Ep. 48: Shabby Chic

Wake up shabby heads! To mark the return of flowering blooms and the internet’s reckoning with Magnolia Pearl, we’re drawing back the aged lace curtains on your mom’s favorite aesthetic: shabby chic! We investigate shabby chic’s Old World origins, its popularization by Portobello Road elite Rachel Ashwell, and its various contemporary forms — from TJ Maxx faux-distressed decor to New Orleans crust-twees. Plus, we reflect on Galliano’s homeless-inspired collection, stealth wealth and recessioncore, and Grimes sailing down the Mississippi in a DIY houseboat. Wishing you all a shabby chic summer!

Pinterest board
Magnolia Pearl Official Website
Magnolia Pearl Mom TikTok

Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic (1996)
Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic TV episode on Roses (2000)

Liberties; Haute Homeless via The New York Times

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