‘Tis the season and by season, I mean the party season. My mailbox has been crammed with invites of all fashions and flavors and it can be a hard for a girl to know how to fill her social calendar with so many options. However, when I received my invite to Illia’s holiday party, I knew exactly how I was going to spend my Tuesday night.
By the time I arrived at Illia’s boutique, a chic industrial hamlet on Abbott Kinney, the party was in full swing. Chic left coast locals had already packed into the boutique and were spilling out the door. I grabbed a glass of wine and delicious nosh of vegetarian noodles adorably packaged in mini white “take out” oragami-style boxes, grabbed a pair of chopsticks and made my way around the boutique.
Illia’s racks now house their Fall/Winter collection. The brand’s strong suit is crafting clothing with a modern edge while retaining a casual West Coast vibe, the line, which features deconstructed luxe fabrics including lightweight crinkled leathers, treated suedes, plush fleeces and shearlings, with a touch satin, embodied dark romantic feel for the colder months. Illia’s accessories also feature a relaxed sense of luxury, incorporating supple leathers augmented with metal hardware and chain detailing. (Dear Santa, what I really want for Christmas is the Illia razor-cut leather large tote!)
I was greeted warmly by Illia crew: designer John Murrough, his business partner Robbie Moray, and associate designer Jill Yee. Yee and I bonded over a chat about pattern-making and a love of draping, so when she offered me a sneak peek at Illia’s Spring 2011 collection, I had to take her up on it.
It’s hard to stay true to a boho vision, without going overboard. Spring features a smorgasbord of prints and tie-dyes, that retain a contemporary chic feel. Think Phoenix show, not the Grateful Dead. The collection is rounded out with soft yet avant-garde draping in a lighter color palette of sands, creams and ivories. And of course, those iconic Illia decadent leather jackets make an appearance.
I asked the lovely Jill about who the “Illia” girl was and she responded, “She’s got her own innate sense of style and she’s confident. She could be in her 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s. I mean, I wear Illia and so does my mom.” Talk about a stylish family tree.
illia, 1638 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, 310.450.2890
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