Fall '23 Freedom or Bust!

Many of you know my muse, Janet MacPherson, my mother-in-law and legend who we lost last year. Janet lived a remarkable life as a single mother, a surrogate father, an entrepreneur, and a trailblazer who defied all norms. She was an athlete and thrill-seeker, making her way to wherever the surf was high or the powder was fresh. Her story transcends time and place. Our Fall '23 collection is a tribute to Janet that takes us back to her time in Sun Valley, Idaho, in the 1970s, where she set up camp with the likes of Margaux Hemingway and Warren Miller’s crew of ski bums and mountain mamas.

Janet always knew where to be, ski bumming Alta and living in Aspen, before settling in Sun Valley, which was more than just a quiet ski village, it was THE place for a new wave of groovy ski goers who descended on the town in the late 60s and early 70s to try their hand at the sport. (Did you know it was the site of the world's first ski lift?). It was a time and place where everyone seemed to know everyone by their face, not their social media account, where your paper lift tickets were punched, and "lifetime season passes" existed.

There was so much more to Janet's Sun Valley than skiing. Sun Valley was a community of like minded people. It was where the old west became the new west in the local honkey-tonk. There was a local cowboy named "Goldie" with a severed thumb, a man who won a ski lodge in a poker game, cowgirls who drove Porsches – and too many Hemingways to keep track of. Superstars all of them - searching for - and finding freedom in the breathtaking nature of the area.

Janet lived with her flame Earl who was a real cowboy with a ranch and cattle and everything. Earl was also a competitive sailor, expert skier, and he happened to be one of the iconic Marlboro men (I kid you not). He died tragically in his 50s, but his legacy left an indelible impression on my husband Sean. The romance of Janet and her young son driving out in her orange Porsche each season to head to "Earl's Ranch" inspired much of the western flare you will find in many pieces in this collection.

Though life for the single and spirited Janet was often challenging, she knew she could never live any other way. Like Ida Cox sang about, the only terms Janet could ever live by were her own. Freedom or bust!

At Janet's funeral in Malibu last March, I met a woman named Chris and we quickly hit it off. It was Chris Miller, Warren Miller's daughter and very close friend to Janet and Sean. They spent every winter together in Sun Valley. Janet lost three homes in fires in Malibu, so we sadly have very few old photos so I was delighted when Chris shared her photos and videos from that time with me. Chris' Sun Valley stories were key to getting into the creative mindset for this collection.

I hope this collection conjures up the same feelings it does for me: warm, wild and free.

Janet skied with us well into her 80s, with far more style and skill than many who were decades younger than her (me!). Here's a video of Janet skiing on one of our last trips together, she had just turned 80! (I love our chit chatting at the end). It was beyond fun diving into stories from those who will never forget this wild woman who blazed a trail for all - both on and off the slopes.

xo Rachelle