A Curated Journey
It’s been just over a year since the inception of The Fields, where Division Road now resides. We have completed phase one of our project to reimagine the retail experience, restore the land, and create an environment where craft, cultivation, and curation combine.
One benefit of this extraordinary destination we’ve developed is the ability to host large events and invite our brands and clients from near and far to engage deeply. Last year, we hosted a program preview with Iron Heart in conjunction with our launch, followed by the Dehen 1920 + White’s Residency in October.
Concurrent with the fall foliage color change, over Veterans Day Weekend — November 10th through 12th — we’re hosting four of our most notable brands and providing a wide array of rare features, including Made-to-Orders, Capsule Collections, and exclusive Collaborations, along with brand presentations and discussions on their craft and production philosophies.
Our efforts over the last season on everything from the land to the showroom are coming to fruition. The wildflower fields have had their first full bloom with an overwhelming variety of native vegetation, including yarrow, monarda, black-eyed susan, and coreopsis, to name a few. The honeybees and other pollinators are visible moving across the property, foraging food and pollinating flora sources from the fields to the forest to the plantings around DR headquarters. Our apiary has had a tremendous production year, yielding over 130 pounds of organic, raw, unfiltered honey — available for purchase at The Fields during your next visit.
Tulip poplar and black locust were the primary foraging sources for our 2023 honey vintage and are the dominant flavor profile, while notes of redbud, sassafras, autumn olive, clover, and blackberry, amongst many others, are also present. After the wildly successful harvest, we left a substantial amount of honey and pollen in the hives — as opposed to a common practice of scraping them bare — which will serve as the primary food source for the honeybees through winter, giving them the essential nutrients required for their best chance at good health and survival.
One of the more profound transformations to witness with the restoration of the land toward a native ecosystem has been an explosion of dozens of bird species at The Fields. Types like Cardinal, Goldfinch, Dove, Heron, Robin, Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Wren, Hawk, Heron, Raven, and even Wild Turkey this time of year have come to nest, feed, and prosper in plentiful display for what has become a birders paradise.
The nearly two thousand native trees and shrubs we planted this year as part of our riparian buffer program are working to establish themselves — commencing a decades-long renewal process. The walking paths through our native wildflower and pollinator habitat are complete, so one can wander easily and explore from the front meadows to the creek and onward to two miles of scaped trails through the serene forest. Seating areas at the headquarters, creekside, and in the forest give many options for one to experience the land depending on the propensity for adventure and the wilderness.
In tandem with the groundwork on our native restoration project, we have completed the final touches to the Division Road experience. We’re welcoming collectors from across the country and new inductees from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. With a personalized and deep-dive service approach, visitors receive the total yield of our product knowledge and subject matter expertise.
It’s cool to see our clients take the time to appreciate and discover the goods and unwind in this rural enclave with an urban-centric, curated design. We continue to foster community experiences with Brand Residencies and are preparing for our biggest one yet. The Fall-Winter 2023 event is right around the corner, as four all-time shop and fan favorites will join us from near and far.
De Bonne Facture is making the trip from Paris to offer pre-orders on limited-release capsule collections and will conduct a presentation on traceability, sustainability, and cultural and regional design inspirations — detailing how these vital elements coalesce into the product and brand. Chris Olberding from Gitman Vintage in Pennsylvania will be in attendance with an MTO trunk show of deadstock fabrics and rare factory finds, allowing shirting customizations down to the body, collar, front, sleeves, and pockets.
For foundational footwear from across the pond, come meet David Jeffery from Tricker’s and create one-of-a-kind Made to Orders from deadstock leathers and archived patterns. Then, get a first look at new, unreleased Division Road collaborations available for pre-order. Complete this expansive custom shopping experience with Greg Cordeiro from EasyMoc in Maine, bringing handsewn Made-to-Order options and several rare pre-order selections.
As one of the most popular fall destinations in the country, Charlottesville accommodations do book up. Once you come to this unique locale with arcadian fields backed against the Shenandoah mountains and dense foliage changes paired with seasonal festivals, events, and activities abound, it’s easy to see why and worth the journey to the region and Division Road.
Whether for an individual appointment to have a personalized visit or one of our residencies to connect, learn, and create with the leading players of your favorite brands from across the globe, we’re thrilled to provide one of the most distinct retail experiences around and look forward to seeing you soon at The Fields.
