MaiTai's Picture Book

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Before getting into the post ...

If you bought a MaiTai bag insert in the past and you love your purchase, I would appreciate it so much if you could take a moment to rate it. It does not have to be long; a sentence or two would already be wonderful. If you fill out this form, I will send you a review request for the purchase you made.

The customer feedback section on my site is relatively new, and getting reviews is painfully slow, as typically only a tiny percentage of customers leave them. This is hardly surprising, given the sheer number of requests we all get inundated with these days. I'd therefor appreciate your support all the more. Thank you so much in advance!

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From the beginning of autumn, we love going back to our favourite beach club. Once the summer heat has softened into a mild été indien and most visitors have gone, the atmosphere becomes calm and relaxed. The beach is tranquil and nearly empty, except for a few locals playing with their children or dogs, or going for walk.

I usually take my Goyard Saint Louis PM or Dior Book Tote to carry the boys' paraphernalia. The Goyard is extremely light-weight and relaxed, whereas the Book Tote is more structured and a little dressier. Both are perfect for the beach!

These fabulous loafers are from a small French brand called Nomasei (no affiliation/ collaboration/paid advertisement). They are wonderfully comfortable and work with both gold and silver jewelry (the hardware is a pale gold color, even though in the picture it looks more like silver). You can see a more accurate picture here (I just saw they are now on sale)

Someone appears to be interested in baguette crumbs ...

Cêpe omelette

Firefighter pilots practice scooping up and dumping down drills over the Mediterranean Sea, it was quite a show!

With the Dior Book Tote ...

... and keeping it pristine and perfectly protected with a MaiTai Collection Dior Book Tote insert:

You can find the MaiTai Collection Goyard Saint Louis PM inserts here

The mild autumn temperatures and nature's breathtaking color spectacles make our daily walks an absolute delight!

The little farm building in the photo below is called a mazet. In the old days, farmers used it to escape the afternoon heat for a nap, store their tools, or take shelter during storms. Today, most of them stand empty and abandoned. They’re almost always set in the middle of fields, and whenever I walk past one, I fantasise about transforming it into a summer kitchen surrounded by a vegetable garden, or an artist’s studio or writer’s den with a few olive trees dotted around. One day, perhaps?

It isn’t hard to read Wiener’s mind… ‘If I can’t get to your lap right now, there will be consequences!’”

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A COUPLE MORE UPDATES TO MY SITE

FABRIC SAMPLES

Did you know that you can request up to three free fabric samples? Click here to find out more

FREE COLOR CONSULTING

If you are unsure which colors and fabrics would suit your bag, you can request a free color consultation, and we'll send you a tailored suggestion for your bag. Click here to find out more.

SPECIAL ORDERS

You can create a custom insert by choosing a unique fabric and color combination from our curated fabric collection. Click here to find out more

CAN'T FIND YOUR BAG?

If you have a bag we currently don't offer an insert for, please send us the measurements and we will check if we have a perfect match among the sizes and styles we already carry. Click here to find out more.

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Sunbathing is one of the boys' favorite activity, they take it very seriously. Soon the house will be transformed for the festive season; I can't wait to start the decorations and am counting the days to December 1st!

Have a wonderful and happy time preparing for the holidays xxx

Dior Book Tote bag insert by MaiTai Collection

Goyard St Louis bag insert by MaiTai Collection

Nomasei Nono Loafers

Scarf by Inoui

Custom insert for Hermes bags by MaiTai Collection

Color consultation service

Fabric sample service

With July and August and their scorching temperatures well behind us, we are now in the best part of summer. I just love the soft light, warm days, and cooler evenings. As long as the temperature doesn't climb above 30 degrees Celsius, I am happy!

Keeping the plants alive has been one of the challenging aspects of summer. I could sympathize with them, as the heat made me feel wilted as well. Even the dogs were barely moving during the day.

Another challenge was dinner ... when it is still hot outside at 9pm, cooked food is just not appealing. A firm favorite during July and August is a gazpacho or cucumber soup with garlic bread, or a tomato and mozzarella salad.

A couple of weeks ago, I launched a bag pillow collection for Picotin bags. Since the bag is unlined, it can be prone to losing its shape quite quickly, depending on the leather. The Sanguine bag pictured below has been pretty much a puddle from day one, whereas my Rubis keeps its shape with just the help of a bag insert.

I tested the pillows for a couple of years before launching them, and to my surprise, the Sanguine Picotin actually gained structure while being stored with one. While I don’t believe pillows are suitable for every type of bag, I’ve found that for the Picotin, there’s no better storage solution to help maintain its shape.

Available here for sizes 18, 22 and 26.

Roley is waiting for his evening treat

The miracle of a kitchen garden

I make pesto once a year (just finished this year's batch) and keep it in the freezer; it is so handy for giving an extra flavour to a tomato mozzarella salad or a bowl of pasta.

Wiener is on a mission!

In other MaiTai Collection news, the long-awaited Goyard Saint Louis PM inserts are finally here

They ar available in six colors here

Earlier this month, I went on a short trip to London

As usual, I stayed at Number Sixteen. It always makes me happy to be here. The rooms are frequently redecorated, and I’ve rarely seen the same decor twice. I loved the combination of blues, greys, and warm terracotta tones in the one I stayed in this time.

The throw cushions were a happy surprise, as they featured a panel of the "Wild Geese" fabric by Mulberry, which I recently launched for my inserts. The fabric is 100% linen and works beautifully in both use cases. For the inserts, I lined the interior with a luxurious, sage-colored cotton fabric by Manuel Canovas. Available here

There is so much attention paid to details, and it all comes together beautifully. (You can also see that the wallcovering is fabric, which adds a warm and joyful atmosphere to the room.)

Perfect bed skirt pleats

A little tour of the garden - a haven of beauty and tranquility

Such a romantic spot

God bless the Queen 🇬🇧

As I was born in 1963, my Chinese zodiac sign is the Rabbit. I’ll have to visit this restaurant one day, with DS’s girlfriend, who is a Rabbit too!

Ever since shopping in a London supermarket as a young teenager, I’ve loved English packaging design. I still go to grocery stores and bring things back simply because they’re so pretty. One day, I’ll dedicate an entire blog post to it!

Jewel-like raindrops, and just as precious after the long, hot summer we've had.

Dinner for two

The warm glow of late summer days

August and September are harvest season for the vines. I love how the sign for this Sauvignon Blanc just hangs off the tree, instead of sitting on a pole in the field.

Grapes being hand-picked ... quite a rare sight these days

In the height of summer, I love using fresh blue tablecloths paired with pink or white flowers. But as the evenings grow cooler, I find myself drawn to warmer, richer tones..

I discovered the beautiful linen fabric below in London last autumn (you might remember I mentioned it on the blog at the time). I loved the pattern and hand-painted feel, and couldn't get it out of my head. Over the summer, I made a couple of tests to see if it would work as an insert, and I’m so thrilled with the result.

There were many different colors to choose from, and I decided on three CWs for the Tribal Frond design. I also added another pattern in a pretty pink color.

The new collection is already available in select bag styles and sizes, and will be offered in most sizes in October. If you'd like to pre-order, please send an email to tai@maitaicollection.com