The Westside and Everafter open in Santa Monica, Thalé Blanc offers L.A.-style backpacks at new store
The Westside, a new multi-brand boutique focused on easy Californian dressing, had its Los Angeles-area debut June 1. Established by husband-and-wife team Haro Keledjian and Sari Sloane, the former owners of Intermix, the new 1,300-square-foot Westside shop in Santa Monica is the third in the group; the other two are in New York. The store, which carries brands such as Lisa Marie Fernandez and Zimmermann, taps into the well-curated California vibe of its space, Sloane said. Shoppers can find denim, T-shirts, dresses, sweats, swimwear and yoga clothes.
“It’s a one-stop shop for the casual lifestyle,” she said, adding that the store also sells a mix of apothecary and gift items. The opening of the Westside coincides with the unveiling next door of Sloane and Keledjian’s other retail concept, Everafter, a boutique for children’s fashion.
“It’s for the Westside customer who’s shopping for her kids,” said Sloane of the space, which carries merchandise for children and teens from ages 4 to 16 from brands such as Spiritual Gangster and Stella McCartney. “We think there’s been a void in the market for easy-to-pick clothes.”
Prices at the Westside range from $40 to $500 and at Everafter from $20 to $200.
The Westside and Everafter, 256 26th St., Santa Monica,thewestsideshop.com; everaftershop.com.
Thalé Blanc
Thalé Blanc, the Los Angeles-based handbag brand with a global following, moved in April from its former Melrose Place home into a 1,800-square-foot space on Robertson Boulevard. The move coincided with the brand’s debut on luxe e-commerce site Moda Operandi, which is having an online trunk show of Thalé Blanc pieces.
“We’ve been getting a lot of traction from our Audrey bags, which are in lots of new colors and with details like tassels,” Thalé Blanc founder Deborah Sawaf said.
The label is known for its luxe and lavish flourishes. The brand’s evening clutches are often made with pony hair, have embroidered floral and bird motifs and come with fur detail. More casual is the label’s new Los Angeles-inspired backpacks, which range of colors and materials and are priced from $995.
“They’re trendy but still very ladylike,” Sawaf said. “That fits in with the overall message of the brand, which is about classic and elegant bags.”
Thalé Blanc, 107 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, thaleblanc.com
Louis Vuitton
Just in time for Father’s Day, French luxury label Louis Vuitton unveiled its first series of men’s fragrances at its Rodeo Drive store in Beverly Hills in late May. The five individual scents are housed in spare-but-modern glass bottles with black magnetic stoppers designed by acclaimed industrial designer Marc Newson. The house’s perfumer, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, designed the fragrances to appeal to “the adventurer,” according to notes from the brand. Ingredients include Calabrian citrus and Peruvian balsam in Sur La Route, while oud, cocoa, saffron and incense are in Nouveau Monde. Along with cardamom, rare Indian sandalwood is at the heart of Au Hasard.
The fragrances are $240 for a 100-ml. bottle, and are available at Louis Vuitton, 295 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, and at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.
Louis Vuitton, louisvuitton.com
New Balance
You don’t have to be a soccer fan to covet the new Otruska Pack from New Balance, a series of styles celebrating the upcoming World Cup in Russia. Debuting on May 10, the collection’s pieces — two are specifically designed for use on the field — were intriguingly informed by Orthrus, a two-headed dog from Greek mythology. All are white with red detail.
Footwear selections include the Tekela and Furon 4.0 for actual playing and the 574 Sport and the Fresh Foam Cruz v2 Sport (for men and women) for everyday wear. Prices are from $79.99 to $249.99. The collection also offers training pants and shorts as well as a jersey in white and a bright color called Flame.
New Balance, www.newbalance.com.
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