Los Angeles – as seen by a Francophile

LA is considered laid back – In LA, I am a fish out of water – it’s too laid-back for me – I like to dress up. Cowboy boots and leggings are not my style.  All the same, elegance can be found and I managed to find some great boutiques and restaurants.

Boutiques

Les Habitudes – www.leshabitudes.com – The French name caught my eye and while one might think it’s a bridal store, they actually carry amazing gowns, cocktail dresses and some vintage. Perfect…since I was in LA, I was thinking about RED CARPET for a television stint where I commented on red carpet fashion (see more below)… Les Habitudes carries dresses you won’t find anywhere else. April, my salesperson, told me women come from all over the world to shop here.
Les Habitudes – 101-109 N Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles.

Decades Two – www.decadestwo.com – Cameron Silver, known for his vintage collection just opened his new boutique on Melrose.  You can find Lanvin, Hermes, Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton – all designer labels from past seasons – but not too past – for much less than retail. Cameron has a great eye – if you are in the neighborhood, it’s a must see.
Decades Two – contemporary designer resale 8214 Melrose Avenue.

As far as the famed LA shopping everyone buzzes about… Kitsons is great if you are a teenager and Fred Segal was uninspiring.

Restaurant

Ago Restaurant – agorestaurant.com – owned by Robert DeNiro – very happening good Italian. Try the seafood salad, it was light and fresh.

Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel is divine – so old world California. Excellent service, a wonderful spa, and a fabulous swimming pool. I really enjoyed the massage – ask for CJ.

Chanel Resort

Chanel brought style to LA while I was there with Karl Lagerfeld’s fabulous resort collection. I saw him in the lobby of The Beverly Hills Hotel wearing a white jacket and jeans, a departure from his all-black signature look.

Some of my favorites from the collection are here.

The white shirt – how many times can you reinvent it? – Karl does it again- he shows it with a jean – but if you want to “dress” it up,  I see it with a skirt or even evening pants.

The bathing suit is classic – it’s the accessories that make it so chic.

For evening – not just another black dress – very sophisticated.

The black and white striped dress – I would wear it for a cool summer cocktail party in St. Tropez.

Bright Lights in California

In addition to my CHIC IN PARIS book event at the W Hotel, I appeared on Inside San Diego, the morning show.  We talked about my book and some of the unique things I find in Paris.  I showed my favorite Jamin Puech evening bag, minaPoe shawl, and Alexis Mabille custom bowties.

In LA, I was invited to tape several segments with David Evangelista and Daphne Brogdon on TV Guide’s The Fashion Team show.   I commented on the fashions of various red carpet events, including the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Shopping

Speaking of which, I will be in Paris in July.  If you are in Paris in July, look me up – that’s when they have the sales!!!

Susan Tabak’s 2007 Costume Institute Gala CHIC LIST

Cameron Diaz, in Dior by John Galliano and Fred Leighton jewels. The fuschia dress – next to the turquoise jewelry – electrifying sassy, sexy and elegant all at the same time.

Queen Rania of Jordan – Her stately manner is appropriate – her choice of Giambattista Valli (a designer who has had a lot of attention recently) – a great choice for a young queen – modern but not out of line.

Jennifer Lopez, in Marchesa with a Roger Vivier clutch – You really can’t get more glamourous.

Liv Tyler, in Calvin Klein Collection and vintage Van Cleef & Arpels jewels – Liv’s choice of color – simple lines make for an elegant look – her hair is put simply – she has that effortless chic look I so admire.

Gisele Bündchen, in Yves Saint Laurent – Gisele really looks amazing in anything. Her gown is a little sexy but not too much.

Karolina Kurkova, in Roberto Cavalli – the cape is striking – in this photo, it’s difficult to see the dress. It doesn’t matter.

The Luxury Experts Say…

The Selling of Style: The Future of the Luxury Economy

Last week I hosted a terrific panel discussion at the Core Club, an exclusive members only club in New York City. For those of you who missed it, experts in the field made very interesting and diverse points such as:

Richard David Story – Editor in Chief of Departures, the luxury lifestyle magazine for American Express Platinum Card© and Centurion© members – Richard just returned from the Luxury Summit in Palm Beach – hosted by his company, American Express Publishers. On the subject of the power of celebrity endorsements, refreshingly, Departures has no interest – it’s not what their magazine is about.

Marc Hruschka – CEO Chopard USA – among many subjects, Marc talked about his advertising campaign strategy – narrow and deep and the importance for his brand with celebrity connections and visibility at worldwide events such as the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

Oz Garcia, Ph.D. – Nutritionist and Longevity expert – Baby boomers are living longer and healthier – age expectancy for the next generation could be to 125 years old. If luxury is about feeding desire and passion, then health and longevity are absolutely the new luxury.

Bill Fischer – CEO Fischer Travel – aka “King of Luxury Travel,” – on the subject of online presence and shopping – he has none – his business is done the old fashioned way focusing on personal service with a staff working 24/7 to accommodate his demanding clientele.

John Favreau – International Marketing Expert, spoke about how some luxury brands can be built without advertising, using a stealth and very targeted approach and cultivating their cult following – with events, customer appreciation or publishing their own magazine, for example, such as Chrome Hearts has done or for example, the controlled distribution of Goyard.

Style notes on the evening

For those who follow my personal sartorial ways, I wore a red, black and white tiny tartan patterned Comme des Garcons dress, full of pleats and ruffles with grey lizard shoes by Christian Louboutin.

A few of us were captivated by Marc Hruschka’s brilliant combination of tan shoes with his navy suit and socks. Usually a faux pas and difficult to pull off – he did indeed succeed. The raison d’etre was his shirt, bone and tan striped with a tie that subtly coordinated everything.

After the presentation we went on to dinner at La Goulue – Again my path crossed with Rod Stewart, (he has definitely partaken of longevity potions – he looks great) as did Joan Collins who stopped in to chat with Rod. Rod wore a simple structured jacket and white shirt – a nice counterpoint to his iconic blond mop of hair. Fashion Director of Bergdorf Goodman – Linda Fargo and Robert Burke were there too.

The video on the Luxury panel will be available soon – it was a wealth of information from a broad spectrum of the industry – very valuable insights.

Join me Wednesday evening, May 16, if you are in San Diego, at the W Hotel for their W Happenings. Cocktails, food and a great atmosphere!

I will also be on television that morning on Inside San Diego, with my favorite Parisian accessories and I am also taping TV Guide’s The Fashion Channel show doing red-carpet commentary with David Evangelista.

Speaking of red-carpet commentary – my CHIC LIST for this week is my top five favorites from last week’s Met Costume Institute gala.