The union of local designers, Vivier and Bentley effortlessly capture the complexities of low-high style that makes simplicity chic.

Occupying the front part of a shared studio centered around a handpainted 'rug', the boutique showcases Claire Vivier's elegant leather handbags and Kathryn Bentley's roughly refined Dream Collective high-end costume jewelry along with artwork and mobiles from friends and neighbors. Creativity oozes from the backroom, making the space feel like a community art project gone terribly and extraordinarily right.

Mixed surfaces and materials, from butter-soft leather to angular metal, create visual contrast and make every detail feel like a lost treasure.

The collaboration feels earthy and intimate, with Ms. Bently offering us a quarter to extend our meter as we selected an antique African and beaded brass necklace from her collection. Gracious too.

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Update: As of summer 2012, Vivier and Bentley is now Dream Collective. Claire V. has moved her flagship two doors down and has five additional locations across the US. This insight remains live to archive to the retail merchandising and design.