Shopping at the same stale chain stores gets a little boring, so I jumped at the chance to check out Beacon’s new designer boutique Reservoir and Wood. The boutique is owned and curated by {EM} Reservoir designer Erin Murphy, who also serves as a fashion industry advisor for Marist College. Murphy expertly rolls women’s wear, men’s wear, accessories, furniture, and home goods into one beautiful package.
Four women’s wear designers, including Murphy, contribute to the store’s collection of Spring 2013 essentials. Lightweight knits in aquamarine and dusty pink are displayed next to minimalist black-and-white pieces with billowing silhouettes. My favorite pieces are found toward the back of the store on racks of jewel-toned velvet leggings, patterned silk tops, and intricately beaded dresses on nude mesh. Rugged-yet-delicate leather bags line the walls — my favorite was the TM1985 clutch fastened with a giant brass pin. Murphy says she’s inspired by “local American-made artisan-crafted items” by designers who know their product well.
The boutique feels like it was picked up right out of Brooklyn, which makes sense since Murphy herself recently relocated from New York City to the Hudson Valley. She chose Beacon for her shop’s home because of the community-oriented atmosphere with a thriving music, art, and entertainment scene. The designer came up with the name Reservoir and Wood after a trip to the Ashokan Reservoir in the Catskills. She was inspired by the word “reservoir” as a supply or collection of an item and applied it to her own personal fashion line. “This collection is for that girl who likes to be in the city but likes to have that country life,” Murphy says. As that girl myself, I appreciate her vision and can’t wait to make a return trip to Reservoir and Wood.
See more photos from Reservoir and Wood’s grand opening in the gallery below.
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