Hi there, it’s me, Toral, the founder of Fiona de Palome (FDP). We’ll meet Fiona shortly, but before we do, I want to tell you a story. I grew up in New York with immigrant parents whose first house was an old center hall colonial from the late 1800s. They didn’t want, or even know how, to decorate it, so they bought all the sellers’ furniture too. This meant my little kid memories were made in a space filled with things chosen by someone else, for someone else (and you’re not going to be surprised by this, but it wasn’t pretty). Luckily, there are heroes in this story! Scattered throughout my parents’ house were the things that were actually theirs: my mother’s color-drenched saris, bronze statues she’d brought back from India, old black and white photographs my dad had lovingly organized into albums. They rarely got displayed. They lived in drawers and closets, beautiful and largely unseen.

That gap, the difference between a house that’s just furnished and one that’s been collected, stayed with me. I knew that if I ever had a house of my own, it would be filled with things I loved, objects with history and meaning.

That brings us to Fiona, the name I’ve given to my antique-hunting alter ego. Why do I need an alter ego? Because Beyoncé has one, and I like to think I bring the same dedication to art and antiques that she does to being a goddamn musical icon. If I lost you, I hope this Beyoncé reference brought you back. Okay, moving on.

Fiona is laser-focused on finding objects that evoke a feeling. She gets up at 4am to travel to antique markets, befriends 80-year-old dealers, and will move heaven and earth to source the most beautiful pieces for YOU. Yes, you, the person reading this super fun About page. You’re probably saying, but you don’t know me. That’s true, but I know what makes a home look and feel like the person who lives there. Over the last 15 years, I’ve committed myself to learning as much as I can about art and antiques. Whether it’s vintage design books or issues of Architectural Digest from the 1980s and 1990s, my study of design is all-encompassing. I look for what resonates, what’s unique and what’s long-lasting, and I’m offering it to you here.

So that’s it, that’s my and Fiona’s promise to you: we’ll offer you items to fall in love with. They’ll come to you with stories, and then you’ll add your own, and then maybe you’ll pass them down to your kids so they can add their stories, and so on and so on. Are you tearing up yet? Oh, that’s just me.

Living with art and antiques has made me happier than I can say, and I hope it does the same for you. Welcome to Fiona de Palome. We’re happy you’re here with us.

With love,

Toral Patel Hughes

Creative Director, Head of Treasure Hunting and Your New Best Friend