Woman of Substance: Cheryl Saban

he first design she points out is the Hebrew word “l’chaim.” She had it done, in part, for her husband, Israeli-American entertainment mogul Haim Saban, the CEO of Saban Capital Group. “[It means] ‘to life,’” she explains. “To live it, to love it, and enjoy it. Embrace it, because this is not a dress rehearsal.” Given that Saban lost her father

a year ago, the meaning is especially poignant today. Her second symbol, a snowflake, also has special meaning. “Every snowflake you see is beautiful, unique and perfect in its own way, but yet, they’re all slightly imperfect. They have a slight quirk here and there, but they’re still so perfect—like every human being. Everything and everyone is different. It can be its own kind of perfect, but what is perfect for God’s sake? That’s how I look at people, at things and even my artwork,” she declares.

The snowflake actually applies to her artwork as well—intentionally.

It is the signature stamp she puts on each and every piece of handcrafted glass sold at her West Hollywood boutique, the Shop on Nemo. No two things at the store are alike. The only true similarity is that each and every item —from jewelry, to glass, to books and even organic spa products—has been created by Saban.

The Shop is almost like a visual diary. If you look closely enough, you’re going to see Cheryl Saban’s life unfold before your very eyes. You might see the vegetarian cookbook she wrote while at San Diego State University, because—at the time, at least—she was vegetarian. You’ll see “What Is Your Self Worth? A Woman’s Guide to Validation,” a companion piece to the Women’s Self-Worth Foundation, the organization she founded in 2009 to help disadvantaged and underserved women. Did we mention that she donates a portion of each sale to charity (of which, currently, is Stuart House The Rape Foundation). Admit it—you’re impressed, too.

What makes Saban so unique is her complete lack of pretension. Sure, she looks fierce and has a resume of achievements most could only dream of, but she keeps it real. For example, as soon as our photographer stops snapping, off come the sky high heels and on come plush grey slippers emblazoned with printed puppies that she isn’t afraid to wear in public.

This is the other side of the coin that is Cheryl Saban: a woman who, at heart, is a self-proclaimed, unapologetic “hippie” and “earth mama.”

She admits that this part of her has always been there—it just happens to sometimes be dressed up in power and couture. “It’s funny, because [opening the store] has been in the back of my mind for most of my life,” she declares. “When I was in college, I loved to go to Mammoth and ski. I thought that I would have a tiny little shop and make macramé bracelets, which were a big thing when I was in college. I thought, ‘this is the way it’s gonna be.’”

But every path diverges somewhere, and Saban’s was no different. The one-time art major married her first husband at age 20 and had two daughters; she married a second time and began a music career, recording her first album under the name “Flower” in 1978. They divorced, and in 1986, she accepted a job as an assistant to her now-husband, Haim. The two have been married for almost 30 years. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in 2005 and found the aforementioned Women’s Self-Worth Foundation, as well as work at the U.N.