We think we know history because we’ve seen our share of museums, period piece dramas, or read classical literature. But can we re-live a moment of history?
I am not talking time travel; in the case I got you too excited. I am talking about stepping into a frozen moment of time that we can warm up and bring back to life as if reaching through a magical door and pulling it towards us, into our time-space.
Many of us find ourselves bedazzled with the romance of select moments from the daily life and customs of historical eras.
Why are we drawn to the colorful, ornate gowns swirling on the ballroom floor to the tunes of Viennese waltz or to the idea of English tea served in delicate floral china with golden rim paired with homemade cookies placed in a woven basket lined with fine quality linen cloth?
The answer to it might be that we want to keep the good while discarding the bad which makes keeping the legacy of history alive and more fun.
My appreciation for everything historical was lovingly passed down to me by my mother who is a historian, researcher, author, antique appraiser, as well as consultant. She spent her career with research, chasing down rare antique pieces for museums, and creating exhibits, all while allowing me to witness her passion by accompanying her often to work.
Born and raised in Slovakia, already as a child I loved to explore hallways and chambers of the Bratislava castle after visiting hours. I remember looking out of the small top floor windows admiring the sunset views at Danube River and fantasizing about what life must have been like in the castle centuries ago.
My mother would take me to the inventory rooms and show me antique pieces of clothing. She put her gloves on and told me to look but not touch while she pointed to fine beadwork and ornamentation. She showed me various craft tools and kitchen utensils that were rarely being used anymore, and shared breathtaking stories about her research and that of her colleagues.
The love for crafts got passed down to me by my maternal grandmother who taught me how to hand and machine stitch, embroider, and knit. My dolls were putting on fashion shows with clothes made from leftover fabric scraps.
However, it wasn’t until college that I discovered how much love for history was part of my DNA.
In particular, it was the costume history lectures at El Centro college in Dallas, Texas that awoke my passions, where I later acquired my fashion design and pattern design degree. I hope my teacher and fellow students can forgive me for all those times I interrupted the lessons by sharing stories or asking questions – the fire of enthusiasm within me was burning bright and bold.
Not long after college my children were born, and I had created a line of historically inspired bead embroidered jewelry called Lux Vivens which offered necklaces, earrings, and bracelets for 12 beautiful years. Translated from Latin meaning the living light, the pieces were inspired by radiance and mystery of antiquity. Egyptian Goddess luxury collar necklaces gained the most popularity among customers and fans.
The desire for refocusing to European historical apparel as well as exploration of daily life and customs of previous centuries kept burning within me, brewing with ideas about how the vision could be harnessed and shared with the world.
I knew that it had to go further and larger than jewelry line, much grander, in order to house the concept of reliving history if only just for a short moment. I needed a mansion with many rooms. And so, from the ashes of pre-Covid world, Château Soucy was born.
Whether you visited here to take a look around or to shop, I would love for you to feel welcome and inspired.
Feel free to roam the château chambers and discover gifts for your loved ones or yourself; find recreated historical clothing, jewelry items, accessories, natural bath products, and even real antiques.
Welcome to Château Soucy.