The Inaugural Straw Bag Snippets Letter!

A visit to Miu Miu's Art Basel performance art event, "Tales & Tellers," plus a Paris retail recap

💌 Thanks for bearing with me as I find a new groove in publishing The Straw Bag. I’d like to start something new where I send out a smaller letter that will be more journal entry-like, where I can play around with new writing styles. Today’s letter will focus on some fashion-centric experiences, mostly a retail review and trying my hand at some “arts reporting.” Hope you enjoy.

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It may have been sheer luck that the moment we were granted entry into the historical Palais d’Iéna to view Miu Miu’s exhibition “Tales & Tellers” that the performance had not begun yet.

Or just good timing.

From the outside, Palais d’Iéna appears stately and governmental. A large rotunda facade with slim columns, security guards in full suits, and an unassuming reception that could have very well led to standard conference rooms with upholstered dividers and burgundy carpet. Upon entering the main amphitheater, I realized how wrong I was — it’s a massive long running hall with floor-to-ceiling windows and two grand staircases that wrap and float above visitors.

The main hall before the beginning of the performance.

The building was originally constructed in the 1930s as a museum to showcase public works, but closed due to unpopularity. Around twenty years later, it became a meeting and work space for the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council of France. When considering the building’s past and present function, Miu Miu’s exhibition fits perfectly into this framework. Cultural, relevant, sociological. In fact, Miu Miu has created somewhat of a partnership with the venue as several seasons of their PFW shows have all taken place at the historic Palais.

About 15 minutes after our entry, the space came alive. Suddenly, my friend and I realized a sea of women clad in archival Miu Miu approaching us, as they walked across the grand hall. Collectively humming, they moved past us, all focused and confident, and back up another marble staircase. The show was about to begin and I could hardly contain myself.

The total performance lasted 80 minutes, and started off as a slow burn. One by one, models came down a back staircase, making their way across the grand hall and depositing themselves at their assigned installation (illustrating either a film from Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales series or performing a re-imagining of an artistic creation made for a past show). The models serve as the “custodians” of the stories, outlined by the exhibition’s brochure. The level of interaction varied: one model glided gracefully through the hall on a skateboard, her yellow knit cardigan and white dress following behind her, while another sauntered down the palace steps in a red peter pan collar dress and began performing stand up comedy.

While the entirety of Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales series can be streamed on YouTube (film directors include Mati Diop, Hailey Gates, Chloe Sevigny and Isabel Sandoval), the performance added a valuable physical dimension, inserting a sense of reality and enduring consciousness into the works to emphasize the importance of how storytelling and meaning-making can touch even those far-removed from the experiences.

Something I missed out on during Miu Miu’s programming to inaugurate the opening of the exhibition were a series of panels hosted at the Palais. Fortunately, these can be rewatched on Youtube as well — I recommend this one featuring Lila Avilés, Hailey Gates, Geumhyung Jeong, Shuang Li, Celia Rowlson Hall, and Cécile B. Evans. They discuss critical questions such as “how do we feel about the future?” and “how do we move through it and find meaning?” within the context of their works.

Finishing up our visit to the exhibition, I felt really hopeful, especially for the future of fashion. Yes, Miu Miu is part of Prada Group, a luxury giant, but I’m glad they’re collaborating with niche artists and filmmakers. Their Women’s Tales series and the creative freedom they give to their collaborators is invaluable.

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I’m so happy to be back in a city where things are open on Sundays. Window shopping on a Sunday early afternoon just feels different, more productive than a Saturday. It injects a bit of inspiration for the week ahead, and any inkling of Sunday Scaries is immediately obliterated in moment I procure a coffee and turn the shop girl part of my brain on. It’s not the act of buying that’s exciting, but capturing the essence of a store.

📍 111 Bd Beaumarchais

I’ve talked about Merci before in the newsletter, but this was my first time going to their store in Paris, and it did not disappoint. The visual merchandising feels lived-in, but in a good way.

Although it was super busy when I went, I immediately forgot about the noise around me. The racks and displays are tightly edited, but aren’t stark or cold - it makes you feel like you’re shopping somebody’s closet (similar to how their website feels). I love being in a shop where you can actually shop and not be afraid to touch or ask to try on anything, even if the sweaters are well over $400.

The wonder doesn’t stop in the clothes department, they have floors dedicated to stationary, books, home goods, and furniture, all equally merchandised with that lived-in feeling. Plus, their famous tote bags displayed on a dedicated wall, with color combos rotating depending on the season and availability! I didn’t end up buying anything, but I had to snap a few photos of brands and sweaters in order to channel something similar at flea markets and on Vinted.

Another retail experience not to be missed is Louise Carmen, purveyor of fine leather notebook covers and other accessories. Like many, I had seen their customization videos on TikTok early last year, and dreamed of buying one of them, but their international shipping is nearly the price of their leather covers. One morning I woke up, realized I had forgotten to bring a notebook to Paris, that I’d never gotten myself a birthday present, and decided to make a day of it.

If I’m not wrong, their storefront is also their office. Downstairs and in their newly-opened upstairs space, you can select the color and size of your leather cover, corresponding notebook inserts and other customizations like cord color, charms, and personalized monogramming. The shop is tiny, and I’ll admit that waiting outside for other shoppers to finish up kind of scared me bit. Not that the store was intimidating, but only because spending that much $$$ on a notebook is a crazy idea. However, the entire experience made it worth it. The associate helping me was extremely friendly, answering all of my questions and even chatting with me a little bit about Paris fashion heritage and places to see, grab a coffee at, relax, and write in my new journal. Plus, their leather covers fit Moleskine soft notebooks, which actually helped me justify the price of the cover. I’ll basically have it forever. Switching the notebooks as I run out of pages, the leather taking on that sought after worn patina and new charms added to the elasticated cord as I go through seasons of life.

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Some recommendations for you:

1. Songs: ‘Memory Foam’ by Molly Nilsson and ‘ROCKMAN’ by Mk.Gee

2. Thinking that this will be the next book I’ll start tonight: Overstaying by Ariane Koch

3. If you don’t have a mattress pad heater for winter, get one and never leave your bed

4. Video on how Man Ray influenced fashion

5. Shameless self plug but I’ve been posting more outfit videos on TikTok LOL

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one <3