LIFESTYLE_MOODBOARD_COMMUNITY_ATELIER_DORE

VALUES / COMMUNITY

6 years ago by

I don’t think I realized how important community was to me until very recently. In fact, I can pinpoint it to dinner on our last night of the retreat in Marrakech. That’s when the epiphany hit me—and I cried like a baby.

You see, for my entire life, I’ve always had friends, but I’ve always felt like kind of an outsider. Someone who was always on the fringes of a friend group, but never a part of the core. Someone who got along with loads of different people, but never really found anyone else who totally got me—I mean 100% got me. I’ve been a part of different clubs and organizations and teams for my entire life in an effort to fit in, and even though I met wonderful people along the way, I always felt slightly out of place. Kind of like a person to be observed, but never really understood.

Until I found not only Garance, but our community of readers.

When I first started to meet the people who read this site—at our Stationery Pop Up was probably the first real time we all got together like that—I started to see myself in the people I met. On the book tour, I found fast friends in those of you who stood in line, eager to have a copy of Love Style Life signed. Sometimes you would send e-mails or leave comments and it was always so special to me to engage with each of you, to be pushed by you and to be embraced by you. But when we went on our first retreat and I got to spend a whole week immersed with this group of 20 incredible women, I understood what had been missing in my life. It had been people like you.

My therapist even joked that I would actually feel more comfortable at my own wedding getting married in front of you, our dear readers, than some of my friends—those people who I get along with, but don’t totally get me.

So as I write this—teary eyed because this still gets me worked up—I know that when I think about Atelier Doré and what we’re building and why we are building it, it is for you. It is an effort to bring you together, to bring you closer to us, and if you’ve been feeling like me for all of these years, to show you that there is a whole group of people that live all over the world who get you. And now, in times that feel crazier than ever, it is so reassuring to know that there are grounded, intelligent, sophisticated people that come to this site and come to our events and join us on our retreats who get us, who we fit with, even thought fitting for us has never really mattered.

So this week we celebrate the community spirit of Atelier Doré. And as we think to the future, just know that we are working to create more ways for you to connect and get to know each other, and to tell your stories so other people who need to hear them and to connect with them can.

9 comments

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  • You’re so awesome Emily! We met at a book signing like you mentioned above. You are an inspiration! Keep doing your thing. ?

  • Emily this a beautiful sentiment. Maybe it comes down to trusting people in order to make an authentic connection? How do we lose the layers of cynicism and mistrust we build up over time? Actions of others for me is a true indicator of whether I trust and connect to them. It’s refreshing to read your post. Thank you.

  • Maureen lowenstein September, 23 2018, 6:05 / Reply

    So lovely, have always been one if your biggest fans I admire your strength Em xx
    p.s looking forward to those wedding shots

  • Jorge Alexandre Teixeira September, 24 2018, 2:52 / Reply

    *_*

  • It makes more sense now, after reading this, why I have always felt very close to your opinions, taste, humor (i.e. your experience dating the hot guy that you told in the podcast, oh my, I laughed tears). How great you have expressed the joys of a community. Thank you so much.

  • Yes! I can totally get that feeling of community, and specially the connection with you, Emily, with your sense of humor (I laughed tears with your dating experience with a hot guy), of responsibility, of style… so it’s always good to come here and read what this great team wants to tell us. By the way, more podcasts please!

  • Dear Emily,
    I feel for certain that everyone on Earth, at a moment or more often, feels too-unique-and-lonely, but what makes it bearable is, as you so beautifuly underlines: the search of truth and naked feelings in connections with others.

    I too finds this here, on your team’s blog, maybe because truth and free thinking comes more easily when you have time to think before “talking”…
    Sisters from around the world, I hope we may meet someday, in real life!
    By the way Emily, has the team considered organising less exclusive meetings than your retreats?
    In France for example?
    I would love that :)

  • Aaaaaaaww!!! Emily! What a lovely post. I feel the same too! I am almost teary-eyed as I read this and look so forward to seeing you again soon!!!! Big hugs to you!!!!!

  • I have written many comments on this site . Being one of the male followers of the Atelier, I have felt welcomed . I have partook in a community of love , respect , humor , joy ,style and grace . Keep up this great space !
    Jandrew
    Dress The Part
    http://www.jandrewspeaks.com

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