Calling all style fiends! You still have time to catch some of the best Style Week OC events. Returning for its sixth year and better than ever, the event runs through Oct. 6, showcasing the best OC designers and brands at Irvine Center Spectrum, Fashion Island, and South Coast Plaza. We're most looking forward to:
Unless you’re really into fashion, a book chronicling the rise of a fashion line doesn't sound all that interesting. But “Lolly: From Fishing to Fashion, Reeling in an Unlikely Fashion Success” is only barely about Lolly, a high-end contemporary women’s wear brand born in LA. Instead, the book captures the California cool of the former Obvious Clothing line while telling the stories behind it, including personal tales about the author.
Serial model-dater—afianceed to Victoria’s Secret model Behati Prinsloo—may be taking style tips from his fashionista flames. The Adam Levine for Kmart collection launches Oct. 1 and features trendy burnout tees, loads of plaid, and stovepipe dark jeans—the “it” cut for fellas scared of skinnies. The collection launches in Orange County stores just in time for Levine’s Maroon 5 show at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine on Oct. 4.
We’re always prowling for art by locals that speaks to something elemental about Orange County. So we were thrilled when long-time friend Lynne Cox, the cold-water marathon swimmer who trains off Seal Beach, mentioned during lunch on Sept. 16 that a local postal worker/artist was building some wonderful coffee tables, benches, and other furniture out of timber salvaged from the Seal Beach Pier. The artist is Gino Dominic Nardo, and you can at least see some of his creations (now, alas, mostly sold) at artbygino.com.
Most of us don’t look back so fondly on our high school years, but besties Frances Akbari and Donna Nguyen remember 1992 at Fountain Valley High as the beginning of a beautiful friendship—and now, business relationship. The duo is launching an online jewelry shop called Serene Sky (shopserenesky.com) on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
I don't know what I've been doing with my life since Daiso Japan opened in Irvine's Heritage Plaza last year, but let me tell you—I've been missing out! Our art director Mindy Benham took a few of us on a field trip there a couple of weeks ago, and now we're obsessed. The variety of products is dizzying, and we could have stayed there for hours looking at each item, trying to decipher what everything was (a lot of the labels are in Japanese, and the guessing game is just part of the fun) and filling our baskets with the most random and cutest merchandise.
Ladies’ nights are hidden gems. I caught wind that Center Street Promenade in the newly hip downtown Anaheim area was hosting one last Friday night. The Facebook page promised fun, drink specials (woo!), discounts, DIY crafts, henna (sure, why not?), prizes, and more … so I decided to give it a shot. I grabbed one of my most favorite ladies (Mom), and we headed down to check it out at 6 p.m.
Orange County and the sun pair like wine and cheese. With so many outdoor shopping complexes nearby, you can shop without sacrificing your enjoyment of the brag-worthy weather. One complex that caters to all: Irvine Spectrum Center.
The Lugano Diamonds collection of unique jewelry is usually shown by appointment in Newport Beach (we profiled Moti Ferder, president and design director of Lugano Diamonds, in our February 2012 issue, click here for the article). But a new Lugano Diamonds Salon at Montage Laguna Beach will showcase Ferder's stunners without an appointment. Cufflinks and signature jewelry made exclusively for Montage will be available alongside his collection pieces.
If you remember when Halston's signature maxi dresses brought him instant fame back in the disco era, you don't have to own up to it. But you can be thankful, as we are, that what goes around comes around. Today’s Halston Heritage line maintains the same sleek, usually monochromatic, artfully draped, timeless designs that originally brought the designer fame, while also keeping the trend toward minimalism haute, hot, hot.
