Mecca James-Williams
HURS CURATOR
Mecca James-Williams
The stylist and fashion editor shares her favorite brands, products and places
Mecca James-Williams’ work sits at the intersection of luxury fashion and culture. Celebrated for her curated and bold approach to style, she has become a trusted source for recommendations across travel, food, design, fashion and art. The multifaceted creative consultant, stylist and fashion editor – who lives between New York and Jamaica – has worked with countless brands and publications ranging from Prada and Dior Beauty to Swedish homeware and furniture giant IKEA. With her holistic approach to aesthetics and image making, James-William seamlessly applies her unique perspective across creative industries – from fashion and design to travel and art.
THIS BANK-TURNED-HOTEL CELEBRATES OLD WORLD LUXURY
Nine Orchard is a celebration of classic New York luxury on the intersection of the Lower East Side and Chinatown. The 116 room hotel is housed in a 1912 Beaux-Arts building which has been meticulously renovated, celebrating the building’s Neo-Renaissance details and original moldings. The hotel’s restaurants are said to be worth the visit, even if you’re not a guest. There’s the Swan Room; Nine Orchard’s cocktail lounge, the Corner Bar; the hotel’s brasserie that’s inspired by legendary bistros and fine-dining restaurant Amado Grill, all run by chef and restaurateur Ignacio Mattos. But if you want to venture out, Parisian wine bar Le Dive and sushi bar Time are just around the corner.
“I’m obsessed with Classic New York right now: a little EXCLUSIVE, super spontaneous, and a splash of sexy. I remember the days sans social media where you would just get lost in the city. I finally found a place that merges classic New York with luxury experiences. From their monthly jazz nights with the city’s most phenomenal talent to the ode to a classic diner (but fancier!) at Corner Bar.”
“Upon moving to Jamaica, I knew I wanted to find a home away from home; that’s not a hotel, but definitely not my own abode. Somewhere I come to when I want to get out of the bustle of Kingston, and hear the ocean move. I stay at East Wind Cove when I need a moment away and a breath of CREATIVITY. Miss Ronnie, the owner and designer of the space is the best kept secret. She’s truly a matriarch, and treats every guest as a child of her own. I feel seen and inspired there.”
A BEACHSIDE HOTEL THAT MAKES YOU FEEL AT HOME
East Winds Cove is the brainchild of British-Jamaican Ronnie Elmhirst. She purchased the beachside property – a former hotel that had been abandoned for 25 years – in Port Antonio, Jamaica back in 2012. Her vision was to create an ethically minded place that celebrated Jamaican culture with local staff. Elmhirst filled the East Winds Cove with mid-century and vintage finds, creating an environment that feels as if you’re staying at someone’s home. Elmirst doesn’t follow hospitality’s traditional set of rules. East Winds Cove doesn’t have a website, and those wanting to stay either reach out over email or Instagram DM. There’s something refreshing about the sense of mystery that comes with not being able to research everything about a place before visiting it.
IN NEW YORK, A SANCTUARY FOR BOOK LOVERS
McNally Jackson Books in New York is an institution. In an era where most independent booksellers are struggling to survive, McNally Jackson is thriving. Since founding the company in 2004, Sarah McNally has opened five locations across New York, in downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Manhattan's South Street Seaport and Rockefeller Center. As the daughter to the owners behind a successful Canadian booksellers chain and with her experience as a former editor at Basic Books, McNally has been able to build a business built on in–person browsing that works. But McNally does more than just sell books. The main bookstore – a 3250 square feet space – includes a café, an in-house printing press – publishing hundreds of novels a month – and an Espresso Book Machine that binds books on demand
“Mcnally Jackson has been my FAVORITE bookstore for the last decade. As a young adult, I would get lost reading magazines and art books at their café. I would study each magazine’s mastheads to find out what editors to email, and eventually I held assistant interviews there as I grew in my career. They have recently moved locations, but they’re the cornerstone of a bookstore, and such a beautiful host of information for young creatives.”
“I know I’m going to be the mature woman who has a cabinet filled with Dinosaur Design homeware, and a vanity with all their jewelry in my home. I’m obsessed with pops of COLOR in accessories. Right now I’m eyeing their Honey collection for a dinner party, it would be so fun to have an entire dining set in resin.”
SCULPTURAL DESIGNS, CRAFTED BY HAND
Dinosaur Designs sits at the intersection of art, design and fashion. The Australian brand was founded in 1985 by Louise Olsen and Stephan Ormandy – partners in both business and life. They describe the brand’s aesthetic as a philosophy of color and form. Known for their sculptural and bold designs, Olsen and Ormany have been able to carve out a niche in a space that’s becoming increasingly oversaturated. Their homeware and jewelry designs crafted from resin are handmade in their studio in Sydney, which makes every piece unique.
PUSHING CULTURE FORWARD THROUGH ART
Jack Shainman Gallery has built a reputation for championing artists who push culture forward. The gallery has introduced some of the most renowned artists to American audiences, presenting the first exhibitions in New York of artists including Nick Cave, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Toyin Ojih Odutola. Founded in 1984 by Jack Shainman – founder of 'The School’ – and Claude Simard. The contemporary art gallery originally opened in Washington D.C., but soon relocated to New York. Today, the gallery is known for its unique roster of both emerging and established artists, with a focus on artists who engage in social and cultural issues.