Louisa’s Journey Through Palm Springs and Joshua Tree in Palmera

Some places don’t just take your breath, they give it back.

For our Founder Louisa, this was a return to rhythm. A few soft days across California’s desert heartland, from the historic tiles of Old Town San Diego to the moonlike quiet of Joshua Tree, with sun-drenched Palm Springs in between.

She packed lightly with pieces from our latest collection Palmera, and dressed only for how she wanted to feel: cool, confident, and entirely herself.

Tucked within Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, Fiesta De Reyes is a living tribute to early Californian and Mexican heritage. Once the original hub of San Diego life in the 1800s, today it’s alive with mariachi music, hand-painted tiles, adobe architecture, and stalls run by local artisans.

Louisa wandered beneath string lights and bougainvilleas, dressed in the Key Largo Cotton Top in Coconut, a soft sleeveless essential that let her skin breathe in the midday heat. She paired it with the Marrakech Linen Pants in Dusty Pink, cut wide for movement and flow.

"At Fiesta de Reyes, I felt like I’d stepped into another time. Set in what was once Mexico and now California’s oldest town, everything around me told a story: the saloons, the cobbled corners, the textures of the buildings. There’s color, history, and a kind of soulful energy that lingers in the air, like the stories haven’t left, they’re just waiting for you to walk through them.”

With bells ringing in the old chapel and fresh tortillas cooking nearby, the plaza was all sound, scent, and sunshine. The dusty rose of her pants mirrored the painted stucco walls around her—timeless, textured, and grounded in place.

Often called the birthplace of California, Old Town San Diego is where Spanish settlers first raised their flag in 1769. Today, it’s a blend of restored adobes, rustic shops, and old-world charm that transports you without asking for anything in return.

Louisa wandered its uneven footpaths in the Del Monte Dress in Slate Blue, a soft-structured cotton midi with gentle stretch at the waist and subtle gathers that gave shape without gripping.

The slate blue shifted with the light, dusky against earth-toned stone by day and deepening into twilight as the sun dropped. There was no need to change for dinner or plan ahead. The dress carried her from history walks to tamales at dusk with ease.

Just outside the bustle of Old Town’s plaza, Louisa found herself drawn to a quieter corner, an old Western-style saloon turned café, with creaking floorboards, vintage signage, and hand-carved bar stools polished by time. The kind of place where you can feel the past without it performing for you.

She wore the Sadhu French Linen Pants in Olive — high-waisted, softly structured, and cool against the skin, paired with the Fleetwood Top in Coconut, textured and airy with a wide neckline that fell just right across the collarbone.

“We stopped at an old Mexican saloon-style restaurant, a nostalgic space full of color and scent. It’s a popular eatery for tourists seeking to taste traditional Mexican dishes and experience the warm, welcoming hospitality. There was something beautifully nostalgic about it — tiled floors, timber ceilings, the hum of late lunchers leaning back with full plates and fuller hearts. That kind of easy joy you only find in places that welcome you like you’ve been coming for years.”

Surrounded by dusty wood beams, trailing succulents, and chipped paint in all the right places, she fit right in, polished but relaxed. The olive and coconut tones picked up the palette of the old timber and sun-washed signage, proving again that style doesn’t need to shout to be strong.

Spanning over 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is San Diego’s cultural soul. Here, Spanish Colonial architecture meets rose gardens, lily ponds, and air perfumed with jacaranda blooms. Originally built for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition, its arched promenades and tiled fountains offer more than beauty, but also stillness.

Louisa explored its long colonnades and hidden corners in the Cancun Dress in Coconut, a floaty mini made from breathable cotton. It has a soft waistline and ease through the sleeves. It is feminine but unfussy, light without losing shape.

“The Japanese Gardens in Balboa Park were a quiet pause in the middle of something much bigger. The park is extraordinary with a vast cultural landscape blending architecture, nature, history, and movement. But inside the Gardens, everything softened. Time slowed. It was a space that asked you to look closely, breathe slower, and just be still for a while.”

Her dress moved with the breeze. Nothing to adjust. Nothing to hide.

At the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains, Palm Springs is all geometry and glow, a desert oasis where mid-century modernism meets natural stillness. The streets are lined with palms and citrus trees, and pools shimmer in every backyard. The air is dry, the pace is slow, and the silence feels intentional.

Louisa checked into the storied Hotel California, a boutique stay with terracotta floors, whitewashed arches, and walls that hold the day’s warmth into the evening. She wore the Del Monte Dress in Coconut.

“Palm Springs is a true desert oasis: warm, elegant, and filled with quiet beauty. The mid-century architecture is fascinating, like time paused at its most stylish moment. What struck me most was the atmosphere: a blend of vintage soul and laid-back luxury, where nothing feels rushed, and everything feels intentional. The palms stand tall against the sky, calm and assured. It’s a place that lets you slow down and show up as yourself. Chic, soulful, and deeply grounding.”

The soft coconut hue mirrored the bone-dry palette of the desert: sun-bleached walls, sand underfoot, distant mountain haze. Nothing tight, nothing rigid — just calm, breathable confidence in the stillest heat.

The last stop was Santa Monica, where the desert ends and the ocean begins. It’s a coastal town pulsing with light and movement, where wide beaches stretch into pastel sunsets and the hum of street musicians plays against the crash of waves.

Louisa walked the esplanade wearing the Bahama Pants in Coconut, a wide-legged, lightly textured cotton piece with a soft elastic waist and just enough weight to move with intention. She paired them with a slouchy knit.

“Santa Monica holds a rare balance of urban polish and ocean calm. With its wide Pacific views, breezy promenades, and relaxed rhythm, it offers a softer pace than the rest of LA. Locals move with ease, like they’ve mastered the art of living well between surf and skyline, between barefoot mornings and cocktail-hour elegance. There’s charm in the small details, and sophistication in the simplicity."

From a boardwalk coffee stop to a quiet moment under the pier, the pants held their shape and simplicity. No creases she had to worry about. No seams cutting in.

• Pack pieces you can wear twice; they don’t need ironing, just a breeze.
  
  

• Leave space in your outfits, especially at the waist and arms.
  
  

• Skip the shapewear. Travel is not the time to hold your breath.
  
  

• Linen lets the desert heat out, but keeps just enough warmth when the sun drops.
  
  

• Take time. Every place has a rhythm. Dress in a way that lets you follow it.

Louisa’s journey was a return to her senses and her rhythm.

From the rich culture of San Diego to the open skies of Palm Springs and the coastal calm of Santa Monica, each place invited stillness. And in every moment, the pieces she wore fit the moment. Breathable, flattering, and soft without being shapeless, every Palmera piece moved with her, never against her.

Clothes that travel well, feel good, and give you back your shape, on your terms. Designed for movement and worn for real life.