Photo illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Margot Mayer
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Margot Mayer has an eye for detail and good style. The antique dealer, interior designer and founder of Curio Shop has curated a house full of unique finds from the 18th and 19th centuries and a closet full of vintage and secondhand pieces.
“Good style is something that seems authentic,” she says. “I’m not the kind of person who would wear a mohawk, but when I see one on the subway, it’s a joy. It suits that person. If someone is happy with themselves, no matter what they’re wearing, that’s good style.”
The secret of her fashion finds? Timing and a lot Patience. She searches for secondhand treasures in different neighborhoods and isn’t afraid to wait a little longer to find the right piece on Poshmark. Her approach to shopping is to “focus on the one thing I’m obsessed with and then methodically sift through it looking for it.”
Below, you can see where Mayer got the pieces that made it into her carefully curated wardrobe and home.
Photo: Margot Mayer
My partner Matt’s grandmother. When we moved into our apartment years ago, she gave us several pieces of furniture. It has two big drawers and tons of space for books, and that’s most of what I have in there. My favorite bookstore is Three Lives in the West Village. It’s small, but the way it’s curated is fantastic; everyone who works there is a real reader. I almost always find something.
I also have a few sprays on my nightstand. I wake up very early, around 5 or 6 in the morning, because I’m on European time for work. My nighttime routine usually just involves me falling asleep. I also have a marbled notebook for my long-term planning. It’s from Il Papiro Firenze, a company that makes Italian marbled paper, so it feels very special.
Photo: Margot Mayer
My silk set is from Bernadette. I love the movie Great expectations starring Gwyneth Paltrow, which featured the original set. It’s the most gorgeous emerald silk skirt in an almost mermaid shape. The set in the film was designed by Donna Karan at her peak in the 90s. I managed to get the skirt on sale at Harrods. I had both pieces in my cart. I managed to get the skirt and another shopper got the top. So I had been looking for it for a couple of years and then my friend sent it to me through Poshmark.
Photo: Margot Mayer
I bought my 18th century glassware on a shopping trip in France. I love glassware! The craftsmanship is so beautiful and they don’t really make it anymore. As an object, it’s perfect. I don’t usually have much room in my suitcase on these shopping trips, so I send the items home. This was just a small glass, so it was like a treat for myself.
Photo: Margot Mayer
My Calvin Klein coat from Housing Works. On my last shopping trip to France, I wore it the whole time. It was so comfortable that I slept in it on a long flight. I also bought a floor-length cashmere cardigan from Calvin Klein and so many other things from Housing Works. It’s a magical place; a lot of people forget about it when it comes to clothing. Besides doing really great work in the city, they have wonderful stuff.
I’m not a big fan of perfume and I have very sensitive skin. I do love the smell of Dove soap though. I’m also a big fan of candles. For my 30th birthday I treated myself to a Moro Dabron candle. They’re these giant vessel candles inspired by a British floral designer who made unique vessels for her flowers. The one I bought is called Garden and smells like a beautiful, lush garden.
My dimmer is from Forbes & Lomax, a British company that makes these 1920s and 1930s inspired lights. It’s almost like a little piece of jewellery. I didn’t want to Photoshop the light switch on the wall where I photograph the pieces. I wanted to add something special. I also like to dim the lights as it really changes the mood. If I’m having a dinner party or something else, I can create atmospheric lighting like this. They are all hand forged and have to be shipped from the UK. My partner said: “Do we really need this?” And I thought: “Actually already.”
Photo: Margot Mayer
My Manolo Blahnik loafers are from The RealReal. I was on a shopping trip and didn’t want to wear sneakers and look like a tourist. I wanted something to pull on that was really comfortable and didn’t stand out like a sore thumb. And they were nicely broken in. The first few days in Paris were a bit rough because I was walking a lot, but when I got home they were the most comfortable shoes. I love the simplicity of them. I’ve worn them with shorts, dresses, everything.
Photo: Margot Mayer
My fish spatula is from Williams Sonoma. It’s flexible, lightweight and inexpensive. We’ve had the same one for eight years and it really makes a difference when you can flip something, especially when it’s stuck in the pan. I highly recommend it.
Photo: Margot Mayer
My button-down polo shirts from the thrift store. I stole one from Matt because his grandmother gave him one, and then another one I got at a garage sale. I got it for $2. In the summer, I have this weird preppy streak that comes out of me. I wear these shirts to the beach with my bathing suit.
Photo: Margot Mayer
Lee Miller Archives. She was Man Ray’s muse and creative partner. She was in the throes of Surrealism in Paris in the 1930s and was friends with Jean Cocteau and Picasso. Kate Winslet is producing and starring in a film about her. She began as fashion Model and then became an artist herself. She learned photography from Man Ray and worked as his assistant in Paris. I wrote my thesis on her and have been obsessed with her ever since.
