New Ted Baker store creates ‘retail theater’ by taking design inspiration from the Magic Castle
Earlier this month saw the opening of the latest Ted Baker London outpost — this one in the Westfield Century City mall. The newest Ted Baker shop is in addition to stand-alone stores on Robertson Boulevard as well as one at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.
The nearly 3,000-square-foot space in Century City was inspired by the historic Magic Castle in Los Angeles. Along with plush velvet curtains and mannequins that rise from beneath the floor, the store’s decor includes warped checkered walls and distorted mirrors.
The British fashion and accessories brand is known for its elegant but slightly quirky sensibility. (Check out the sprinkle of peach blossoms adorning a full skirt for spring or the short-sleeve men’s shirts with a flamingo print.)
“The design of each Ted Baker store is unique, with whimsical details inspired by the city the store is located in — perfectly pitched with some British culture,” said Craig Smith, brand communications director for Ted Baker. “All of these components create retail theater.”
Prices start at less than $100 for small gift items such as woven accessories and go to about $1,000 for womenswear and $1,700 for menswear.
Ted Baker London, Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, www.tedbaker.com
Find a gift for mom at upcoming Fashion Mamas event
Almanac of Style (think silk wrap dresses), Haati Chai (delicate gold anklets) and Paradise People (color-blocked cotton beach blankets) will be among the indie brands at Platform from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 6 for a day of bazaar-style shopping.
Held the weekend before Mother’s Day, the Mama Market event will showcase products from female-owned businesses in fashion, accessories, wellness and homeware. This day-long happening, which is free and open to the public, is organized by Fashion Mamas, which was founded by Natalie Alcala, a Los Angeles freelance fashion editor. (Fashion Mamas is a members-only group of mothers who work in fashion and creative fields.)
The event’s 30-plus booths will be spread through Platform’s outdoor space and chic Spanish footwear brand Freda Salvador will be the host of an after-party.
Fashion Mamas shopping event at Platform, 8850 Washington Blvd., Culver City, www.platformla.com
French label Maje launches nine-piece denim capsule collection
The penthouse at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood was the setting earlier this month for the official launch of a nine-piece, denim-inspired capsule collection from French brand Maje.
Gillian Jacobs (“Community” and “Love”) and Moran Atias (“Tyrant” and “24: Legacy”) were among guests at the cozy alfresco lunch, mingling around a specially-built, denim-blue wooden vehicle modeled after a vintage Renault. Atias was in a slender, retro-inspired sleeveless bell-bottomed jumpsuit with zipper from the brand (which is pronounced “mahj”), while Jacobs wore a two-toned cropped jacket.
Judith Milgrom, founder and artistic director of the 20-year-old, Paris-based womenswear and accessories brand, was inspired by shades of the sky and sea for the Maje collection, interspersed with white or pallid greens and reds. Milgrom likes to play with volume and proportion. So a breezy shirt dress has oversized pockets, A-line skirts taper out generously mid-calf and a voluminous jacket was inspired by the roomy lines of a kimono.
The collection, which starts at $190, is available at Maje stores in Beverly Hills, the Beverly Center and South Coast Plaza as well as at Bloomingdale’s and online.
Schutz offers ‘Cali Love’ with new beach slides
This month, Brazilian footwear brand Schutz celebrated the first year of business for its 2,800-square-foot Beverly Hills location and launched a series of metallic beach slides, which boast phrases such as “Malibu Baby” and “Cali Love.”
“The phrases are super-fun,” said Alexandre Birman, founder and chief executive of Schutz (the word means “protection” in German), during a recent party where model Hailey Baldwin and other guests mingled. “They’re really very Los Angeles.”
The slides, which come in summer shades such as metallic copper and turquoise, retail for $125 and are available at Schutz in Beverly Hills and online.
Birman said the price point of the brand is part of its appeal. The majority of the all-leather, on-trend shoes sell for less than $200.
The City of Angels has a special significance for Birman. When he visited Los Angeles in 1995, he was struck by the high-stacked, cork wedge shoes that he saw being worn by women on Melrose Avenue.
“I had the idea to start making ladies’ shoes that had a natural feeling,” he said. “Our brand is warm, Latin — there is a different type of vibration in everything we do, and we try to translate that to our stores and our shoes.”
Schutz, 314 Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, schutz-shoes.com
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