A girls’ weekend in Round Top turned into a life changing adventure for world traveler Vandi Hodges, who signed the lease on her new jewelry and textiles store Via Vandi on a whim just a few weeks before the Fall 2021 Round Top Antiques Show.

Vandi had booked a weekend stay at the Round Top Inn in mid-September, expecting nothing more than a good time with friends on her first visit to the area. A few serendipitous trips across the road to the former location of Tutu & Lilli in Rolland Square (formerly Rummel Square) resulted in a sudden decision to snap up a retail space soon to be vacated by Tutu & Lili’s Melissa Savarino Ellis, who has since relocated to Round Top Village.

Hodges’ daughter models a kimono from a recent collaboration as loungewear outside the new store location in Rolland Square.

“I learned that the adorable cottage might be available for rent and the next thing I knew, I had a lease — and a deadline to get my store open before the fall show,” Hodges tells RoundTop.com. “It was a miracle, honestly. The universe handed me this opportunity, so I ran with it.”

The Texas native practiced the art of jewelry making in Europe and previously owned a jewelry store in Ibiza, Spain. Her mix of edgy handmade silver and gold jewelry perfectly pairs with her own collection of Japanese silk kimonos, which meld perfectly with boots and shorts to create a signature Round Top ensemble. Hodges has also brought in a new line of hand painted, cotton kimonos from a partner in Turkey for a new spin on the same look.

A sample of Vandi's handmade jewelry.
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A sample of Vandi’s handmade jewelry.

Imported Turkish cotton kimonos feature handprinted details.
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Imported Turkish cotton kimonos feature handprinted details.

Meanwhile, a line of denim jackets lavishly accented with Mongolian lambswool by a Texas maker have arrived just in time for the cooler weather (which we know is coming — eventually). Via Vandi will introduce new jewelry lines and artist collaborations throughout the year and is open year-round Thursdays through Sundays.

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Mongolian lambswool jacket in white at Via Vandi.

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Via Vandi is a different type of a store.