Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1484757
For The Conservatory, Brian Bolke Zeroes in on Two Rising Talents By Shelby Hodge. Photography Heather Halbert, PS Swoon. F ashion savant Brian Bolke — founder of The Conservatory with boutiques in Dallas, New York's Hudson Yards, and most recently Houston's River Oaks District — celebrates Texas talent by tapping two Houston-born, New York-based designers to create capsule collections exclusive for The Conservatory. Bach Mai, aspiring couturier and nominee for the 2022 CFDA Emerging Designer, and designer Amir Taghi were eager to contribute to Bolke's stable of designers. "For me, advocating for young talent is the most exciting part of being a buyer," Bolke says. "Both Amir and Bach are the future, and I love that they come from Houston. I visited Bach Mai in his studio in late 2021 and was enamored by his energy, his passion for couture fabrics, and his training at Maison Margiela. We created an exclusive holiday capsule based on silk moire in shades of coral and aqua mixed with black. I love his cape-back bomber and high-slit pencil skirts — the height of chic." When Bolke saw Amir Taghi's Spring 2023 collection he loved the very '90s minimal bias-cut slip dresses (very Kate Moss) and asked him to render them exclusively for The Conservatory — Bolke's favorite being a super chic floor-length dress in canary yellow. "With The Conservatory," says Mai, "we curated a collection of our signature pieces inspired by a mid- century haute couture language, drawn from the images of Avedon and Penn capturing the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga and other couture legends, and merging that with a modern sensibility." Bach Mai and Amir Taghi capsule collections exclusively at The Conservatory, 4444 Westheimer in River Oaks District, theconservatorynyc.com. Amir Taghi Amir Taghi Bach Mai 36