“The word Las Cruxes derives from the spanish translation of ‘the crosses’ or ‘crossings’. I see it as a parallel to the entity of our space, where all these movements and ideas intersect, but are still under the same creative umbrella. Initially, it was the name for my solo project while I was making music in Portland a few years back, but when I moved back to Austin, I inherited a retail space — which I had no name for — and adopted it for this instead. Looking back, I see it as a very happy accident. It makes so much sense now.”
— Veronica Ortuño, founder of Las Cruxes.
Las Cruxes, Austin
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I have always thought that those who start their love for fashion within the realm of vintage — spending their teenage years scouring through racks and racks of clothing, sooner become accustomed to the idea of chasing ‘possibility’. But it’s more than that too, a true vintage shopper looks for potential, they are exercised in the art of finding good materials, shapes and the right fit from a young age, they know when something is special and when to leave it out.
Visiting Las Cruxes was like walking into the mind (and heart) of owner and founder Veronica Ortuño. The true essence of her store lies within vintage clothing and found objects. The curation of said pieces play a leading role in the overall tone, and where the rest of Las Cruxes then extends from. An eclectic mixture of vintage sits perfectly alongside a pared back selection of notable brands such as Maryama Nassir Zadeh, Eckhaus Latta, Nu Swim and Shaina Mote. But Veronica realises that her customer values more than just the clothes on her back, and that she gets just as much pleasure out of finding a rare art book or a locally made zine from the adjoining book store, rifling through hard-to-find vinyl, and saving up for bespoke furniture made in Marfa.
It is a retail space dedicated to the girls of our generation.
With a perspective on fashion that seems to be born from an appreciation of music and art, Veronica’s sublime vision has seen Las Cruxes become a sought after destination. Offering enough goodies to peruse through for an hour or so (note the inviting little reading nook), they also serve well-made, locally sourced coffee. The store also features a gallery space which runs a rotational programme — also curated by Veronica, offering wall space for local and international artists to share their works.
It is a beautiful combination, one that initially left us a little lost for words yet filled to the brim with inspiration, and, that word again, ‘possibility’.
