East Austin has long been known for its creative energy — a place where culture and experimentation meet. That spirit now finds a new expression in Rocha, a concept store founded by Albert Mendez and Bettina Barrow, with Interior and Home Director Maya Nairn helping refine the store’s aesthetic point of view and creative and business input from advisors Wendi Martin and Laurel Pantin. Rocha seamlessly blends fashion, furniture and art into a highly curated experience. Part boutique, part gallery, it is less about shopping as a transaction and more about cultivating connection, creativity and taste.
The Minds Behind Rocha
For Mendez, who spent sixteen years shaping Austin’s retail scene at ByGeorge and Kick Pleat, Rocha represents both a return and a reinvention. “Between myself with the knowledge in fashion, and Bettina with her background in art and interiors,” he says, “I thought it was the perfect time to marry the two concepts and create this (gallery and retail) store that we’re now existing in.”
That marriage feels especially natural in Austin, where fashion and lifestyle intersect. Mendez’s luxury retail experience is evident in Rocha’s sophisticated curation. The store’s mix of menswear, womenswear and home goods includes emerging labels like St. Agni, Colleen Allen and KALLMEYER, among others, alongside vintage pieces and European-sourced design objects.
When asked to describe the curation, Mendez smiles. “It’s like an amalgamation of every woman I’ve ever met in Austin,” he says. “It’s really bringing a high level of sophistication under the guise of an Austin sensibility.” He pauses, then shares: “If I had to be brief and descriptive, I’d say … sexy witch. Sexy Topanga witch.”
Holiday Gift Guide
Amy’s Ice Creams…