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Every week, Vogue will be spotlighting tastemakers across industries to hear how they’ve been approaching self-care during the coronavirus pandemic. We asked Aurora James, founder of sustainable shoe company Brother Vellies and winner of the 2015 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, to give us an inside look into how she’s been keeping sane while sheltering in place. From her new handmade mugs to fresh farm produce delivered to her doorstep, see below for James’s three must-haves while staying at home in Brooklyn.
1. My At-Home Mug:
I have been working with some incredible female Zapotec ceramicists in Oaxaca who made me this mug. Using it everyday during this period of self isolation has brought me a lot of comfort and feelings of connectivity. It reminds me that everything I bring into my home should be a product I cherish that tells a story and is made in a way that enriches other people’s lives as well. They are making five mugs each day for us in Oaxaca, and so we will be selling five mugs a day on our site.
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2. Greg Shoes in Grapefruit:
I have been slipping these on everyday for walks and they bring me great joy. Maintaining color in my life and my wardrobe has been incredibly helpful to me, it truly brightens my spirits. I don’t often pick a favorite shoe, but for this space in time, it’s definitely this one.
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3. Chef Collective Deliveries:
Both the retail and restaurant industries have been hit super hard. Ignacio Mattos, the chef-owner of Altro Paradiso in Soho, shared this service with me which is essentially a collective of small farmers that all previously supplied our favorite restaurants in NYC. Not only do you get access to a dream product selection, you’re also supporting some of the people that need it the most right now. We think a lot about the faces of these restaurant closures, but rarely do we give a thought to the businesses in the supply chain that are hurting very badly as well.