Reservoir: A Lifestyle Boutique Inspired By The Ashokan
Erin Murphy is the owner and designer of Reservoir, a curated lifestyle boutique located in the Hudson River town of Beacon, NY. A native Michigander with not only a love for runway shows and high fashion, but a soft spot for fly-fishing, hiking with her dogs, and gardening, Murphy fell in love with the former mill town turned art destination when her husband took a job as an aquatic ecologist near the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County. Just an 80-minute train ride from Grand Central Terminal, Beacon became their “meet in the middle” spot as she continued her full-time freelance work with high-concept womenswear and accessories brand, Proenza Schouler. As she ping-ponged between cityscape and countryside, the inspiration to create “high-end style with unrestricted trailblazing versatility” was born.
Now a permanent Beacon resident, Murphy’s Reservoir draws inspiration from both these past experiences in NYC and her current life upstate, creating a line that features stretch charmeuse blouses and gold accented floral print shorts. “What inspires me is just something that I want to wear, something comfortable for me and my lifestyle,” Murphy says. “There’s a lot of girls like me who like to have backyard picnics or little getaways in the mountains, but that doesn’t mean we want to wear a sweatshirt.”
Photos by Emma Tuccillo, Words by Sylvie Morgan Brown
“The label Reservoir was inspired by the Ashokan Reservoir in the Catskills, which is one of my favorite places to be. While the word itself also is a direct meaning for "a collection of," Reservoir was the birth of my "Reservoir" family - a collection designed for a woman like myself who bops between city and countryside, always wanting to look glamorous without compromising comfort!”
“There is a little bit of everything in here, half the time I think I'm shopping for myself. I’ll meet a talented designer from Brooklyn who looms her own samples and I must have her knit beanie for the winter...oh, and also sell them in my store. Or, I fall for the handcrafted herbal scents of a California craftsman's beard oil and want to sneak it into my husband's medicine cabinet AND stock it on our shelf!”
“I'm originally from Michigan and adore my roots, but there's just something about the Hudson Valley, NYC, the Catskills and everywhere in between. There's an energy in the city, on the railways, along the rivers...I think NY has made me a lifer.”
“When I opened Reservoir, I didn't want to own a typical clothing boutique or gift shop. I wanted to create a curated shopping gallery where customers wanted to learn more about the artist and support buying local products.”
“Many people have complimented me on taking the leap and going after my dreams with my clothing label and the boutique. I guess the best advice that I could give would be: those that don't jump will never fly.”