Natural Curiosity: Inside Esoterica's World of Specimens & Storytelling
Esoterica founder Sofia reflects on how a childhood spent collecting the natural world became a lifelong devotion to preserving its beauty
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
It starts earlier than we think. Perhaps it's a feather discovered on a morning walk or a mushroom tucked beneath fallen leaves. Or, maybe it's a smooth stone slipped into a coat pocket simply because it was too interesting to leave behind. Long before those moments become collections, career paths or carefully curated spaces, they begin as simple curiosity.
For Esoterica co-founder Sofia, that curiosity first took shape alongside her grandmother in the forests of Russia, where afternoons were spent outside in nature, learning about flora, fauna and the personality of places. Years later, those early lessons found a new home in New Hope, Pennsylvania where Esoterica invites visitors to rediscover the same sense of wonder that first inspired its founders to begin collecting.
In our conversation, Sofia reflects on how childhood curiosity became a shop devoted to preserving the natural world.
Another Chapter: Soul Perchers on the Care Behind Every Creation
Some artists work with canvas. Others work with marble, clay or paint. The Soul Perchers team works with legacy. Every stitch is sewn by hand. Every garment is designed with the care of a historical costumer. Most importantly, every animal is treated with profound dignity, preserving a life that deserves to be remembered.
There is a palpable tenderness at the heart of this shop. Before the velvet, antique lace and jewelled crowns, there is an unwavering belief that every animal, every soul, deserves compassion. That philosophy guides each decision the team makes, from sourcing only ethical specimens to allowing each creature to inspire its character.
Inspired by Victorian dress, the visual language of Guillermo del Toro and Tim Burton, art history, fashion and fairy tales, their anthropomorphic taxidermy transforms each specimen into a character with a story of its own. Each finished piece grants an animal's story another chapter.
We sat down with the team to find out more.