Juicy no more: Boho looks from Skaist Taylor's two free spirits

I may be the only person on the face of the planet who simply wasn't into the Juicy Couture track suit craze that swept style capitals of the world a few years back. Plenty of people were, people like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie.

But as for me, I'd prefer a pair of jeans or a maxi dress to a sweat suit with writing across the rear end. And that's just one of the reasons I was thrilled to learn that Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor, the designers who created Juicy, are into something totally new -- and this time it's  something I can't wait to wear.

The pair sold Juicy several years ago, making a fortune on the deal, and now are debuting a completely new and different line, Skaist Taylor. This one is sophisticated  boho, with that gypsy-jetsetter vibe known as gypset. Writer Caroline Ryder talked to them about their segue from Juicy to the new line for a story in The Times' Image section. The clothes are supposed to hit stores in August in time for the fall season.

But I wondered, can I get my hands on them now? Then I remembered that Nordstrom's annual anniversary sale, offering fall merchandise on sale ahead of the season, started Friday. And sure enough, there on Nordstrom's website, are a few early offerings from Skaist Taylor. Not on sale, but ... score!

While we're talking boho, a couple of other stories in Sunday's Image section have the same flavor. Writer Janet Kinosian found a number of artisans who have turned the quaint craft of beading into next-level, artistic accessories. And Jessica Gelt found a free-spirited pair of performance artists, The Bumbys, who can sum your personality -- and grade your appearance -- in under three minutes just by looking at you. (It's more fun than it sounds.)

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-- Susan Denley

Photo:: Fashion designers Pamela Skaist-Levy, left, and Gela Nash-Taylor pose for a portrait in Skaist-Levy's backyard in Beverly Hills. After selling their phenomenally successful Juicy Couture label, they've  created a new line, Skaist Taylor.  Credit: Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times

Cleobella, handbag maker to the stars, opens shop

Cleobella, Angela O'Brien's line of globally inspired handbags and accessories, has found plenty of favor among A-listers, including Halle Berry, Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Fergie, Emmy Rossum and Jessica Alba.

Now the Huntington Beach native is looking to parlay that success into her first boutique, in cozy Sunset Beach. Local custom urban steel furniture maker Moya Living transformed a 1920s house into a shop that reflects Cleobella's earthy vibe. The boutique also acts as a showroom for Living, with its display furniture for sale.

O'Brien, an extensive traveler who spent 2006 jet-setting across the world to exotic destinations with her surfer husband, Jim, first found inspiration in Bali. It was shortly after the 2005 terrorist bombing, and O'Brien was moved by the Indonesian people's kindness and welcoming nature. She was also struck by the simple natural elements there.

O'Brien dreamed of creating her own fashion line, and Bali seemed like the perfect place to begin. She took to the streets for inspiration and sought out unique fabrics and beads at local markets. She was drawn to the rich patterns, colors and texture of Bali's traditional ikat fabric.

While in Bali, O'Brien designed her line's first piece, the Mexicana clutch, to fill a personal need. A large wallet with several pockets and zippers, the Mexicana was perfect to secure her passport, itinerary, even lip gloss, during the day and then to use as a clutch at night. It's now Cleobella's signature piece.

She's since added hundreds of bags and clutches to her line, with some made exclusively for Anthropologie and other stores. They sport names like the Kaya Bucket, which looks like a bucket, the Wenona clutch and the Mahala evening clutch. They sell for about $80 to $600 online and at boutiques throughout Los Angeles and New York.

Now the O'Briens spend four months of the year in Bali, two months at a time, so O'Brien can design a full season's collection there. Much of the work is done by hand and she passes along much of the praise to the women who craft her collections.

The O'Briens continue to travel,  her husband in search of big waves and O'Brien in search of inspiration.

South Africa was behind the vision and designs for the spring 2012 collection, dubbed Africana. For the fall 2012 line, out in August, she channeled Cleopatra and envisioned the kind of handbags and accessories the Egyptian queen would look for while on a visit to Indonesia.

Buyers want items that make a difference in society, she says. Each Cleobella bag and clutch is hand-beaded and hand-woven in Bali. They're also made using washed leathers, with some in the collection featuring recycled brass and antique hardware.

"Consumers are getting smarter and want to step away from the big labels," O'Brien says. "It's more about the understated fashion, the craftsmanship in the product and the story behind."

Cleobella, 16792 14th St., Sunset Beach, open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

--Mona Shadia

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Photo: Angela O'Brien, with husband Jim in the Sunset Beach shop, travels the world for inspiration for her Cleobella line.  Credit: Kevin Chang HB Independent

Painted Bird crocheted shoes arrive just in time for summer

Painted Bird shoes are like little pieces of art for your feet.

The hand-crocheted flats come from India by way of Laguna Beach, where former fashion publicist Jennifer Samson started the brand earlier this year with her friend, surf apparel industry vet Nicole Halpern.

The timing couldn't be better, because crochet is definitely having a fashion moment. There were crochet stitched bags and sandals on the spring runways at Dolce & Gabbana and Tory Burch, and crochet tops and dresses are on the racks at places that include Urban Outfitters and Free People. Nike is even making a crocheted sneaker, the Flyknit, which will debut at the London Olympics.

Samson discovered the woven flats through a sourcing partner with whom she works in her interior design business, Jennifer Samson Interior Design.

"I was getting blankets from him, and one day I noticed he also had a couple pairs of woven shoes from a little manufacturer in India. I bought them and started wearing them, and the response was incredible," says Samson, who helped launch the Style Network and worked in PR at Salvatore Ferragamo before moving from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach 2 1/2 years ago.

She and Halpern secured an exclusive with the Indian manufacturer and started designing their own styles, some with ankle straps and some without, in vivid painterly colors.

"There is a whole beach energy infused in these shoes," Samson says. "They take any outfit to another level. I wear them with my Lululemon to yoga, with cutoffs when I'm going to the beach, and with a dress when I'm going to dinner."



"I've almost closed the chapter on stilettos, but I still want to feel unique. I still love fashion," she says. "I feel like these shoes let you express your own sense of style no matter what you have on."

Painted Bird shoes, $72, are available at ShopPaintedBird.com.

-- Booth Moore

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Photos from Painted Bird

Minnie Rose knitwear, fashion's answer to June gloom

Minnie Rose may just be fashion's answer to June gloom.

The knitwear lifestyle line's signature ruffled featherweight cashmere dusters, crocheted shawls and fringed cotton ponchos are what you want to reach for on those inexplicably cold summer mornings by the beach. Which is probably why Kate Middleton (that was an olive green, ruffled cashmere Minnie Rose shawl she was wearing in that famous photo taken with the grocery cart at Waitrose), Cameron Diaz, Lindsay Lohan and a host of other celebs are taking notice of the fledgling brand, founded in 2006 by Lisa Shaller-Goldberg.

Named after Shaller-Goldberg's grandmothers, Minnie Rose is based in New York City's fashion district. But the designer does know a thing or two about Southern California style, having worked as the sales and marketing representative for such iconic 1990s L.A. labels as Juicy Couture, Earl Jean, True Religion and Hard Candy.

"When I came to L.A. back then for Juicy, I had never heard of June gloom," the designer said during a recent trip to Southern California to show her line at a trade show. "I went to Fred Segal to get a sweater, and the only one in the store was $1,000. That launched Minnie Rose in my mind."

In six years, the business has grown from three simple cashmere pieces to include a range of fashionable knitwear in dozens of new colors each season, such as hazelnut, hibiscus, mango, merlot and brown sugar. For fall, she's offering color-blocked Rowana shawls, hooded and fur-trimmed Rowana shawls, Southwestern-style ponchos, boyfriend cardigans trimmed in fringe, sequin-dusted cashmere tank tops and dresses, Shaker knit legwarmers and cotton leggings. Everything is designed to be layered, and many items are one-size-fits-all.

"This is for a woman who grew up wearing Juicy. But now, maybe she has kids of her own. She wants to look comfortable, pretty and elegant," said Shaller-Goldberg, adding that knitwear is the logical extension of the SoCal lifestyle brands she helped to build in her first career in the 1990s. "What goes with jeans besides T-shirts? Knitwear, it's the next step."

Minnie Rose, $70 to $900, sells at Saks, Neiman Marcus, Intermix, Madison and other upscale boutiques, and online at MinnieRose.com. And if you happen to be in the Hamptons this summer, the brand is launching a pop-up boutique at the Montauk Beach House on June 23.

-- Booth Moore

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Upper photos: Minnie Rose classic pieces. Credit: Scott Goldberg

Lower photos: Minnie Rose spring 2012 collection. Credit: Scott Goldberg

 

Lost sunglasses? Dizm's will biodegrade

Most SoCal lifeguards who rush into the water for a rescue end up losing their sunglasses in the water -- inadvertently adding to the Pacific Trash Vortex. But Dizm Eyewear is hoping to change that with its new eco-collection of biodegradable sunglasses.

"The concept is that if you lose your sunglasses in the water, they'll turn into fish food once they're decomposed. If you lose them in the forest, in five or 10 years, they'd turn into biomass and be completely gone," said Jonas Lee, general manager of Dizm Eyewear in Hermosa Beach.

A sunglass line designed to bridge the gap between action sports and fashion, Dizm makes about 70 styles, 18 of which have biodegradable frames. Dizm is still working on a biodegradable solution for its polycarbonate lenses, which present a challenge because of the need for optical clarity. Before the end of the year, Dizm hopes to switch all of its frames to plastics made from wood, cotton and palm oil.

"Our entire team is working to develop the best processes for recycling and repurposing glasses as well as to take good care of our playground," said Dizm founder Linda Larson, who recently sponsored a beach cleanup at the American Pro Surfing Series contest in Huntington Beach and is currently developing a collection program for its glasses to either rework and donate them to people in need or to dispose of them more ecologically than the landfill.

If composted with a backyard system, the biodegradable sunglass frames will break down over the course of several seasons, Larson said.

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Photo: Dizm Eyewear eco-collection sunglasses. Credit: Dizm Eyewear.

Fashion news: Britney Spears, Elsa Peretti and Louis Vuitton

Britney Spears showed up in Austin, Texas, this week for "The X Factor" auditions. Her dress was notable... and was noted..... by, well, many.

The Elsa Peretti heart necklace for Tiffany & Co. is a classic symbol of a relationship that started in 1974. But the designer is rumored to be retiring.  [WWD, subscription required]

Some folks have all the fun. Earlier this week, shoppers helped raise $200,000 for P.S. Arts, an organization that brings arts education to under-served public schools. What kind of merchandise was sold? More than 200 designer handbags. And the setting wasn't bad either--the Beverly Hills home of Shanna and Jon Brooks, which was once owned (and redesigned) by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston. [Society News LA]

Think tiaras are the stuff of a little girl's childhood? Think again. When the Duchess of Cambridge married her prince last year, she wore one--and her choice inspired replicas. Her grandmother-in-law, the Queen of England, marks her diamond jubilee this year, and diamonds are about to be on display again. And that's not all. Some of the richest of the rich are ordering "bespoke" tiaras. [WSJ]

And, finally, Louis Vuitton has been named the world's most valuable luxury brand. [Vogue UK]

--Alice Short

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Fashion news: Armani, 'Great Gatsby' and Cannes Film Festival

Giorgio Armani contemplates his legacy in a profile in the upcoming WSJ magazine: Gabriella Forte, a consultant for Dolce & Gabbana and a former executive at Armani, tells writer Alessandra Galloni that "his brand isn't only about fashion; it's bigger than that." Galloni adds: "Armani, who turns 78 in July, looms so large over his company that it's hard to imagine a future without him." [WSJ]

In the meantime, Armani has seen its profits climb 23%. [WWD] (subscription required)

Lots of chatter about the release of a trailer for Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby," and that includes lots of commentary about the clothes. New York magazine weighs in: "In typical Luhrmann fashion, they're far more fantastical, sparkly, and circuslike than, say, historically accurate for 1922. Gauging by the first trailer ... we can probably expect the wardrobe to look like some combination of the film's 1974 adaptation and a Beyoncé concert in Vegas." [Cut]

Where are the best indie shops in Los Angeles? Racked has compiled a list of 38 stores, including "Eastside indie style mecca Mohawk General Store."

The Cannes Film Festival continues, as does the parade of starlets on various red carpets. Who's the fairest of them all? Naomi Watts, Kirsten Dunst and Diane Kruger, among others. [People]

Not to be outdone by his fashionista peers, Brad Pitt walked the red carpet in Cannes, sporting a pricey pair of shades. How pricey? The Sama Eyewear sunglasses are $1,250. [Us]

-- Alice Short

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Photo" A scene from "The Great Gatsby." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Books for fashion and perfume lovers

If you're style-inclined, sometimes it's not enough to read blogs and fashion magazines. Sometimes you may want to do more than browse in stores and plow through catalogs.

Sometimes you've got to embrace the canon of fashion and beauty literature.  Fashion critic Booth Moore and staff writer Adam Tschorn explore a handful of current offerings. Among them:

"City of Style," by Melissa Magsaysay, a former Times style writer, who has created a field guide to L.A. style in all its incarnations; "By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop,"  the story of the launching of Gilt Group; "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations," a catalog for an exhibition of the same name at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; and "The Gentry Man: A Guide for the Civilized Male," a series of articles culled from the 1950s Gentry magazine.

If you're scent-inclined, this spring the publishing world has released a series of books that should fill many hours of reading time. Denise Hamilton surveys a clutch of offerings that range from Denyse Beaulieu's new memoir, "The Perfume Lover," to Alyssa Harad's "Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure and an Unlikely Bride."

There's a three-day weekend coming up, the perfect time, perhaps, to indulge a style and beauty habit.

-- Alice Short

Photo: "City of Style" cover. Credit: It Books

Sandast opens flagship in downtown L.A.

Ah, leather. The look. The scent. The feel. Few materials are as sensual.

Not only does L.A. bagmaker Sandast bring out leather's best attributes in its handcrafted bags and luggage, it's inviting Angelenos into the experience with a new flagship store adjacent to its workshop in downtown L.A.

"Since the factory is so big, we needed a showroom," said Milan Franeta, founder and creative director of Sandast. And once Franeta decided to open a showroom, he decided to share it with friends who share his affection for artisanal fashion with a vintage twist.

Located in a former automotive garage, the enormous 4,000-square-foot space is a tribute to American heritage as much as it is a store. In addition to Franeta's bags, the flagship carries dozens of brands whose styles compliment a Sandast aesthetic that marries elegance and ruggedness. There are cubbies of handmade Gilded Age jeans from New York and AG Jeans from L.A. Tables of Johnson Motors T-shirts yield to displays of Dita sunglasses and H by Hudson shoes.

"This is a lifestyle store. We're not just going to sell shoes and bags and clothing. We're going to have music, books, some organic food, olive oil, honey, coffee. A little bit of everything," said Franeta, a native of Montenegro and artist who made or found most of the furniture in the new shop and says he's "addicted to finding new ways to make bags that are different."

Most of the leather Franeta works with is from tanneries in Kansas, Illinois and Texas that use  vegetable dyes that yield five different shades of brown, tan, rust, grey and black. Some of the hardware is sourced from Italy. Others are custom-made and distressed to compliment Franeta's "massaged" and polished leathers. His bags retail for $250 to $2,000. Clothes are priced from about $50 to $200.

Franeta's style was born from a childhood spent watching American westerns when he "fell in love with all the colors of western style, the boots, the saddles, the jeans." After moving to the U.S. in 1987, he began collecting vintage Levi's and antiques, some of which are used as decor for the store.

He started Sandast in 2006 with a collection of handmade belts that he private labeled for Gilded Age, and partnered with retail veteran Chris Pak in 2010 to extend the brand that was primarily sold in Europe, Mexico and a handful of U.S. specialty stores. Franeta has so far designed more than 100 bags. The 40 or so that are displayed for sale in the new store represent his best work.

"I'm not a designer designer that puts everything on paper," Franeta said. "I'm more of a creator. Mine is a style I create in my head and I go in the factory and make it."

Shoppers who want to see exactly how can do so at the new South Hill Street shop. There's a window that looks into Franeta's workspace from the store.

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Photos: Sandast models and bags; Sandast store displays. Credit: Sandast.

Annie Costello Brown and Desiree Kohan launch Deer jewelry line [Updated]

"She's boutique and I'm art studio." That's how L.A.-based jewelry designer Annie Costello Brown, above right, comes down on her personal style vs. that of her friend Desiree Kohan, above left, owner of the Des Kohan boutique.

The two L.A. tastemakers (Brown is wearing a vintage table cloth skirt and a Guatemalan blouse from the thrift store, and Des Kohan is in lacy shorts by Damir Doma, a designer line carried in her store) have joined forces to create a new 20-piece collection of jewelry named Deer.

"It's a mixture of what we like," explains Brown, who has her own namesake jewelry collection, as well as having guest-designed for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Creatures of the Wind.

Deer is interesting in that it incorporates industrial-looking materials -- leather, brass tubes, mixed chains and washers -- but in a decidedly dainty way. 

Kohan, who was a trend forecaster for brands such as Prada and Gucci before opening her boutique in 2005, has built her business on her ability to teach clients how to wear clothing by avant garde local and European designers such as Juan Carlos Obando, Preen, Hussein Chalayan and Sharon Wauchob* in their everyday lives. That thoughtful approach to building a wardrobe factored into the design of Deer. "The pieces are very much inspired by styling, because they are designed to be worn and used in multiple ways," she says. [*Updated at 5:38 p.m. June 1 to correct spelling of Wauchob.]

The "cobra" necklace ($298), for example, consists of a snakeskin tube and a chain full of coins that can be pulled apart and worn as a choker and bracelet. A draped chain necklace ($358) is shown with a mixed metal, brass tube choker ($186) that's sold separately. There are also bracelets ($128) with subtle vintage brass bullet-shaped beads that can be worn in multiples.

But the most stunning piece may be the mixed shells and stone necklace ($568), with brass drops, malachite, turquoise, lapis and coral details. The three strands can be worn separately or together.

"I think people are going toward more delicate, special pieces," Kohan says, running her fingers over one of the coin bracelets. An idea is sparked. "Oh my god, we should do anklets!" she says to Brown, who is in agreement. "High five on that!"

Deer, $135 to $795, is available on Des Kohan, 671 Cloverdale Ave. in Los Angeles, and at www.deskohan.com.

--Booth Moore

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Photos, from top: Boutique owner Desiree Kohan, left, and jewelry designer Annie Costello Brown; the Deer display at the Des Kohan boutique; pieces from the Deer collection. Credits: Courtesy of Des Kohan