Hi there,

Are you watching Love Story, the new series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy? I’m surprised by my reaction to it. I lived through the 90s, and I’m not usually into nostalgia, but I was hit with this heartache, a combination of grief and longing for that era.

Back then, we only had tabloids, magazines, and the news. No Instagram, no curated content feed, no quick missives on Threads. And so we only got fragments of John and Carolyn: a photograph outside their apartment in Tribeca, a grainy image at an airport, or a glimpse of that stunning Narciso Rodriguez slip dress at their secret wedding.

For straight women of that era, John was the idea of a man. He rollerbladed without a shirt through Manhattan, and rode his bike in a suit on his way to work. He picked his dog Friday’s poop as a good citizen would. I still remember seeing that photo in a tabloid while waiting in line at the supermarket.

He walked around with nonchalance and with an impossible shadow: he was the son of Camelot, member of one of the most iconic American families, raised by Jackie Kennedy Onassis. American royalty without a crown, historical, and almost mythological. And yet he seemed entirely unburdened by it. Or at least, he made it look that way, which was a huge part of his appeal.

And then there was her.

Carolyn Bessette walked into public consciousness blond, severe in the best way, and always stylish without ever seeming to try. Her connection to Calvin Klein gave her an edge that went beyond fashion; she was the 90s, personified. For those of us who were born outside the United States, she was almost unreal. She looked like what America promised to be, the most distilled, sophisticated and aspirational version of itself: powerful, modern, cool, and devastatingly beautiful.

But it all ended 3 years after their wedding.

I was traveling for work to Boulder, Colorado when the news broke. The shock was breathtaking. I immediately thought of Princess Diana and, like her, it felt like a cruel loss of members of a royal family whose lives were in the precipice of blooming.

Fast forward to almost 27 years later, and here we are, with unlimited access to the most intimate and exhausting details of everyone’s lives. Spectacle, click bait, vulgarity and outrageousness seem the only way to relevance.

There’s a lot of nostalgia for 90s fashion right now (too much, to be honest), but Love Story makes me long for something much harder to find: people whose lives make me quietly raise my own standards, and who exude chicness in the broadest sense. As a way of being, a way of moving through life with depth, beauty and mystery. John and Carolyn had it. They were the last of something. We just didn’t know it yet.

Sending love and 90s nostalgia,

Patricia

Hi there,

When I was first imagining how Matriark would exist in the world, I kept coming back to the same image: a garden. A living ecosystem where women-owned brands could grow, women-focused ideas could take root, and women could thrive.

Years later, that metaphor feels even more accurate. The older I get, the more I understand that gardens—literal or otherwise—require intention, patience, and showing up. In return, they offer beauty and awe, and a a steadiness that can inspire and soothe us in both good times and bad.

I’m heartbroken by the news cycle, the horrifying revelations in the Epstein files, and violence against our own citizens, and I’ve found refuge and relief among trees, dirt, and fresh air in my local gardens and in nature.

Which is why, for Galentine’s and Valentine’s Day, whether you’re celebrating romantic love, chosen family, lifelong friendships, or self-love, I decided to skip the gift guide and suggest something else instead: I learned that the New York Botanical Garden was launching a new exhibition—The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle—and it immediately struck me as a beautiful way to share and experience love.

This exhibition is a love letter to NYC that we all benefit from, where the artist turns mundane things like signage, a subway stop, fire escape, fences, and benches and a laundromat into awe inspiring flower sculptures.

I’m still recovering from surgery, so I couldn’t attend the press preview myself, (I will visit soon), but I spoke with NYBG spokesperson Zachary Leibovitch and sent Laura Olster, one of Matriark’s trusted correspondents, to experience it firsthand. Scroll for details and for beautiful photos that I hope will entice you to visit, or inspire you to experience your local parks and gardens if you aren’t in NYC.

One of Lauren’s personal favorites were the laundromat, and the yellow orchids (Phaelaenopsis) flanking the carwash station. The subway station is Zachary’s favorite. I think it’s going to be hard to pick mine!

Fun facts: there are 7,000 individual plants and flowers at NYBG, and 5,000 different specimens in the orchid collection. The orchids are bred from a very small group of species and hybridized over time to create every size and color pattern imaginable. And there is something you can only feel in person: the lovely fragrance of the Cattleya orchids.

A Mysterious Artist and his Blooming Concrete Jungle

The artist behind it all, Mr. Flower Fantastic, remains anonymous and never shows his face, letting the flowers do the talking. Raised in Queens, his love of flowers started in his mother’s garden and evolved into a self-taught, multidisciplinary practice blending floral design with fashion, pop culture, and sneaker culture.

He believes that flowers uplift, reconnect us to nature, and remind us that beauty can thrive in the most unexpected places.

And in the times we are living in, this exhibition feels like a salve. It’s joyful, whimsical, fun and beautiful.

I’m excited to visit soon, and I hope you can go too.

Bring someone you love, or someone you’re still getting to know. Or just yourself. Bathe in the beauty of the orchids, the artist’s creative energy, and the peaceful grounds of NYBG.

It’s on from February 7 through April 26th.

Sending you love and orchids 🌸
Patricia

Hi there,

We all know the story: we have roughly one million photos living somewhere in a cloud. We take pictures daily, share a handful on whatever social platform, and never look at them again. They’re all tiny digital souvenirs of moments interesting enough to capture, with many worthy of existing IRL. So why don’t we print them? To me, it’s not the editing or printing itself that turns me off. It’s the logistics and inflexibility of making a real photo album that give me anxiety: Do I build a digital one first or just make a real album? What if I want to print more and it runs out of pages? Does it have enough space for me to write on? What if I want to add later? Surely I could ask someone to do it, but how much of the work I still have to do it before delegating it? I am exhausted already, so I do nothing instead.

Last summer, when I went to Japan for two months, I was hell-bent on not letting those memories die a quiet death in my phone. I wanted something physical and real, so I had to force myself to create a method that made things easier for me to print and assemble my favorite photos without turning this into a full time job. Then, my mom came to visit for the holidays (she’s been asking for printed photos) and I ran out of excuses.

There were thousands of photos. Sifting through them was a reminder that I should have edited as I took them (who does that, though?), but also a joy to relive the trip with my family.

In today’s newsletter, I’m sharing my method which requires zero crafting skills. The only thing I had was a printer (yes, I lost my mind and printed every photo, but you don’t need to if you send them out to Staples like a normal person), an Amazon account to get the materials (not many) and a huge desire to free your most loved photos from your camera roll.

I’m also sharing a few pages from my own book so you get some ideas and hopefully get inspired to just start. I didn’t want this to be an art project, or something for Pinterest because I would agonize over every page and never finish. This just needs to be personal - and that’s exactly the point.

Time had already started to soften our memories and, taking the images out of the cloud, and bringing them to this material world made my trip real again. Now we can share it without unlocking a phone or passing a screen around. I printed all the photos before my mom left, and we are still working on getting everything laid out. It was a lot of work (it was a long trip after all) but I know one day I’ll be grateful we actually did this.

Scroll down for the shopping list and examples of my printed photos. Sending love,

Patricia

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Hi there,

My very first memory of Thanksgiving didn’t happen in America. It happened in Brazil, in the 80s, on my parent’s TV. I was a teenager with a massive crush on Rob Lowe, watching About Last Night and trying to decode this very American holiday through Demi Moore’s chaotic, charming Turkey Day scene.

Back then, I couldn’t fully understand the dynamics: the mental load, the gender roles, the twenty-something drama. (Ugh… I don’t miss my 20s at all!)

Fast-forward to 2025, and here I am: fully immersed in American culture, celebrating what has become my favorite holiday, HUGE turkey and all. And when I pause for a moment, I’m overwhelmed by how much I have to be grateful for.

This country gave me a career I’m deeply proud of, a husband I love, friends who feel like family, a business that brings me purpose, and the joy (and daily adventure) of raising my children here.

And then there’s you.
Thank you for reading these newsletters, supporting our small business, sharing our mission, and being part of the Matriark community. It means more than I can say.

Wishing you a beautiful, love-filled Thanksgiving.

With love and gratitude,
Patricia 🤍🦃

Before we start, a quick reminder that I am co-hosting the first salon from the MINT series with Maxine Friedman on Thursday 11/6, featuring leading experts in cryptocurrency and Web3 MAGGIE LOVE, Founder of SheFi, and SUSIE BATT, Ecosystem Growth Specialist, Covariance and SheFi Advisor. They will offer an accessible introduction to the space, practical insights on investing in alternative assets, and an open forum for questions and discussion.

The Matriark Salon x Maxine Ventures present
MINT: An Investment Salon Series Curated by Women, for Women

Click HERE to purchase, the event will be in the Hamptons, and seats are VERY limited! Thank you Alison Graham and our Sponsor BARNES International Realty - New York for making this event even more special. IF YOU ARE A PAID SUBSCRIBER, YOU RECEIVED THE DISCOUNT CODE IN LAST WEEK’S NEWSLETTER but I have it inside this newsletter again in case you need it. If you have questions, email us at rsvp@matriark.com.

OK, onto this week’s newsletter:

I’ve been plagued by anxiety about my kids future and the college application process in the US. The world is changing rapidly with AI, the college costs are huge, and I have no first hand experience in this process (I didn’t go to college in the US). So I have all the questions:

📚 With AI upon us, what’s going to happen to colleges? Is it even worth spending that much money in a field that may be obsolete in a few years? Is college still worth the price tag?

📚 What’s the best strategy for deciding a profession and which college to apply with this huge unknown?
📚 How do I guide without pressuring and preserve our relationship in the process?

I’ve known Bari Norman since our kids were two years old at the Barnard Toddler Center. We would nervously commiserate in the waiting room, hoping our children wouldn’t cry too much while learning how to separate from us. Those early days were all about finding our footing as parents, and college was a galaxy away. And now, 12 years later, I decided to call Bari to ease my anxiety instead of spiraling alone. She co-founded Expert Admissions and has guided families through this very peculiar maze for 21 years.

This is NOT a conversation about hacks to get admitted to college. This is about how to think clearly in uncertain times, what success even means anymore, and why finding your people might be the most valuable degree of all. And though the theme is related to college, so much of this conversation is about our current AI fears, the state of the world and the “why” behind everything we do, regardless of age.

Below, I’m sharing the key questions and topics I asked her, and this time I have Bari’s answers in short video clips. I was inspired by the way Bari’s own personal story and how sees the world, and I was so grateful to get clarity of what the college education’s lifelong ROI should be for my kids. I hope you watch her and that it’s helpful to you as much as it was for me. If you want to go deeper, Bari offers webinars, has a wealth of resources, and is often tapped to speak on TV about this topic, so feel free to contact her!

Sending love,

Patricia

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Hi there,

I recently learned that across Japan, less than 1 in 5 craftspeople today have a successor, and what they create may never be made again. The population is shrinking, the number of artisans has dropped from over 280,000 in the 1980s to about 60,000 today, and entire lineages of skill and beauty may vanish within a single generation.

Enter Tina Koyama, the Swiss Japanese founder of POJ Studio. After a decade in Silicon Valley and inspired by her mother, Tina returned to Japan where she began building bridges between East and West, digital and physical, and innovation and tradition. In my conversation with Tina (scroll down to read and to enjoy her beautiful photos), she shared how she collaborates directly with artisans to create pieces that honor tradition while providing exquisite items for modern living. She explains why she chose kintsugi (he Japanese art of golden repair) to start her business, her approach to supporting craftspeople’s vision, her commitment to the Kintsugi Classes and Apprentice Program, her newly launched POJ Interiors and so much more.

POJ Studio is bringing its world of craftsmanship to New York City with a pop-up at 180 The Store in Tribeca. If you are in NYC make sure to visit to experience their collection in person, or shop their selection of ceramics, textiles, and homeware online. (I bought incredibly light wooden trays and boxes, indigo linen wall hanging art by artist Kiyoe Masao, and a very special amulet (I posted photos of my visit on Instagram). Beyond objects, if you are interested in becoming a craftsperson yourself or dab in some of the techniques, POJ offers hands-on ways to engage with tradition in Kyoto and the U.S., like the Kintsugi repair workshops, brush-making classes, and woodworking apprenticeship .

As the world races toward automation, it feels essential and urgent to hold something real, something shaped by another person’s hands. Craft reminds us that beauty takes time, that emotion can live inside an object, that touch still matters.

I hope you enjoy this interview - I know POJ Studio is going to change the faith of craft in Japan. You just watch.

Q&A with Tina Koyama

P: Your career began in fast-paced digital product design between Tokyo and Silicon Valley. Tell us a little bit about your background and what made you leave that world and dedicate yourself to preserving Japanese craftsmanship.

T: I spent over a decade in tech, working at the intersection of R&D and international strategy between Tokyo and Silicon Valley. During that time, whenever I returned to Japan, I would visit craftspeople with my mother and saw firsthand the challenges facing the traditional craft industry. At first, it felt worlds apart from the fast-paced environment I was in. But I realized that many people around me abroad had a deep admiration for Japan and were eager to connect more meaningfully with its culture. That was the moment I saw the potential “market fit” for these crafts. Later, when we moved back to Japan, I felt more inspired to contribute to revitalizing this industry than to continue my career in tech—and that’s what ultimately drove me to start this business.

P: You’ve shared that your mother played a pivotal role in introducing you to artisans across Japan. Can you share one moment from those early visits that deeply shaped your vision for POJ Studio?

I wouldn’t have been exposed to the world of craft without my mother. Because we grew up outside of Japan, she worked hard to pass on her culture to us, and part of that was taking me to visit artisans whenever we returned. I still remember one bamboo basket maker whose work was breathtaking. He told us he had no successor, and a few years later, we learned that he had closed his workshop. That moment was formative for me—it made the fragility of these traditions painfully real. Since then, I’ve encountered many similar stories, and they continue to fuel my determination to keep these crafts alive for future generations.

P: POJ describes itself as a bridge between Japan and the West, and between tradition and modern living. How do you balance authenticity and cultural integrity while making Japanese crafts accessible to a global audience?

T: My background in tech was to solve real-world problems through design, with a focus on strategy, so I was never a designer particularly interested in visual expression especially in the second half of my career. When we meet craftspeople —often through trusted networks, which is so important in Japan—we approach with humility and curiosity. Because I can communicate directly in their language, I don’t usually arrive with predetermined ideas. Instead, I listen: I want to understand their current situation, their techniques, their challenges, and their hopes for the future. What we create together is the natural outcome of supporting their own vision, rather than imposing ours.

This is also my life’s work. We don’t collaborate for just a season—we invest in building relationships that ideally last for many years. The craftspeople feel that level of commitment, and it’s through this mutual trust that we can make their work accessible to the world while preserving its authenticity and cultural integrity.

P: Many traditional crafts in Japan are struggling to survive. What do you see as the biggest challenges artisans face today, and how is POJ helping to address those?

T: At its core, the biggest challenge is economic: artisans simply don’t earn enough to make the profession sustainable, let alone attractive for the next generation. Without viable livelihoods, younger people understandably choose other paths.

At POJ Studio, everything we do is aimed at addressing that gap. On one side, we work with craftspeople to create products that resonate with today’s customers, generating higher income for them. On the other, we’re heavily investing in education—expanding programs like our Kintsugi Apprentice Program into other crafts. These initiatives not only preserve and spread knowledge internationally, but also give younger craftspeople the opportunity to teach and connect with people from around the world—something that can be both financially supportive and deeply inspiring for them.

Looking ahead, we also hope to establish permanent spaces outside of Japan, with a focus on Los Angeles and New York. These will serve as hubs—combining retail, showroom, and repair studios—that connect an international audience directly to the work we are building in Japan. Alongside this, our interior services allow us to bring craftspeople directly into customers’ spaces, outfitting homes, shops, and restaurants with authentic craft. Together, these efforts create a sustainable ecosystem that ensures Japanese craftsmanship is not only preserved but continues to thrive.

P: Tell us about the craftspeople that you work with.

T: Today, we work with around 70 craft partners and add 10–20 each year. Our collaborations span a wide range of techniques—from woodturning and natural dyeing to lacquer, pottery, and many more. This diversity not only enriches our collection but also helps showcase the incredible breadth of Japanese craftsmanship to a global audience.

Kintsugi has become one of POJ’s signature offerings, from self-paced kits to in-studio apprenticeships in Kyoto and Long Beach.

P: Why did you decide to focus on this Japanese art of gold repair?

As a problem-oriented designer, my first thought—before we even decided what to sell—was that shipping fragile pieces like tableware would inevitably lead to breakage. Rather than treating that as an afterthought, we decided to begin with the solution: introducing kintsugi, a repair method that is slow, entirely natural, and rooted in lacquer—a traditional craft industry itself facing decline.

Starting with repair set the tone for POJ Studio: we are not about encouraging endless consumption, but about cherishing the objects that make a house a home and extending their lives. Our Kintsugi Apprentice Program builds on this by training repair professionals worldwide, so that customers don’t need to ship broken pieces all the way to Japan—they can access sustainable repair closer to home. Looking ahead, we also hope to expand into teaching additional repair methods beyond kintsugi, continuing to strengthen this culture of care.

P: You’ve recently launched POJ Studio Interiors, a new business arm that integrates Japanese craftsmanship into architectural and interior projects. Can you share your vision for this initiative?

T: We’re really excited about this new service. With POJ Studio Interiors, our goal is not only to create more authentic spaces for our international customers but also to bring them closer to the craftspeople themselves. Instead of limiting cultural exchange to a short talk session or exhibition opening, we want people to experience the artisans’ work firsthand, in the context of their own homes and spaces. For us, it’s about creating environments that are both beautiful and deeply connected to the traditions and people behind them.

P: What do you believe is the future of craft?

Since I first started this business alone, I’ve seen craft become a more widely discussed and appreciated topic. In a world where technology is distancing us from nature and even replacing many white-collar jobs, what remains essential for humanity is the ability to connect—with other people, with nature, and with ourselves—through the work of our own hands.

Craft sits right at that intersection. While it is bittersweet, as many workshops have already closed, I believe we are at the beginning of a slow but steady revival. My hope is that craft will not only survive, but play a vital role in grounding us in a more human, connected, and sustainable future.

P: Tell us about your space in Los Angeles, and now the Pop-Up in Tribeca

T: I believe it’s vital for us to create spaces where true in-person interaction can happen. While we work toward establishing a permanent base, we’ve been exploring Los Angeles through pop-ups—first in Echo Park, then Long Beach, and now in Culver City, which is another exciting and creative part of the city. At the same time, New York has always been an important market for us, so bringing our work to Tribeca at 180 The Store is especially meaningful.

In both cities, we’re not only offering retail but also kintsugi hands-on experiences, so people can engage directly with the philosophy and practice behind the craft. For us, these spaces are about much more than showcasing products—they’re about creating meaningful connections and giving people the chance to experience Japanese craftsmanship in a very tangible way.

P: What’s next for POJ Studio? Are there new crafts, collaborations, or experiences you’re excited to introduce in the next year?

T: Internationally, our goal is to establish permanent spaces that combine retail, showrooms, and repair studios—true hubs that serve as bridges to Japan and allow people to experience craft firsthand. These spaces will also give us opportunities to bring craftspeople abroad for demonstrations and to help outfit interiors with their work. In the meantime, we’re continuing to explore global cities through pop-ups, with upcoming plans in Hong Kong, Zurich, and possibly London.

Locally in Japan, we’re excited to expand our “craft villages” into new disciplines. In the Kyoto countryside, we’re opening a woodworking school alongside a manufacturing facility for wooden furniture, which will launch next year. The following year, we plan to establish a similar base for pottery—creating ecosystems where traditional skills can be learned, practiced, and shared with the world.

THANK YOU TINA!

Hi there,

I wrote this newsletter a few weeks ago, but I’m adding this note today in light of the latest news. I didn’t agree with Charlie Kirk’s views, but as we remember 9/11 and witness yet another school shooting, it’s shocking to see people celebrating what happened to him as if there’s such a thing as acceptable violence. There isn’t. Violence is violence, no matter your politics, and it’s never victimless.

In the spirit of peace, I dedicate this newsletter to the victims of school shootings, including those killed and injured yesterday at Evergreen High School in Denver. We are all affected by this. We must fight for stronger gun control and more rigorous screenings.

If you feel moved, please join me in donating to Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.

Civility: The Radical Act of Being Human

Something strange happened to me in Japan this summer. It wasn’t the vacation glow, or the thrill of being in a new country. My body relaxed in a way I didn’t know it needed. My shoulders dropped, my jaw unclenched, my guard lowered.

And after pondering about it and checking in with my husband, who felt the same way, I now know what happened: when interacting with people during my trip, they showed trust, they assumed good intent, and grace was extended to me, every single day.

When I messed up (which was often), they didn’t yell — they helped. When I asked for directions, they didn’t just point — they walked me there. I felt relaxed and safe because I wasn’t met with aggression or hostility. It’s not that people didn’t feel anger or didn’t judge me — who knows, maybe I annoyed them endlessly. But that wasn’t reason enough to be uncivil to me. They were kind and thoughtful nonetheless, and experiencing that kind of peace was life changing.

But that also made me painfully aware of how much aggressive energy we normalize here. The best way I can explain how I felt when I came back is this: Imagine living life not realizing you have a splinter in your foot, finally pulling it out and feeling a relief you didn’t know you needed — only to have to shove it back in again. Ouch.

The Bug We Don’t Talk About 🦠

Christine Porath begins her TED Talk with a question: “Who do you want to be?” Not your title, not your salary, but who as a human being.

Turns out, so many of us have experienced a horrible boss, an abusive “friend”, or a bully co-worker who use words to demean, ridicule or humiliate everyone around them. How many times have you been on a receiving end of someone shouting louder just to win? And the worst part is that it never ends there.

Christine calls incivility a bug, a virus, and I couldn’t agree more. One rude boss infects an entire office. One insult can derail a team so badly it literally costs a life. She tells the story of a medical team so rattled by a doctor’s tirade that they botched a dosage. The patient died.

Let this sink in.

And the contagion spreads. Her research shows that even witnessing rudeness corrodes motivation and focus. That reading rude words on a screen makes us five times more likely to miss obvious information (which explains Twitter, and why I never got in it!).

This is how hostility eats us alive: drip by drip, insult by insult, eye-roll by eye-roll.

Experiencing Civility

Here’s the thing: civility is not weakness. It’s not just going high when they go low. It’s fighting back, disagreeing, arguing, getting angry, giving brutal feedback, all without shredding someone’s dignity.

What I experienced in Japan wasn’t just politeness. It was a collective understanding that venting, “telling it like it is,” or publicly airing every petty grievance is less important than keeping everyone’s dignity intact. That building a peaceful (albeit not perfect) society requires looking outside yourself, making sacrifices, and anticipating someone else’s needs instead of solely focusing on your own. Civility requires us to be thoughtful and care about others as we care for ourselves.

Maybe that’s why a cab driver got out to walk me to the right door: pointing isn’t as helpful.
Or why a barista charged my forgotten phone: he knew I’d want it working when I returned.
It’s probably why, when we were in the wrong train car, the clerk apologizes on behalf of the transportation company: not because we were wronged, but because by taking responsibility for their own part of the problem, they didn’t come off as accusatory of our mistakes. And that, in turn, made us want to apologize to them. Problem was solved, dignity was intact, peace was maintained.

These tiny gestures and minuscule moments help rebuild what constant hostility erodes: trust in one another. Maybe if we trust in humanity and each other’s integrity, we will rise to meet it.

So Who Do You Want to Be?

The truth is both incivility and civility are contagious. One corrodes, and the other uplifts.

So the question is the same one Christine asked on that TED stage: Who do you want to be?

Hostility is killing us. And maybe civility is the only thing left that can save us.

Sending love and peace,

Patricia

PS: I know. Japan is far from perfect. They are on the other side of the spectrum, and that also causes disfunction, poor mental health and stress. But we can learn from them and apply some of what works for them in our own world, and strive for less aggression, and more civility.

I’m so happy to welcome Hall W. Rockefeller, Founder of Less Than Half, who will be joining me and Susan Sandler (Founder of Pop Up Season) for a special conversation on the power of women collectors to champion women artists as "matrons of the a…

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Hi,

Piggybacking from my last newsletter about Joy, here are 3 things I saw in Japan brought so much joy to me and my family.

PS: About Disney Tokyo: the heat was torture, and the crowds were insane, but some of the rides at Disney Sea were so amazing that at least one of them is worth showing. (Trust me: I’m not a Disney fanatic and I would have paid to NOT go, so this says a lot).

Enjoy!

Spectacular teamLab Planets, where your drawings come alive on screen. Check their website for all the other experiences, it was truly one of the best things I have ever seen in my life.

Disney Sea Rapuzel’s Lantern Festival

Fun robes from the store Wiggle Wiggle in Harajuku. I bought this one (photo below), which is not terry cloth (volume on the suitcase would be too much), but they have a lot of fun prints. a few things there and got this shopping bag to put everything in it. In Japan you can sometimes select the shopping bag for a small fee. You can check some of their robes on this page, scroll down to see them.

Talk soon,

Patricia

This is my mom’s first time in Japan. She has wanted to come for many years, but my dad, for some odd reason, never did. Their parents migrated to Brazil when they were children, and they weren’t alone: Brazil is the largest Japanese community outside Japan.

Unfortunately I can’t take my school age children for a long trip in the middle of a school year, so we will have to brave the summer heat. We arrived in Tokyo last Friday and it was hottttt!

I will post highlights of the trip here as much as I can. I can attest that my bag from Rachel Comey is a workhorse already. Here it is in the Shinkansen (bullet train) 🚄

We landed at 4:30am, and after refreshing and resting, we headed to Shinjuku Station to get some train tickets exchanged (wow, that was convoluted…) and we stopped by the Meiji Jingu Shrine ⛩️ at Yoyogi Park. We had a very ambitious plan to walk to Harajuku and Omotesando, but we gave up. It was way too hot, so we just relaxed at the park and headed back to the hotel.

Sunnies by YSL*

Meiji Jingu Shrine

Famous sake brewers donated their barrels to the shrine to be used in ceremonies and festivals. So beautiful.

You can write down a wish with a little donation to the shrine and they will add it to their prayers.

Old top by Ulla Johnson, very similar shape to this one, curved cargo pants by Another Tomorrow, my bag from Rachel Comey and Onitsuka Tiger Mexico sneaker that I got in Milan this Spring. I got my hat in an arts and crafts fair in Sag Harbor before I left to Japan.

We meandered through the park and, to everyone’s delight - especially my mother’s - we stumbled upon a spectacular Iris Garden. It keeps going and going. Huge and gorgeous.

On our way tot the shrine I bumped into a Dean & Deluca store. It made me miss it when it was in NYC.

I am late in posting, but will share more soon…

Patricia

Hall and I go deep into discussion on how we value (or undervalue) art, and why we have such a huge lack of representation of women artists everywhere. Our chat isn’t just about art, it’s about the state of women everywhere, and it’s a perfect kickoff to what we’re building with this show: honest conversations about what makes women richer in mind, body, and bank account. Besides our incredibly unique guests, what makes this podcast different is our desire to normalize women talking about money. At the end of every episode, I ask my guests if they talked about it when they were growing up, and how they relate to it today, and it’s been fascinating to hear the responses from everyone. There is nothing I love more than having intelligent conversations with smart women, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The 30-minute episodes are free on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and Youtube, and full episodes (usually 1 hour) are available for paid subscribers in our Substack’s Podcast Page. Upgrade your subscription and send us feedback on the comment section, I can’t wait to hear from you.

Speaking of women artists we should all know…

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We are thrilled to debut Wealthy: The Matriark Podcast with Hall Rockefeller. To learn more about Hall and her work, head over to Less Than Half or her Substack.

To join the Matronage Movement, head over to Less Than Half’s membership page.

You’ll find more resources in the Show Notes.

Here is the Full Episode VIDEO:

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I’m so happy to welcome Suzanne Tick, who will be joining me and Susan Sandler (of The Pop Up Season) for a fun gathering on Monday, June 16th.

Suzanne is a celebrated textile artist and design innovator whose life’s work bridges ancient weaving techniques with cutting-edge technology. A fourth-generation recycler, she transforms industrial cast-offs and found materials, like Mylar balloons from Fire Island beaches, into deeply personal woven sculptures that reflect both political and environmental shifts.

From summers spent in her father’s scrap yard, to working as the former Creative Director of KnollTextiles and founding Suzanne Tick Inc. and leading design for Luum and Skyline Design, her journey is one of constant reinvention. Her work, shown at MoMA, Cooper Hewitt, and Art Basel, explores the tension between delicacy and strength, spirituality and sustainability, always rooted in the belief that transformation of self and material is where true innovation lies.

Suzanne’s TEDxNavesink Talk: “Weaving Trash Into Treasure” presents her unique and personal approach to hand weaving and transformation. Watch and check our her incredibly beautiful work.

Details of the event and Invitation is below. Hope to see you there!

🗓️ Monday June 16th from 5:30 to 7:30PM

📍 The event is in East Hampton, and address will be provided upon RSVP.
✍️ Seating is VERY limited. Kindly confirm your attendance at RSVP@matriark.com

Hurry to RSVP and see you soon! Sending love,

Patricia

I just got back from a wonderful trip. This was my first time really being in Milan. Not just visiting for work or rushing from one appointment to another. The city was buzzing with energy thanks to Design Week and Salone del Mobile, but what stayed with me most was seeing Milan breathe. I watched people jogging at dusk, kids walking home from school with books and gelato in hand, teens laughing in packs on park benches. There's something quietly joyful about witnessing everyday life: its rhythms, routines, and relationships. It made me feel connected, like I was a small part of the city for a moment.

I was in town for a dinner with my longtime client Iguatemi, and like always, it felt like coming home. We've worked together for over 15 years, and there's a deep sense of camaraderie, even family, that’s rare in most industries. The dinner was held at Fondazione Luigi Rovati, and it was nothing short of exquisite. We started with a private visit to the museum in the basement, a true hidden gem filled with ancient Etruscan artifacts. Upstairs, a serene garden courtyard with a lush, green secret in the heart of Milan set the tone for a night of wonderful conversation and unforgettable food. I wore this jacquard black and gold top by Rachel Comey with a black Prada wide-leg trouser that I’ve owned for over 10 years, and posted a few photos here.

Of course, I went shopping. To my surprise, my American Airlines flight got cancelled as I was on my way to the airport (apparently the inbound flight had to turn around because of an unruly passenger), giving me one more day to visit Villa Necchi Campiglio and more. Below, a short list of the places that stood out, what I couldn’t leave without, and video compilations with some of my favorite places.

(If you are a Paid Subscriber, last week you received our invitation for The Matriark Salon happening on Friday 4/25. Don’t forget to RSVP, we only have a few seats left! If you are a free subscriber, please upgrade to Paid and we will send you an invite right away).

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Hi there!

This is my first note to you, our amazing Founding Members - welcome again to our community! I wanted to share some updates and let you know what’s coming up in the next few months.

We are busy planning The Matriark Salon, and we will contact you soon with our lineup of guests with dates and times for the upcoming salons. You will have priorit…

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Introducing The Matriark Salon: A Space for Thought and Conversation with Special Guests

Hi there,

I’m thrilled to announce the launch of The Matriark Salon—a new in-person event series where we can gather with thought leaders for engaging, meaningful conversations.

I am partnering with Susan Sandler, founder of Pop Up Season (formerly PopUpSummer!), to host a special series in the Hamptons, starting this Spring. With a shared passion for fashion, retail, and the arts, Susan and I will co-host these beautifully curated gatherings, designed to foster connection, insight, and inspiration.

The Matriark and Pop Up Season communities will come together for these intimate salons, where ideas flow and relationships deepen. We can’t wait to share our programming with you soon.

We are hosting the salon in a private home, and seats will be very limited. The Matriark Newsletters paid subscribers will get priority and will receive invitations first, and once we have their confirmations, we will open the remaining seats to the general public. Make sure to subscribe to get the most of Matriark’s offerings.

Follow us on Instagram @matriarkofficial and @popupseason and subscribe to The Matriark Newsletter and stay tuned for programming announcements.

matriark.com & thepopupseason.com

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Bookish

Have you noticed that, miraculously, paper books are experiencing a revival? The bookshop Godmothers, co-founded by literary powerhouse Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and beauty mogul Victoria Jackson, just opened near Montecito, California and If their names aren’t enough to turn heads, the guest list at their opening event certainly will: Oprah, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Ellen DeGeneres to name a few. Some of you may be tempted to roll your eyes, but something more meaningful than hosting celebrities is at play here: the return to the idea of community, culture, and connection (something we have been talking about for over 5 years at Matriark). Reading Rhythms in Brooklyn also comes to mind as part of this book renaissance, and it’s not a coincidence.

Now, full disclosure: I mostly “read” by listening to audiobooks these days. Between running errands, driving and walking, audiobooks have become my trusty sidekicks. But holding a paper book feels necessary right now— it’s an invitation to be still for a moment, and use books as an anti-multitask, and an antidote to digital overwhelm. A bookstore allows us to be surrounded by shelves of paperbacks and hardcovers, not open tabs and app notifications, and a blissful chance to disconnect from our devices and reconnect with culture. If you Zoomed with me in the last 6 months you know I have the interior of a Parisian bookstore as my background, so I'm thrilled that the world is becoming more bookish.

Inspired by this renaissance, this week I am sharing some of my favorite books and items I’d like to have around me while reading them. Top of the pile? "Raising Resilience" by Tovah P. Klein, PhD. If you’re not familiar, Tovah is a psychology professor at Barnard College, Columbia University and the Director of the Barnard Center for Toddler Development, where both of my kids went when they were little. I genuinely don’t know how I would have survived early motherhood without her and the late Pat Shimm, the center’s Co-founder. Tovah’s new book helps children and teens build resilience and thrive in this unpredictable world, but I suspect it offers just as much wisdom for us grown-ups, too. She’s a treasure, and this book is pure gold.

If you’ve got recommendations of your own, I’d love to hear them. Shoot me an email at info@matriark.com—I’m always looking to add to my ever-growing and hopefully never-ending reading list.

ALSO: Matriark will host or first Off-Site Pop-Up with an exciting Open House. See invite below, come see me!

MATRIARK UPDATES

SUMMER POP-UP LAST DAY: summer flew by, and our Pop-Up Store will close on September 20th. Hurry up and visit us and shop Marfa Stance, Another Tomorrow, Rebecca Taylor, Veronique Gabai, Sestini, Le Nine and many others. The Seven is back in NYC in their beautiful West Village shop, go see them at 330 Bleecker Street, NY 10014.

The shop will be closed from September 21st until October 31st, and we will send news about the holiday season. Our weekly newsletter continues as usual.

Hope to see you at the shop. Love,

Patricia

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