiful.  Frayed at the hem, ruffled along the bodice, sweetly draped, it has that unique alchemy of blended rusticity and sophistication.  It is a piece of art in itself but, at the new, UES boite that De Vera opened only this past weekend, our lovely lady is the model for necklaces and brooches that form part of the exquisite, original jewelry collection.  While jewelry – often redesigned from old pieces – is a strong player, there are other gems here: a porcelain camel and cameleer, ostrich egg with red wax seal and encrusted jewel crown, ivory spoons, crystal balls, oil portraits, gilded architectural elements.  A treasure trove of objects, each of whose provenance I long to know, is watched over by a beautiful, serene lady in her burlap ball gown.

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Urban Zen Promotes Shopping With A Purpose