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
Photo Credit: Esoterica
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.
1.The people who devote their lives to the natural world often begin with a childhood spent collecting rather than consuming—bringing home feathers, interesting stones or pressed flowers simply because they couldn't bear to leave them behind. Looking back, do you remember what first sparked your fascination with nature, and are there any childhood memories that planted the seeds for what would eventually become Esoterica?
I grew up in Russia, where my grandmother played a large role in my upbringing. She managed to teach me English from a book, even though she didn't speak it herself! She also shared her love of nature with me. We would forage for mushrooms in the woods, make dried flower arrangements, and collect medicinal herbs, which she hung up to dry throughout the house. She taught me all the names and uses of the plants and trees around us.
She believed that every place has a personality, which has stuck with me through today as I experience and try to intentionally design spaces with that in mind.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
2. The spirit of Esoterica is rooted in the historic cabinets de curiosités that fascinated collectors from the Renaissance through the Victorian era. During your travels abroad, were there any museums, historic collections or hidden curiosity shops in particular that stopped you in your tracks and ultimately influenced the atmosphere you wanted to create?
There are lots of museums and curiosity shops, but the experiences that really stick with me are the places and artists who embrace strong aesthetic choices and creative presentation.
We recently discovered Art Zoo, a Darwin-inspired nature museum in a 17th-century canal house in Amsterdam. Its creators did a fantastic job of not just displaying taxidermy specimens, but creating a gorgeous setting that elicits awe, curiosity, and maybe just a bit of the discomfort of coming face-to-face with the life and death of real living creatures. We returned full of inspiration for new projects and creations.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
3. Eventually, those years of collecting and travelling led you and Fletcher to open Esoterica in New Hope, Pennsylvania. When you finally unlocked the doors in the summer of 2024, what kind of experience were you hoping to create for visitors, and how did you bring that vision to life?
I know that our shop and our style won't appeal to everyone, but for the people who can tell you their favorite dinosaur or fungus or planet - I want them to step in and feel wonder. A place that makes people feel like they've just stepped into the prized collection of a Victorian-age naturalist, back from their travels and ready to share amazing things with the world. A home for the insatiably curious inner child (or actual child - bring your kids!).
My favorite visitors to our shop are the ones who step inside, immediately vibe with the aesthetic, lock in on one of the displays - maybe a levitating lightbulb or the stingray skeleton - and ask: "How does that work?!"
Photo Credit: Esoterica
4. One of the things that makes Esoterica feel so special is its thoughtfully curated collection of artists and makers. Whether it's jewellery, taxidermy, entomology, home décor or curiosities, what draws you to a creator, and how do you decide whether they're the right fit for the shop?
We love to support and source from local artists as much as possible. We look for the inspiration of nature, whether that's just a theme or literal foraged parts. It's great to find a creator whose personality shines through their work.
At the same time, we like to keep a sense of whimsy and not take things too seriously.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
5. Beyond the products themselves, you've built a space where people can gather, learn and create through workshops and events. Why was it important to you that Esoterica become a community as much as a retail space?
We were never that interested in simply opening a store where people can buy things. Don't get me wrong, of course we appreciate doing good business to keep the doors open and being able to share our creations. But, it's just as important to us to share our passion with others, teach them something new about the world, and learn from the amazing people who help lead and attend our workshops.
We learn by doing and experiencing, so it's important to us that people get to interact with the process as much as possible. We've been able to meet some amazing people and make real friends along the way, and it's been one of the most rewarding parts of running this business.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
6. That sense of community extends online as well. What have you learned about connecting with people through social media, and how has sharing your passion digitally helped shape the Esoterica community?
Developing a social media presence isn't something that came naturally to me. I'm much more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, and I felt awkward filming myself even when it was necessary to showcase my work. But, it's been rewarding to see how many people online share our curiosity for the natural world and to connect with them.
Not everyone is going to love taxidermy art as much as we do; putting the work into our digital presence helps us bring those who do together, and we're grateful for the connections with other makers, artists, and fans of the weird and unusual.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
7. We have to talk about the handbags—we've been absolutely drooling over every single release. They're unlike anything we've seen before and truly feel like one-of-a-kind works of art. How did the idea first come to you, and what inspired you to blend vintage-inspired design with natural history in such a distinctive way?
We love finding ways to highlight nature in unexpected artistic ways. The original idea of a bag with a framed specimen came from a friend, Rebecca (whose business goes by Shoppe of Stuff), who was mostly selling handbags at local art fairs. With her blessing, we have expanded on the concept to leather handbags with custom-made parts and frames that highlight each specimen in a unique way.
I enjoy the idea of making art wearable - something that you can take out of the house with you and use to make a statement about who you are in the world. And since so many of our customers enjoy the natural (and maybe a little bit of the macabre), handbags just felt like such a natural way to combine gothic fashion and natural history.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
8. Each bag feels incredibly considered, from the genuine leather and antique-inspired details to the carefully preserved specimens at its centre. Could you walk us through your creative process, and what goes into bringing a new design from concept to finished piece?
There are a lot of variables to consider, including which specimens will hold up to long-term use, which ones can be obtained sustainably and ethically, and what shapes and styles will fit together cohesively.
I usually start by figuring out a handbag shape and style that fits the "vibe" while providing enough of a blank canvas for the specimen to be the focal point. Then it's a matter of shuffling through endless combinations of frames, backgrounds, and specimens until one look feels right.
I feel like half of the design time goes into fighting my own insecurities - the voice in my head going, "What if I make this and nobody wants it?". But I think of the final result as getting to carry around a miniature curiosity cabinet as your own fashion statement, and I know that there's the right person out there for every handbag that I make.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
9. This issue explores the idea of Devotion in many forms. Your work seems to embody that theme beautifully—not only through the craftsmanship behind every design, but also in the care you show for the natural world and your commitment to preserving its beauty through art and education. What does devotion mean to you, both as a designer and as the founder of Esoterica?
Devotion means there are no shortcuts, and you often have to follow your heart to the right answer.
Being devoted to sharing the beauty of the natural world helps us make the right decisions in terms of what to make, how to source, and where to spend our time. It doesn't always lead to the quickest result or the easiest path, but it means we can be proud of the results and of what we have created.
Photo Credit: Esoterica
10. As Esoterica continues to grow, what ambitions are still waiting on your horizon? Whether it's new handbag designs, workshops, collaborations or long-held dreams, what are you most excited to bring to your community in the months ahead?
As we grow our community, we're excited to bring in more guest instructors to share their expertise. We're finalizing a fall events schedule now that will include some exciting new experiences, including taxidermy and terrarium workshops that have been long in the making.
We will also be attending our first large faire in mid-August, the Oddities & Curiosities Expo in Philadelphia.
More than anything, I'm looking forward to continuing to create things - I've got a list of ideas longer than I can fit in one notebook, and as the business expands, so do the opportunities to share them with people and find new and exciting collaborators to work on these projects with me.
"Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid." It's a Basil King quote our team returns to often, and looking back, it's hard not to see that philosophy woven throughout Sofia's story.
The curiosity that began with exploring the forests in her childhood eventually led her to a community that speaks the same language of wonder and whimsy. Esoterica is so much more than a destination for collectors. It's a reminder that when we're brave enough to follow what genuinely fascinates us—and find the courage to share it with the world—we often discover the people who have been searching for it too.
If you find yourself in New Hope, Pennsylvania, step inside and experience the shop for yourself. Until then, you can explore Esoterica's latest creations and workshops online—though don't be surprised if you leave inspired to start a collection of your own. Subscribe below to receive our free monthly digital issue, where conversations like this continue to unfold.
