Louis Vuitton debuts newly revamped and expanded store at South Coast Plaza designed by Peter Marino
During the next few months, a spate of boutique openings at Orange County’s South Coast Plaza will continue. These, combined with the appearance of a new luxury eyewear boutique in Costa Mesa and a trendy six-month pop-up in Newport Beach, could make the idea of driving on the 405 Freeway more inviting than ever.
This month, Louis Vuitton had the debut of its revamped and expanded boutique in South Coast Plaza. It’s now the French brand’s largest single-level retail space in the Americas. Redesigned by illustrious architect Peter Marino, the 8,000-square-foot store is the first Louis Vuitton store in the U.S. to have its own second-floor atelier, where craftspeople will restore existing pieces. The space, which carries women’s, men’s, home goods and accessories, among other categories, will also serve as a showcase of sorts for artists including Damien Hirst, Richard Misrach and Polly Apfelbaum. Also, it will offer products from the brand not available elsewhere such as a crocodile version of the Christopher backpack and a monogrammed ankle boot with patches. The store reopening also comes months ahead of another major Louis Vuitton moment: the planned global launch in October of Louis Vuitton’s Diamond Blossom XL fine jewelry medallion.
Scheduled to open next month at South Coast Plaza are John Hardy and AllSaints, while outposts from Furla, Lafayette 148 and Eve by Eve’s will set up shop later in the year. These openings reflect an intriguing global mix; Hardy is a renowned Bali-based jewelry designer, while AllSaints is a London-based retailer that has stores around the world, as does Italian accessory label Furla. Lafayette 148 is a New York-based women’s contemporary line that has been around since 1996, and the new shop for Eve by Eve’s will sell that brand’s luxury lingerie, which is available at its Beverly Hills flagship. Rounding out the new shop offerings are boutiques from Givenchy — its first on the West Coast — and a new Alexander McQueen store, both of which opened last month.
South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, www.southcoastplaza.com
Stone Cold Fox
The scenic and mellow Lido Marina Village in Newport Beach features some of the hippest names in fashion including Planet Blue, Elyse Walker and Clare V. Recently thrown into the mix is a pop-up from Laguna Beach-based women’s brand Stone Cold Fox, which is known for its silk print dresses and vintage-inspired modern pieces, sold at the brand’s Venice boutique.
Cydney Morris and Dallas Wand, who are the brand’s founders, owners and designers, opened Stone Cold Fox’s 1,063-square-foot pop-up on July 7. Selections available include pieces from the brand’s bridal collection. Prices range from $90 to $300 for everyday wear and up to $600 for bridal. The shop is also a showcase of harder-to-find items such as beach umbrellas from Business and Pleasure Co. The pop-up will be open through Dec. 31.
Stone Cold Fox pop-up, Lido Marina Village, 3434 Via Lido, Newport Beach, thestonecoldfox.com
Dynamikos
In March, fashion industry veteran Dayna Cornelius opened the flagship store for her luxury eyewear brand for men and women, Dynamikos, in Costa Mesa.
“I’ve always loved the high-end aesthetic of Japanese manufacturing,” said Cornelius recently, speaking of the country where her line is made. “People say that the eyewear market is over-saturated, but I found an opportunity to bring in a higher-end quality product that still has a give-back component.”
The line, priced from $200 to $275, is predicated on streamlined and sophisticated styles such as a rose-colored aviator frame with a tortoise shell bridge or a chunky ebony style with a warm sunset-shaded lens. With the sale of each piece, Dynamikos donates a portion of profits to charities including the Helen Keller Foundation.
Dynamikos, 2967 Randolph Ave., Suite B, Costa Mesa, www.dynamikosbrand.com
