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Sitz to a raft of other Belgian designers including Michael Verheyden, who were all creating furniture and accessories with a beautiful, austere luxury that reminded her of what Calvin Klein was doing in the '80s and Armani in the '90s. Garde's first lighting collection was by Apparatus Studio, long before Apparatus's genius designers Gabriel Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson made a splash in New York and Milan with their experimental, exquisitely crafted lighting. Like Apparatus, many of Garde's early designers have become stars, including Toogood and Van Duysen. It's worth noting that all still sell their works at Garde. "A lot of the people we represent make functional art," Sitz says. "I think it's a good fit for Dallas, which has such a love of art and amazing museums." As it turns out, not only is the city a perfect fit for Garde, it's also ideal for Sitz and Davidson personally. Earlier this year, the couple pulled up stakes in L.A. and moved into a high-rise overlooking the Dallas Arts District. They've bought property in East Kessler Park, where they're building a house designed by Phoenix-based multi-disciplinary firm Tennen Studio. "Dallas doesn't have an ocean or a Pacific Coastline, but the neighborhoods here are gorgeous," Sitz says. "There's something a little old school and traditional about Dallas that takes me back in a nice way. People are friendly; they like to go shopping and go to lunch. And, there's an energy that reminds me of L.A. 10 years ago. I keep pinching myself — saying, 'Why isn't everybody coming here?' And then I'm, like, 'Oh be quiet. They might be.'" Garde, 1305 Wycliff Ave., gardeshop.com. __________________________ Garde will host designer Robert Stilin on Thursday, September 23, 7 to 9 pm, with cocktails, salon talk, and book signing, as part of Texas Design Week Dallas. TXDW is a ticketed event; for tickets and complete schedule, go to texasdesignweek.com. Top: Chairs Pierre Augustin Rose, Paris. Table is Faye Toogood, London. Apparatus Studio light pendant, NY. Lamp on desk is Lost Profile Studio, Australia. Giopato & Coombes sconces, Italy. Above: Apparatus Studio Arrow pendants, NY. Custom stone desk and ceramics by Jeffrey Loura, NY. Middle right: Articolo light pendant, Australia. Chair Destroyers/Builders, Belgium. Table is Aldo Bakker, The Netherlands. Vase Alexa Lixfeld, Germany. Bottom right: Totems by Robin Whiteman, NY. 135