Inspiration: Beneath the Surface

Moments of Magic

Step inside the world of @paperfashion and see how her
dreamy dancers come to life.

One scroll through Katie Rodgers’ Instagram feed, and you’re instantly enveloped in a world of whimsy, enchantment and unexpected delight.

Step inside her apartment-slash-studio, and it’s the exact same experience. We sat down with Rodgers on a sweltering New York summer day to talk all things holiday—Rodgers, the artist behind the beloved blog and Instagram account Paper Fashion, created the illustrations for the Estée Lauder gift boxes you’ll see in stores this holiday season—and the mismatched seasons weren’t the only thing that felt different in the space-time continuum. Being in Rodgers’ home feels like you’ve been instantly transported to the Jazz Age. It features many of the original early 20th-century details of the grand townhouse it likely started out as, including arched doorways, beautiful moulding and an original marble fireplace.

And there are little surprises and delights everywhere: a gorgeous antique chandelier, an old-school style gramophone (which, in a modern twist, plays from Rodgers’ iPhone) and, of course, her artist’s desk, loaded with every variety of paints, pencils and glitters. In short, inspiration is everywhere, much how Rodgers views the world herself: “I would describe my style as taking these ordinary moments and turning them into something magical or a little bit whimsical,” she explains. Watch the video above to take a tour for yourself and see how the magical dancers on our holiday boxes came to life.

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