Monogram Masters Hit Charming Dallas Boutique for Two Days of Mania

Around here, we have a bit of a mantra. If it isn’t moving, monogram it. (Just ask our culture and style editor Billy Fong, as he has written many a love letter to the notion of monograms — particularly those that elevate and modernize the timeless, preppy tradition.)

The range of monogrammed items in my life is vast, from Oxford shirts to tote bags, matchbooks, notebooks, and my daily planner. And so it was that last year that I fell madly, deeply in love with emerging fashion brand Le Lion, which produces the most extraordinarily detailed monograms (think delicate bursts of golden embroidery, sequins, and beads designed in a crest surrounding one’s initials) atop gorgeous Italian cashmere and wool sweaters.

All monograms are stitched by hand, so these are (truly) the haute couture of monogram land.

Le Lion’s founders, Martha Fish and Laura Gelfand, oft make trips to Texas — a place known for its devotion to monograms and equal adoration of Le Lion — bringing their custom sweaters with them for trunk shows at fashion entrepreneur Merry Vose’s darling Cabana and Canary boutiques.

This week, the design duo is back in town, for a trunk show of Le Lion Collection 3 at Canary, today and tomorrow.

The new collection includes a boyfriend-style button down sweater, darling crew necks that can be monogrammed with a likeness of your pet, and a new set of crewnecks with a bit more modern monogram style, reminiscent of 1950s-style letterman jackets — but with an elegant bent for modern gals.

As today truly proves the first fall-weather day in Dallas — amen for temperatures below 80 degrees, which around here constitutes sweater weather — we could think of no less perfect timing for Fish and Gelfand to make their entrée.

Le Lion trunk show at Canary, 4609 West Lovers Lane, September 26 and September 27, 9 am to 5 pm.