Shop With: Mélanie Masarin, founder and chief spritzer at Drink Ghia
Introducing my Shop With series. Shopping secrets, city recs—from shoppers who are not me. You’ll see more of these.
Do you have those moments where you think to yourself - oh my god, yes of course that’s something that so-and-so would do brilliantly, say brilliantly—wear brilliantly. That’s how I felt when I first discovered
.
She first popped into my life while I was twilight scrolling IG and she just looked so FUN! I love people who make being accomplished look FUN! It’s harder than you think. A deeper look into her background, which went from investment banking to Founder of the cult non-alcholic drink brand Ghia (via a marketing role at Glossier) and I was hooked. She is the definition of Paris x NYC x LA and as nice as she is talented and driven. She also writes delicious recommendations in her newsletter and I’m here for it.
I was desperate to dive into her shopping psyche. The result? Hello, color. I knew there’d be a time I’d break free from the monochromatic items I’ve been wearing on repeat lately. Thank you Mélanie for, in part, inspiring my reset 🙏🏻
Hi Melanie! Ok let’s start with….what does shopping mean to you?
Last year I spent 220 days on the road, so my two priorities are finding pieces I love and wear enough that they make it in my suitcase, and making my home feel the most home it can! It’s about curation, and hunting for the right things.
How would you describe your shopping type? Are you impulsive, intentional, a collector, a minimalist.
I’m all about that ‘use it until it falls apart’ energy.
I like to think of myself as an intentional collector! I focus on curating thoughtful pieces I’ll love and keep forever but that has definitely changed over time. Recently, I’ve been practicing saying no to any gifts that I have even the smallest doubts about.
They say we dress for the life we have. You’ve had an incredibly varied career. Has your style evolved with each new role?
My style has always been pretty consistent—it’s colorful and playful but simple and polished. At Goldman Sachs, I refused to wear a black suit every day and found ways to bring that ease into a corporate setting. At Glossier, it naturally aligned with the brand’s creative, approachable vibe. And now at Ghia, it’s all about staying true to those same staples but leaning even more into effortless, timeless pieces. I love color, and summer, so my palette is more fun in warmer days.
You are surrounded by beautiful things every day. How do you make decisions about what to buy for yourself? Do you compare items, do you have a process or any rules you follow?
I usually wait to see if I can’t stop thinking about it and know I’ll actually use it. Then I’ll usually go for it. I care about quality and timelessness, but I’m not immune to a spontaneous splurge if something just feels right. It’s all about balance! I find yearning for the item and visualizing it in my closet or home is half the fun, and sometimes takes precedence for me over more utilitarian things. I’ve been meaning to get new workout sneakers for six months but there’s never a time to focus on such a trivial purchase.
Tell me about your DMs with friends. Is there a lot of shopping chat? Have you always been that friend that people ask your opinion on if they should buy? (I would definitely like to sneak into those DMs)
I have at least three group chats dedicated to The Real Real. Side note, I’ve loved using Carted (more here) as an extra layer for TRR. I keep my thousand obsessions in my TRR cart, but the top few I’m really eyeing I throw into Carted so I can get real time notifications when prices drop.
I also love design so I’m a lot of my friends’ go-to when hunting for home pieces. My followers seem to care mainly about what I wear so there’s a lot of that, too!
What are the last three things you actually bought.
1. I just bought a vintage sofa for my new apartment in Soho.
It’s a loft and I’ve never had that much space in New York so I wanted a lounge-y and playful sofa my friends’ children could play on or my friends could hang on after dinner for a nice long while. I am so excited to have found one in Italy from a deal for half the price of the local NY piece. It will be delivered in a few weeks.
2. I bought a new Oura ring because I lost mine.
3. I bought Sarah Hoover’s book The Motherload for my kindle.
What's the most unexpected item you've ever bought?
I’m on my sixth Crown Affair hair towel because I have unruly curly hair and this towel is magical to smooth frizz (
thank you!) so I tend to take it everywhere I go. I travel a lot, and seem to always forget it!What's the one item in your closet or home you can't live without?
My Thermomix! It’s a German all-in-one appliance, and it makes cooking for one very easy. I’ve always had one at home—they’re very popular in France and I truly feel so inefficient without it.
Is there a piece of clothing you’ve bought and love and wear on repeat because it is steeped in beautiful memories… can you share?
My furry Saks Potts jacket which I bought on eBay, it reminds me of my grandmother’s love for animal prints. The temperature would drop to 50 in the South of France and she couldn’t grab her leopard coat fast enough. My angel!
Shop Girl note: Sadly Saks Potts closed its virtual doors last month but I found this incredible coat on eBay, as well as this beauty
What’s a trend you regret following?
I’ve been layering short sleeve t-shirts over long sleeves t-shirts à la Miu Miu and I already know that in three years I’ll be embarrassed of these photos.
Tell me three items that are currently on your list to buy in the next three months.
1. I really, really want these satin Alaia mules from the Spring/Summer 2025 campaign so I’m waiting for a next milestone to splurge on those.
2. I need new plates as most of mine broke in the move.
3. I need a mirror for my bathroom.
Whose closet would you raid?
Benny Blanco! He has the best custom embellished pieces no one else has (his stylist Chloe B is incredible) and it would complement my wardrobe quite perfectly.
How much time per week do you think you spend browsing/researching/shopping?
Probably over an hour a day on average. I prefer browsing auctions rather than being on social media and I don’t use TikTok at all. My screen time is a lot of LiveAuctioneers and the French equivalents, and Vestiaire Collective.
We’re all looking for more ‘intentional’ shopping moments these days. Have you ever done a no-buy challenge? Or any sort of shopping challenge?
Not really but I don’t like chaos so my rule is usually three things out, one thing in! I’m very good at downsizing, mainly because I often have to just choose a few things to bring in my carry on. When I shop I think “would it come on the next trip?” and if it’s not a full body yes, I don’t buy it.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about you?
Maybe it seems like I’m always on vacation, which is ironic because I work all the time. I’m in work mode most of the day no matter where I am, but I try to spend time at home in France whenever I can. I love beautiful places, long lunches, and being surrounded by friends. I only post on Instagram when I’m not working, so the internet is not representative of my life, but the lines between work and life often blur in the best way.
What does it look like inside Mélanie Masarin’s closet?
Right now, everything is packed in boxes with my move to New York, but I keep it all organized—I know where every piece is. My closet is small but intentional, filled with pieces I’ve collected over time. There’s a lot of glitter and silver is a neutral!
Rapid Five
What city do you call home?
New York or Paris - New York and Paris!!
Favorite place to eat?
Chez Georges, Rue du Mail.Favorite place to shop?
The internet!Favorite place to run/hike/pilates/yoga/dance/tennis?
SKY TING yoga or Contra in LA!Favorite coffee/tea/matcha/milkshake?
Black coffee in the morning and Rocky’s matcha in the afternoon.
This is so fun! Love Melanie's vibe
Love this!