Milieu Fall 2022

EXCLUSIVE ON THE MILIEU INSIDER
PRODUCED BY SHANNON BOWERS, MILIEU EDITOR-AT-LARGE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TARA SHAW

Unloading with Tara Shaw

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BEGINNING IN THE LATE 90S, DESIGNERS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN NEW ORLEANS AND HOUSTON WOULD MARK THEIR CALENDARS FOR TARA SHAW’S NEW SHIPMENT DATES. “MY DESIGN TEAM WOULD LITERALLY LINE UP WITH TAGS READY TO GET FIRST DIBS ON TARA’S LATEST SHIPMENT OF FINE ANTIQUES FROM EUROPE.” SAYS MILIEU EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND DESIGNER PAMELA PIERCE.

TARA TOOK A HIATUS FROM THE SO CALLED “FLASH SALES”, BUT SHE IS RETURNING TO HER ROOTS AND MAKING A STATEMENT WITH HER UNLOADS, ALL THE WHILE HONORING THE DESIGN TRADE AND ITS QUEST FOR THE BEST!

SHANNON BOWERS, MILIEU EDITOR-AT-LARGE, CATCHES UP HERE WITH TARA JUST AS SHE IS UNLOADING A NEW SHIPMENT.

I am so grateful for vendors like you who protect and honor trade relationships. For our readers, I’d love to share your background and industry story as well as the exciting new direction you are taking with your “Flash” sales events for the trade.

I came from a trade background and have immensely enjoyed seeing items I have imported end up in fabulous locations.

Tara, how long have you been in the antiques/design industry and how did you get started? What do you love most about the industry?

The inspiration I derive from the unique architecture and the history of New Orleans was pivotal in launching me into the quest of finding suitable one-of-a-kinds that would enhance interiors and exteriors.

We admire how your Flash Sales remain strictly To-the-Trade. Was this an intentional decision and process?

I started my business with the To-the-Trade policy and it is important to me to continue those relationships.

How has the industry changed post COVID and how have you adapted?

Importing has significantly changed due to shipping issues. Typically, I will book a shipping vessel for my 40-foot container to leave the week after I leave Europe. The problem was and is that ships kept canceling bookings due to containers (that we need to pack goods inside) sitting in ports in foreign countries that are closed due to COVID issues. I try to purchase enough volume-wise to keep us full and interesting until the next container arrives.

Challenges and unexpected events in life are often hidden opportunities. How has this been true for you, Tara?

Well, losing my roof in Hurricane Ida is only one-in-a-million stories of how to make lemonade out of a lemon. Stay tuned.

Tara, what is your most treasured antique and the story behind it?

Shannon, it changes often but at the moment it is a handsome 17th-century gilded Italian console from the Medici family with the family crest carved into the front and its original black conforming marble top. I purchased it in Lucca, Italy, and it was one of those moments that I knew if I did not pull the trigger, I would never see it again. I have collected a few pieces with the family crest, and historically, you cannot talk about Italian history without talking about the Medicis.

Do you see any exciting developments or changes on the horizon for the antiques and design industry?

I feel design and antiquity go hand in hand, whether it is the inspiration of a current piece or the layering of history with everyday living. The availability to purchase an antique that you don’t have to order and wait for is a top priority. Since we spent so much time in our homes during COVID, we became aware that what you surround yourself with is important.

Do you find a renewed appreciation for antiques with the younger generation? And, if so, why do you think this is the case?

We have worked with so many new collectors and I believe the appeal is the unique aspect of antiquity and the warmth and character it gives your home. There is nothing like waking up and being surrounded by what you have collected and love.