Fine linens Miami? Clients fly in from all over the world for these custom made linens for their private jets, yachts, trophy babies, and one of a kind gifts. A European friend told me about Veronique, 345 Aragon Avenue, in Coral Gables, how she bought lace in Barcelona and they made her the stunning pillowcases and placements in the fabric and embroidery of her choosing. Veronique has no website, no facebook page or certainly no twitter. Her business has been all word of mouth for all the shop’s decades in business. Everything is made not only in the USA, but in the back of her shop, a real artisanal undertaking. The process starts with the client choosing the fabric — linen, Egyptian cotton, whatever. And if it’s cotton, then the thread count. For the embroidery design you can bring in a picture of what you’d like or they’ll make recommendations. For instance, yacht owners like to gaze through the encyclopedia of fish they have on hand and choose which fish they’d like embroidered on their napkins. Cost? Depending on the fish, a set of 6 napkins costs about $400. You can find everything in the linen category — from bedspreads and pillow cases to bathrobes, tablecloths, and clothes for the little Prince and Princess. One gorgeous set included an embroidered lace baby sheet, bonnet and pillow case for about $3400 the set (pictured here).
At those prices, not surprisingly some clients choose to have Veronique launder the linens. I asked Clara Gonzales-Llanes, the mother of the owner, her tips on the care of fine linen. She uses an imported soap from Florence and she hand launders everything. How about a red wine stain I asked? Would you believe — she uses white wine to get out the red stain. Some clients use Sprite. Be forewarned, the toughest stain to get out is ink. The iron? Rowenta, professional variety.
If you’re in the neighborhood, maybe even having lunch at Café Abbracci which is always a good bet, and it’s across the street, stop in. A visit is like going to a museum of fine crafts.
4 Responses
I grew up here in South Florida and I have never heard of this place. What a gem! Only you Karen, could find a hidden treasure like this. Your amazing!
Veronique is absolutely the best in the world. I have had the opportunity to purchase linens from Hong Kong to New York City and no one – absolutely no one – comes close to their quality, price for product and follow-up customer service. The items that I have been given, purchased or given as gifts have heirloom resonance. An art that is lost on almost everyone except European royalty in this 21st Century. I count every piece as precious and well worth the investment. May your business stay for generations to come! God bless, Felicia
That’s quite an endorsement! Thank you for sharing this.