Design

5 swoon worthy things: Bessie Afnaim Corral

Bessie Afnaim Corral

You may have noticed there is one warm, ultra-luxe shearling coat Athena has been snuggling up in all winter, from the streets of NYC to the chalets of Whistler. The beautiful, minimal brand that has been enveloping her throughout her journeys in crazy-cold temps is Arjé, and it’s definitely a new EyeSwoon obsession — not to mention a new(ish)-on-the-scene darling of a slew of top publications. As icing on the (design) cake, the label creates stunning “Seasonal Homes”, or temporary shops, to house its collections, and these environments are every bit as elegant as the clothes themselves. So, here we chatted with co-founder Bessie Afnaim Corral to find out not only her philosophy behind the label, but also the items she’s eyeing for her own abode. Check out all the lush, pared-down beauty below.

NAME: Bessie Afnaim Corral

PROFESSION: Co-founder + designer of Arjé

HOME BASE: NYC + Umbria in Italy

ENDLESSLY OBSESSED WITH: Finding purpose in everything I do – I live by the philosophy that “everything happens for a reason”.

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: Ancient + modern, minimal + warm, effortless + elegant. A perfect combination of contradictions that I believe should always be balanced in a 3-1 ratio – so it always feels original.

YOUR AESTHETIC IN 3 WORDS: Minimal, warm, effortless

BRIEFLY, HOW YOU CAME TO DO WHAT YOU DO: I’ve always done what I do! I think its probably the only thing I know how to do!! Since I could remember, I always wanted to be a designer and started making clothes at the age of 9 for all my friends. From that day on I never stopped…

DESIGN TREND YOU LOVE? Play on proportions and oversized everything.

ONE YOU WISH WOULD GO AWAY? Anything checkered

COLOR OR NEUTRAL? Neutral

WE WILL NEVER SEE fluorescent lighting IN YOUR HOME. It always needs to feel warm and well lit.

HOW AND WHERE YOU SHOP: I shop to discover, I explore, I let my mind wander. I love to shop in places I don’t know and just let my mind go on an adventure.

DO YOU HAVE ANY DESIGN ICONS? Rick Owens. He has mastered a complete universe. From clothing to environments to homes to people, they all fit seamlessly into his orbit. Something I dream of creating. Pina Bausch, because she was perfect. My Mum, who taught me everything about how to be effortless + elegant and incredibly beautifully being comfortable in your own skin.