Friday Favorites: Brands

I like things that are well made and look stylish but don’t stand out. So, I don’t like “labels,” even the few I can afford. On the other hand, I don’t like “fast fashion.” I would prefer to save up for an item that’s going to last rather than going for a quick fix that’s going to end up in the landfill. I like my shoes to last a minimum of 15 years (with resoling) and my nice work/party outfits at least 20. It frustrates me to no end that appliances are made to last only 6-10 years now, using cheap, plastic parts and one-way assembly so you can’t repair/replace those parts, when not that long ago my mom was using a 30-year-old dryer…. Here are some brands I have found so far that hit that sweet ROI spot, in a variety of areas:

• Campomaggi: stylish Italian leather bags with a cute fish motif that are made to be repaired by your local boot/shoe repair person if a rivet breaks or something (which happened after some unauthorized use of my shoulder tote as a backpack…).
• Clarks shoes: A good combination of comfort and style (for me). I have a pair of their booties that have been repaired twice and resoled once and are still going strong at the age of 15.
• Giesswein: They use breathable, sustainable merino in their cute sneakers, and I love their slippers.
• Icebreaker: I love how light, breathable, and stain-and-odor resistant their merino underwear is. It’s not super durable b/c any featherweight wool knit is prone to snags. But I watch for sales and stock up–and compost the old stuff (yep!). Their heavier weight stuff is very durable: I own several outerwear pieces that are going strong a decade later.
• Diptyque: Pricey, but their candles and perfumes last a really long time.
• Weleda for skin care.
• For make-up, I don’t wear a lot of it, so I just need the very basics, like a tinted SPF serum, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick/gloss. I used to love Origins, but they discontinued their cosmetics line and just do skincare now (which is great; I just don’t get along with the chemicals they use for their SPF). I’m leaning into ILIA at the moment for clean beauty.
• I love Iittala’s dishes and glassware: super stylish and high quality.
• For backpacks, it’s always Osprey for me.
• I’m a Mazda girl: have been since our 1977 Mazda Mizer. I’m in love with their KODO design philosophy.
• For motorcycles, it’s Honda as far as I’m concerned. I’ve owned 2 and hope eventually to get an 80s café racer (right after I learn how to maintain them myself, because finding a reliable motorcycle mechanic is like finding a needle in a haystack).
• Holzkern watches are made with waste products from the lumber and stone masonry industries and are really eye-catching.
• Papinelle makes my favorite pajamas. They’re unique, pretty, and well made. I found them on a trip to Sydney, but they’re easy to order from the U.S. and arrive pretty quickly.