LA news
Photo Credit: Line 8
What a week in LA! Gucci and Barneys New York have unveiled their new looks, while Ian Schrager has been announced as the man behind the Marriott Edition hotel opening on Sunset. Here is all the news you might have missed this week in the City of Angels.
FASHION
Photo Credit: Tom Sibley
GUCCI UNVEILS BEVERLY HILLS REMODEL Gucci’s Rodeo Drive boutique has a haute new look. The 22,000 square foot store—the brand’s third location—was re-designed by Creative Director Frida Giannini with a sleek, chic new look that should suit 90210 shoppers well. A third floor has been added for VIPs, where tailors are at the ready to tweak the Gucci Première and Made to Measure collections. This particular shop will carry ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, jewelry and accessories, its children’s line and its new beauty collection. Specific to this third store is the limited edition “Jackie” bag, which comes with a numbered plaque in honor of the store’s opening.
BARNEYS NEW YORK BEVERLY HILLS’ NEW FACELIFT Gucci isn’t the only store that’s gotten a makeover for fall. Barneys New York in Beverly Hills has also been renovated thanks to architect Steven Harris and Lucien Rees-Roberts. Shoppers should expect to see a renovated main floor—which houses women’s footwear, leather goods, accessories, and jewelry—as well as an altered fifth floor for those shopping for men’s shoes and tailored clothing. The biggest change is that Barneys’ fifth floor eatery, Barney Greengrass, now houses the brand’s signature eatery, Freds.
PIAGET CELEBRATES ITS NEW RODEO DRIVE BOUTIQUE AND DEBUTS THE EXTREMELY PIAGET JEWELRY AND TIMEPIECE COLLECTION Piaget strengthened its longstanding ties with Hollywood by opening its largest flagship boutique in the United States on Beverly Hills’ famed Rodeo Drive, and simultaneously debuting its ‘Extremely Piaget’ collection of jewelry and timepieces. Leading lady and Oscar nominee, Jessica Chastain, Natalie Dormer, Dianna Agron, Sutton Stracke and Julia Sorkin were among the attendees, while DJ and rock star royalty, Alexandra Richards entertained the evening’s guests with a soundtrack featuring remixed classics from the 1970s.
BEAUTY
Photo Credit: Nordstrom
CHARLOTTE TILBURY ARRIVES IN LA WITH GREAT FANFARE British beauty guru Charlotte Tilbury has finally launched in the U.S., and to celebrate her arrival in LA, hosted a grand opening bash at Nordstrom at The Grove. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Lily Allen and Kris Jenner turned up at the circus themed-fete, enjoying beauty lessons, acrobatic performances, psychic lip readings and more.
HAUTE 100 LA UPDATE
Photo Credit: Mark Davis/WireImage for Film Independent Spirit Awards
ANGELINA JOLIE BECOMES A DAME Angelina Jolie has been further feted for her commitment to philanthropy: this time by the Queen of England. The 39-year-old Oscar winner has been made an honorary dame by the Queen for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end war zone sexual violence. She was presented with the insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George on Friday at Buckingham Palace.
RACHEL ZOE LANDS AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA Stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe hosted the Live the Look Fall trend presentation runway show at Orange County’s tony shopping destination South Coast Plaza on Thursday evening. The fashionista gave a breakdown on the hautest fall looks from Chloe, Fendi, Lanvin, Max Mara, Barbara Bui, Donna Karan, Gucci, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Roberto Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, and Bruno Cucinelli.
DINING & DRINKING
MARI VANNA OPENS UNLIMITED CAVIAR BAR Starting this week, Hollywood’s Russian mainstay, Mari Vanna, is offering caviar lovers a salty sweet deal. The eatery is offering unlimited red caviar; unlimited black caviar only costs an additional $10 per order. Wow.
GJELINA LAUNCHING GJUSTA BAKERY Fans of Venice’s always hot eatery, Gjelina, are going to be more than happy to hear that the eatery’s sister bakery, Gjusta, is very nearly open. The baker behind the space, which is slated to open on October 13 near Abbot Kinney on Sunset Avenue, is Nicole Mournian, the General Manager of Gjelina Take-Away. Mournian comes with some winning credentials: she is a national pie champion, winning four out of seven blue ribbons last year at the KCRW Good Food Pie Contest.
DAN TANA’S TURNS 50 West Hollywood’s beloved hot spot Dan Tana’s turned 50 this week with a star-studded anniversary celebration. Attendees who came to wish Tana well included Michael Chow, Kathy Hilton, Kevin Connolly, Breckin Meyer, Ryan Phillippe and Steve Tisch. Longtime fan George Clooney would have been there, but we here he’s really busy…on his honeymoon.
Photo Credit: Weldon Brewster
CHARITY
HARRY WINSTON ANNOUNCES FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS Harry Winston, Inc. and the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute have named the first three recipients of the inaugural Harry Winston Fellowships. The haute jewelry house has donated a five-year, $1 million contribution to support the work of young pediatric physician-scientists from Mattel Children’ s Hospital UCLA who are conducting research to prevent, treat and cure disease and illness in children. The Harry Winston Fellows represent physician-scientists in their second or third year of fellowship at UCLA (a period of specialized training following a doctor’s residency) who have demonstrated a commitment to a career in academic medicine. The Fellows, who have all shown unparalleled excellence in clinical and research skills, are also extremely bright, exceptionally hardworking and driven by a desire to make a significant difference in their field. The three recipients include: Dr. Kristina Adachi, a third-year fellow in the division of pediatric infectious diseases. Adachi’s work focuses on untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during pregnancy and the deleterious impact of these infections on infants’ health; Dr. Leslie Kimura, a second year fellow in the division of pediatric endocrinology. Kimura’s research aims to understand how a protective peptide called humanin can affect muscle cell function with hopes that the discoveries may lead to an innovative pharmaceutical treatment for diabetes in the future; and Dr. Edward Talya, a second year fellow in the division of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition. His research focuses on patients with short bowel syndrome, which is a disease where the patient is missing enough of the small intestine that they cannot get the nutrition they need from eating.
HAUTE RESIDENCE NEWS
The “West Coast flagship” of the Marriott Edition hotel at Sunset Boulevard and Doheny Drive in West Hollywood will be designed by Ian Schrager. The proposed 13-story hotel is set to have 148 rooms, 20 condos, a restaurant, and a spa.