I had the incredible fortune of studying abroad in France during my senior year of college. A select group of peers and professors spent three months in the Provence, studying art amidst the lazy sunsets and natural luxury of the Luberon Valley. Situated in the heart of Southern France, our town had some rich history. It was at one time owned by the Vatican, and our town was seperated from the one across the valley by a line of trees, and the two towns; Lacoste and Bonnieux, each used different colors in their linens to denote their opposing religions; Protestants vs. Catholics! (This knowledge came in handy for tests, but also for buying antique French linens at the Flea Markets!)
The old Boulangerie: our school's library
We lived, loved and studied in a town called Lacoste. A picturesque quaint town, our home away from home housed a few locals, our school and with its cobblestone streets, no cars!
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Studying and working in such a secluded provencal town (while going out to Paris, Aix, Lyon and other destinations for field trips and weekend excursions), had its benefits. The lazy luxury of an area known for its natural beauty definatley lended a hand, I would often take study break walks through the orchards in the Valley seperating our village from the one across, Bonnieux. Sarah Lawernce School had previously owned some of the buildings for their study abroad program, before our school moved there, so the air of education and history of students was imbued in our little town.
There was a potent mix of the French sophisticated simplitiy of life, the relaxation of the Provencal countryside and the instensity of our program, that also made this place a productive oasis. In hindsight, this was one of my most accomplished periods of school, the artwork I produced there seems to have some sort of golden aura around it!
As Sally feels about her time spent living abroad, this experience had an infallible effect on many aspects of my life; from my view of fashion and style to the incredible beauty of the most simple things comprising a great experience, from fresh produce to fabulous friends. It is these things that we are exposed to when travels, and the insight that comes from being in a place different from our homes, that we take from our travels.
The embodiment of French (and European) sophistication is something that we attempt to imbue in all aspects of our business here at Sally Spicer. From our realtionships with customers to our goods made in our San Francisco studio, we are always working at bringing these experiences and knowledge to our work!
happy travels to you, wherever you may go,
un bisous,
callen z
