T
he union of Mary and Alex Barth is a classic tale: Tanzanian girl and German boy meet, seven years later they marry, and now live an idyllic life in Potomac, Md., with their three trilingual daughters. While not a story that is typical of most parts of the country, families similar to theirs are increasingly the fabric of Washington. Alex, executive vice president and part owner of John I. Haas and a partner in the Barth & Sohn/Haas Group, is the seventh generation of Barths to run the family hops business, which was established 214 years ago in Nuremberg, Germany. Mary and Alex, both Washingtonians since the age of 13 and University of Maryland alums, are consciously raising a global family. Every year the Barths spend three weeks in Tanzania on what Mary calls “a working vacation.” Heavily involved with Bahati, a German/Tanzanian non-profit group that helps integrate formerly imprisoned and abused women back into the community, The Barths are an international couple with a style that emanates from knowledge of many different countries and cultures. Mary likes to dress “as a chic ballet mom” during the day; for evening, she says, “the more glamorous the better.” That usually means Roberto Cavalli or Christian Dior. Alex’s fashion tastes are more relaxed, tending toward the European, but infused with casual American pieces. Mary lets on that Alex is a closet rock’n’roller, so we shouldn’t be fooled by the green Gucci moccasins. “He has a sound-proof room in the attic where he plays the drums,” she reveals. “His dream was to play in a band, I don’t know how he found the business suit.” Don’t worry Alex, there’s always time.
OPPOSITE PAGE ALEX COSTUME NATIONAL oversized black and blue coat ($1,215); ADAM BY ADAM LIPPES black three-tone sweater ($345); G-STAR RAW dark denim jeans ($190); DNA 2050, Tysons Galleria, Ste G, 1779 International Drive, McLean, Va., 703-7342152. ROBERTO CAVALLI black leather alligator boots, Alex’s own. MARY DIOR black and cream checkered suit jacket ($2,535) with matching skirt ($1,030); Dior Boutique, 5471 Wisconsin Ave #E1, Chevy Chase, Md., 301-986-8715. MNA BY MANGO gold and black brooch necklace ($59); Mango, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons Corner Center, McLean, Va., 703-506-2646. HALE BOB blacks heels ($110); DNA 2050, Tysons Galleria, Ste G, 1779 International Drive, McLean, Va.,703-734-2152.
THIS PAGE MARY JUST CAVALLI one shoulder purple cocktail dress ($455); DNA 2050, Tysons Galleria, Ste G, 1779 International Drive, McLean, Va., 703-734-2152. L A M B BY GWEN STEFANI purple satin ruffled heels ($345); CUSP, 3030 M St. NW, 202625-0893. DIOR silver drop earring ($2,710); Dior Boutique, 5471 Wisconsin Ave. #E1, Chevy Chase, Md., 301-986-8715. MNA BY MANGO oversized patent leather bag ($109) and black cuff with black rhinestone ($29); Mango, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tyson Corner Center, McLean, Va., 703-506-2646. ALEX WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND brown leather jacket ($859), JUST CAVALLI grey distressed jeans ($365), and DNA red authentic vintage scarf ($95); DNA 2050, Tysons Galleria, Ste G, 1779 International Drive, McLean, Va., 703-734-2152.
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