Colette Bernard’s accessories label, Artist Colette, embraces bold, funky designs, an aesthetic exemplified by the whimsical hair claws (think test tubes, martini glasses, and crawfish claws) with which she’s made a name for herself—particularly on TikTok, where her pieces have gone viral. The creative Cajun has called Lafayette, Louisiana, home since birth and finds inspiration in “the very weird, very diverse” culture of the city; so much so that she opened her brick-and-mortar gift shop, Cocodrie Collective , downtown in 2023. “There’s a big mashup of backgrounds and customs,” she says. “We like to joke that we’re all a bunch of mutts.” Here are her recommendations for exploring Lafayette like a local.

Hole Lotta Love

“I refuse to eat doughnuts from anywhere other than Rickey Mech

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