bottom nature is named for pittsburgh-born modernist author and queer icon gertrude stein. stein’s theory of bottom nature is an exploration of the underlying self, one’s true nature — “the bottom to every one then is the kind of being that makes him.”

stein's paris salon hosted the most important literary and artistic figures of the early 20th century. picasso and fernande, hemingway, matisse, renoir and more all graced 27 rue de fleurus, where cubist, modernist and post-impressionist works could be seen on its walls. the most enviable decor!

our background in the humanities, specifically the avant-garde movements, informs our sensibility when sourcing inventory. we’re looking for quality, story, pattern, design, era and aura.

surrealists, such as andré breton, were drawn to flea markets in their quest for found objects, used for assemblage sculptures. susan sontag wrote, "it was breton and other surrealists who invented the secondhand store as a temple of vanguard taste and upgraded visits to flea markets into a mode of aesthetic pilgrimage." i'd like to think that's what we're doing today!

how will the pieces you're drawn to impact and inform your sense of self, your understanding of your bottom nature? knowing yourself is the definition of personal style. style is a lifelong personal journey! as iris apfel said, "great personal style is an extreme curiosity about yourself."