Talk Shop: Natalie Wadsworth // Frances Hart
ABOUT NATALIE
Natalie Wadsworth started Frances Hart in 2019 after determining there was a need in the market for high-quality, beautiful garments for women and mothers in the family-creation stage of their lives. In time, it became clear that the NYC-based line was attracting a range of customers (not just expecting mothers) and that women continued to shop Frances Hart postpartum. As a result, Frances Hart now offers styles focused on flexibility and adjustability intended for everyone. We love their chic dresses – AO is a big fan. See Natalie’s Talk Shop below!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Eclectic.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My mother was an architect and an aesthete. She decorated our house with great care, and I think her love of art, antiques, and textiles was undoubtedly a major contributor to my love of and attention to design. Her grandmother was also a successful decorator and her mother a connoisseur of the arts so the interest in aesthetics is invariably inherited from a long line of women with a knack for it.
The women of New York City. The residents of this city and their flare and facility for self-expression in the form of their dress never cease to amaze me. When you live here, you can rely on the fact that around every corner there is a woman who is beautifully put together in one form or another. I borrow and emulate and sometimes legitimately try (unsuccessfully) to replicate looks I see women trying out. It’s just further proof that women dress for women…thank goodness.
Other designers! There are beautiful things being created every day by different designers and brands, and I am frequently swept into a state of desperation - wanting some piece of clothing or accessory - proof that there are talented folks creating things worthy of that longing every day.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
My favorite thing about running Frances Hart is the design process. I will work with my designer on a collection from its nascent stages. We imagine a color story, gather conceptual references, look at design details from garments we love, and buy vintage textiles for the development of original prints. The sketching of designs then commences, and we iterate on that, revisiting and evolving, and distilling all the ideas that have been swirling around. It’s beyond fun, and the excitement you feel about what you’re creating is really invigorating.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I wouldn’t say I have a true professional mentor, but my Dad is an entrepreneur and his influence, guidance, and support has been immeasurably valuable to me as I’ve established and grown this business.
What does your home say about you:
That I have eclectic taste. I don’t like things that are one note; I like mixing colors, textures, periods, and generally integrating a variety of styles and influences into my personal space. I do hate clutter, though, so my home definitely says neat freak.
Where do you find inspiration:
Everywhere – social media, on the street, in art and photography exhibits, in my closet, on the runway, or red carpet.
Who are your style icons:
I wouldn’t say that I really have any - I borrow and steal ideas from influential fashion - and ordinary - people all the time.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Make sure you’re not preparing something that keeps you away from your guests. Either prepare something that can be reheated, or do something that can be served at room temperature. It entirely misses the point to be running around like your hair is on fire while your guests are there, and it makes others anxious to have you do so too. Make sure everyone has a full drink at all times, and make sure the lighting is good (candlelight, when possible). Also, I love to hit the flower market and fill the room with interesting and seasonal flowers.
Do you collect anything:
Clothing! I can’t help it.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
I have been in a period of landscape design fixation. I am loving @hollander_design @_carterre_ and @camerongardens.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
No rules!
What are you working on right now:
Spring 2023 Collection for Frances Hart
Wardrobe staples:
Louboutin contrast-inlay loafers, Cariuma sneakers, Jil Sander bags.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest: Light fixtures, rugs.
Save: bedding, decorative pillows, and sometimes art.
Your greatest extravagance:
Ironed sheets.
Favorite places to shop for home:
1stdibs or Antony Todd Home.
Most prized possession and why:
Family pictures… self-explanatory!
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Buy things you expect to love forever and can layer in any home; if you’re worried you’ll change your mind then keep it cheap - you can try bold prints on throw pillows instead of wallpaper or furniture; keep rugs in sisal and natural fabrics, bedding and towels white, and art inexpensive but beautifully framed and personal. It’s not rocket science but it works.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Perfectly cooked roast chicken with vegetables.
Drink: A French 75 or Chablis
Film: Something’s Gotta Give
Hotel: J.K. Place in Capri, Italy
City: Orgon, France
Bedding: Hill House Home sheets layered in with Coyuchi throws and/or a linen bedspread from R.W. Guild
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Cold brew, black
Playlist: Something’s Gotta Give Soundtrack
Weekend Activity: Running on the West Side Highway
Design Book: The Great American House by G.P. Schafer