A Sensory-filled Local Shopping Experience

 

This past Thursday I was invited to the Feminine Cartel, a local shopping event "for women who buy the best from creation to closet." I love to shop local when I can, and in this case, it was especially exciting because a few St. Louis retailers got together to feature their businesses for a good cause. A portion of the sales was donated to the relief efforts in Mexico, to help the people of Oaxaca recover and rebuild their communities after the major earthquake last month.

Relief for Mexico display

I don't normally think of shopping excursions, aside from the farmer's market, to be a multi-sensory experience, but this most certainly was a sensory-filled fashion frenzy. The event took place at LAUNCH Clothing & Accessories on the Hill. Their products come from both local designers and designers around the world. This industrial boutique storefront created such a high-energy atmosphere—the sights and sounds of creation were all around. This event was after hours, but I had the feeling that it is undoubtedly abuzz each day with work in progress throughout the first floor and the loft. I picked up an incredibly soft knit cream-colored sweater with fringe by Lemon (pictured below) from the LAUNCH collection. I wore it the next day over a button-up long-sleeved top and felt like the epitome of fall. 

Pink and black Beautiful Mexicana top and cream sweater from LAUNCH

Another retailer featured was Beautiful Mexicana. Over the summer I bought a beautiful black top with pink hand-stitching (pictured above). In addition to tops and dresses with this intricate embroidery, Beautiful Mexicana sells 100% handmade pieces of clothing as well as clutches and wallets from artisans in Mexico. Vibrant colors, geometric patterns, and floating flowery details abound!  


 

I also discovered Collections by Joya whichfeatures handmade jewelry from around the world. I quickly fell in love with a pair of the Favorite Fringe Earrings (above). I could have stared at the Joya display tables (above) for hours—the soft colors, glistening gems, colorful beads, and matted metals of necklaces, bracelets, and rings were like unique works of art.

Be U was another retailer that featured leggings from Colombia (above). Although I didn't make any purchases, I hope to in the future. The swirling neon patterns were almost as mesmerizing as fireworks.

Thank you to the four amazing St. Louis women who brought international fashion for an evening of fun. I appreciate the exposure to so much flair and the opportunity to support a good cause, if only a little bit. I hope more events like these will be scheduled soon!