When conquistadors and adventurers first anchored off the shores of Baja they thought they had found a place where the ground is made of solid gold. Strolling down the dirt road into town, with the sun glimmering off the rocks, I can see why they may have imagined such a thing. Off in the distance I can hear the bells ringing from the old Mission. My bare arms are bathed in sunlight, and the warm desert breeze brushes up against my skin. It’s that dry heat that I have been craving after months of damp, cold winter. As I enter the town the smells immediately begin to fill my nose. Fresh squeezed lime, Mexican vanilla, and salt-water from the ocean not too far away. I see and hear the Spanish influence in everything from the architecture to the sounds of music and voices around me. All around the perimeter of town are vendors selling fresh made tamales, silver jewelry, textiles, pottery, and blown glass. And in a corner of the square a group of musicians serenades the passersby.

Walking through here reminds me of those old western movies where the heroine steps off the stage coach in the center of town. She’s wearing a fabulous outfit that always seems impervious to the long ride and the dust of the road. All eyes are on her.

On the edge of town I can see the turquoise water of the ocean off in one direction, and the expansive desert in the other. Those sandy beaches and clear blue waters, the golden desert, and towering mountain peaks off in the distance are all a part of what Baja is. And it is from all of this that we drew inspiration for the Baja line. This is a collection of dresses that are both inspired by and impervious to nature, and that embody that old western heroine and her classic and untouchable style. The Baja line is about having something fun to wear, as if you’re strolling through a bazaar or open market in an old Spanish town, swaying to the trumpeting sounds of a Mariachi band, or taking photographs of breathtaking vistas. It aims to be eye-catching and radiant, but also cool and classic.

The sunset is now spreading across the sky. Colors that are anything but subtle, set against the backdrop of a sprawling desert. The sea breeze blows the hem of my skirt as I saunter off into the evening taking it all in.