Interview – South Coast Plaza https://www.southcoastplaza.com Mon, 08 Aug 2022 20:51:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 Inside Story: Please Do Not Enter https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2022/08/inside-story-please-do-not-enter/ Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:02:59 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=80453

INSIDE STORY: PLEASE DO NOT ENTER

BY INGRID SCHMIDT

The boutique-cum-design gallery is stocked with exclusive and rare art, fashion, furnishings, accessories, fragrance, books and more.

French art, design and fashion enthusiasts Nicolas Libert (an interior designer) and Emmanuel Renoird (a niche real estate broker, specializing in landmark properties) ventured from Paris to Los Angeles in 2014 to open the first Please Do Not Enter location. Housed in the 1921 Beaux Arts-style Pacific Mutual building in downtown L.A., the gallery-boutique hybrid offers their expert curation of covetable art, fashion, furnishings, fragrance, jewelry, accessories and design books. In November of 2019, South Coast Plaza invited the duo to open a pop-up shop for a few months with a mix of merchandise unique to this destination; the concept was so successful that Please Do Not Enter has become a permanent fixture on level one.  Each piece is rare, limited-edition or one-of-a-kind. The fashion emphasizes emerging designers, primarily from Europe and Asia, sourced every season at Paris Fashion Week.  Libert spoke to us about how discovery is central to the multi-brand design gallery and what’s in store for fall.

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SOUTH COAST PLAZA

Q&A WITH NICOLAS LIBERT
OF PLEASE DO NOT ENTER

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What is the story behind the name, Please Do Not Enter?

“We want people to have an experience when they come to the store. This Please Do Not Enter sign is, of course, reverse psychology. It is challenging you. Am I supposed to go in and what do they sell? We want people to be surprised, to have this exclusive feeling defined by some unseen, unexpected, really fun pieces. We love to work with this ambiguity. Is it a fashion store? Is it an art gallery?”

Tell us about your South Coast Plaza client.

“What makes the Plaza so different is that it’s a young crowd that travels a lot, so they have that experience of luxury, international fashion, and unusual finds. A perfect match for us! The idea of Please Do Not Enter was to curate a store with things you usually don’t find in the American market. It’s like a private collection that we open to the public. Many people who come in say it feels like a museum store. We exhibit our finds on white cubes and pedestals, and there is always an arty component to the displays.”

Can you talk to a recent window display at SCP? 

“The latest display that we had at the Plaza was vintage jewelry–pieces by Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Dior from mostly the ’70s and ’80s. We asked a French hairdresser to make some sculptures out of real hair and we displayed these pieces on top of the sculptures.”

What brands and products are unique to this location?

“Our vintage jewelry collection from the ’70s to 2000 is only at the Plaza. We have a big lot of vintage Vivienne Westwood pieces coming soon, and an assortment of vintage apparel and handbags. Most of the fashion is by young and edgy designers. You’ll find basically all these designers that we pick at the Paris Fashion Week at this store. For fall, we will show fashion from Egonlab (France), Facetasm (Japan), Henrik Vibskov (Denmark), Walter Van Beirendonck (Belgium), Angel Chen (China), Lutz Huelle (Paris), Motoguo (Malaysia) and Feng Chen Wang (China). Fall jewelry collections at this store include Molism, Yavmin and Hanying (all from China), Rosalba Galati (Italy) and Samuel Coraux and Carre’y (France). We have a Hong Kong-based fragrance brand coming: Tobba Parfums by Jasper-Li Hong Lin.

We’ve been developing a collection of street art pieces, because there has been a really strong response here, and we have an ambitious selection of art, design and fashion books. Right now, we also have some amazing pieces by Brussels brand AP Collection—a limited $11,000 bench with sheepskin and grizzly bear plushies that is one of 50 in the world and three different stools. We have these highly collectible pieces that are art but also functional. And we are the only one in the U.S. to offer very limited-edition ceramic pieces by Hugo Meert.” 

How else can you describe the PDNE shopping experience?

“If you come to Please Do Not Enter, you will always see new pieces. We usually have drops every week with new art pieces, new design collections. We want people to be excited, visiting us just to see what’s new, because it’s always changing!”

PLEASE DO NOT ENTER

Level 1, Saks Fifth Avenue Wing
714.852.3778

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]]> Q&A with Chefs Ross Pangilinan and Nick Weber on Populaire https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2022/07/qa-with-chefs-ross-pangilinan-and-nick-weber-on-populaire/ Mon, 18 Jul 2022 23:35:06 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=79812

Q&A WITH CHEFS ROSS PANGILINAN AND NICK WEBER ON POPULAIRE

The latest addition to South Coast Plaza’s dining collection

Michelin-lauded chef Ross Pangilinan has followed the success of his first South Coast Plaza restaurant, Terrace by Mix Mix, with Populaire Modern Bistro, a collaboration with longtime pal, chef Nick Weber. 

Parisian bistro dishes are interpreted by Weber with Californian ingredients in a creative, quirky menu. Located on level 2 of the Saks Fifth Avenue wing, the space is divided into three sections with indoor and outdoor patio seating and a petit dining room accented in French blue with marble-topped tables and bistro chairs.

We recently caught up with the two chefs and chatted about their new venture.

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Q&A WITH
CHEFS ROSS PANGILINAN & NICK WEBER

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Tell us about how you met and your friendship before you decided to partner.

CHEF ROSS: We met while working with Patina Restaurant Group, at Pinot Provence at the Westin South Coast Plaza. Nick was the chef de cuisine and I was the sous chef. We had a great rapport and he took me under his wing. We went to work at other restaurants but continued to stay in touch and hang out. Now, every year we vacation together with our families.  

Chefs Ross Pangilinan and Nick Weber
Photo Credit: John Pangilinan

Fromage Blanc Gnudi

What are your culinary impressions of one another? 

CHEF NICK: Ross has always had that quiet laser focus, puts his head down and gets the work done. He’s a work horse and that’s evident in what he’s accomplished the last few years with his restaurants. 

CHEF ROSS: Nick is incredibly talented and his food is beautiful and thoughtful. His intensity and passion inspire me. He’s always been able to foster a great team environment and camaraderie.  

How did the Populaire concept originate? 

CHEF ROSS: I’ve had the privilege to cater events for the Segerstrom family and I learned that there could be another opportunity—in addition to Terrace by Mix Mix– if the right concept came along. I knew I couldn’t do it by myself and wanted to propose something special. Since we had that culinary history together, Nick and I had always hoped to open a restaurant. So, when the opportunity presented itself at South Coast Plaza, we had to seize it. 

Kombu Cured Fluke

Ratatouille

Fried Chicken & Royal Ossetra Caviar

Tell us about the restaurant name, Populaire. 

CHEF NICK: I have a running list of restaurant names and concepts in my phone. When Ross asked me If I had any names, Populaire was the first one that came out of my mouth and everybody loved it.

How does Populaire reflect your preferences and style?

CHEF ROSS: I trust Nick and Populaire is his vision and his menu through and through.  We both come from fine dining, so there’s that influence but you see Nick’s sense of humor in the menu, with dishes like the Duck Confit Spliff, Royale with Cheese and Send Gnudis. We’re trying not to take ourselves too seriously and wanted to have a little fun. 

You have such great produce–do you select from the local farmers market?

CHEF NICK:  I just talk to my rep and ask what’s good at the moment from the local farms. I also have a photo folder in my phone from every week of the year at Santa Monica Farmers Market, so I refer to that a lot.

Duck Breast

Escargot Ebelskiver

Tell us about some of your favorite dishes on the menu and the backstories on them.  

CHEF NICK: I wanted to keep the menu simple on technique and heavy on seasonal ingredients. The proteins will most likely remain and the garnishes will change with the season. The escargot ebelskiver is an idea I’ve had in my head for a long time but I could never find the right pan, until I went to the Japanese market and picked up a Takoyaki pan. The dish came together pretty quickly after that, the Koji buttermilk emulsion with garlic was a great way to bring the classic flavor but make it much lighter.

For the duck confit spliff, I needed a fun way to use the duck legs. For the duck entrée, we use the whole duck and cook the breast on the bone, which we marinate in a homemade Amazake. We air dry it for four-five days and the flavor is amazing.

The Royale with Cheese is gaining quite a following, and we’ve heard commentary about the menu illustration.

CHEF NICK: Most people get the burger reference from the Pulp Fiction scene. Our managing partner Alyssa McDiarmid’s niece, Emma, did the sketch. I gave her a copy of the menu and asked her to get creative; she absolutely killed it.

Royale with Cheese

Seems to be a little Elvis in the building–commemorative plates and such—please share.

CHEF NICK: My aunts and grandma are big Elvis fans, so I was always around it growing up. I love the old Sun Records tracks. The collector plates and whiskey bottles I’ve accumulated through the years from family and antique stores..

You offer eclectic wines with some unknown gems. How has the list been curated? 

ALYSSA MCDIARMID (MANAGING PARTNER): When the boys asked me to design the wine list, I already knew what I was looking for, but thought about each dish as Nick was creating the menu–his food is so balanced and nuanced and the list had to be the same. Something for everyone, but also tailored to the food. Nick is passionate about natural wines so we included a few. Everything else falls into some of my favorite discoveries which I love sharing.  

Duck Confit Spliff

Photo Credit: Ron De Angelis

POULAIRE MODERN BISTRO

LEVEL 2, SAKS FIFTH AVE WING
714.760.4555

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]]> Tableau Kitchen and Bar https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2022/02/tableau-kitchen-and-bar/ Mon, 07 Feb 2022 07:07:56 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=70248

TABLEAU KITCHEN AND BAR

Q&A with Chef John Park and Restaurateur Ed Lee

 

The newly opened Tableau Kitchen and Bar is on its way to becoming a local favorite.  A collaboration between Chef John Park and restaurateur Ed Lee, this casual eatery in the Crate and Barrel wing is all about New American cuisine with global influences and unique twists.

For Lee, previously known for co-founding the popular Wahoo’s Fish Taco with his brothers, this eatery is the latest addition to his successful independent restaurant ventures.

Meanwhile, Park brings to Tableau a resume full of diverse experiences under the tutelage of major chefs, including stints in Los Angeles at the Michelin-starred Providence, XIV by Michael Mina, Lukshon, Father’s Office, Koi, and Water Grill.

Park’s strong pastry background shines at breakfast, with dishes ranging from mushroom toast to an Asian-inspired take on chicken and waffles. Lunch savory offerings include delicious sandwiches made with crunchy artisan toast and unusual fillings like roasted eggplant or fried burrata.  For dinner, green curry mussels and uni pasta are foodie favorites. Some diners like to pick up the freshly baked pastries or cookies on the way out to enjoy at home.

South Coast Plaza recently chatted with Lee and Park about their latest venture. Here are excerpts from that conversation.

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Q&A WITH ED LEE AND JOHN PARK

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SOUTH COAST PLAZA: After your success with Toast Kitchen + Bakery, why did you and John decide to open a restaurant at South Coast Plaza?

ED LEE: John and I initially met while he was working a pop-up shop selling pies at a restaurant that I was helping out at. One day, while at the Wahoo’s at South Coast Plaza, I noticed an empty space available to rent. Every day I would walk by the vacant space and sensed that we could utilize it.  Since Toast’s main focus has always been breakfast and brunch, I knew John wanted to showcase his culinary skills surrounding other food, and that this would be the perfect location.

John Park and Ed Lee

SCP: How would you describe food and approach at Tableau?

LEE: You can always tell when John has touched something because it will have his own unique flair. He uses flavors that oftentimes, you aren’t quite able to put your finger on. His ability to put unexpected twists on classic dishes is unparalleled. For example – our jasmine tea French toast – who does that? His approach is unlike any other.

Photo: JT Harsadi

SCP: John, when people talk about your culinary talents, they always mention your mastery of savory and sweet.  How did that develop? 

JOHN PARK: The focus of my career has always been sweets and pastry but I took time to pay attention to the savory cooks. I have been fortunate to have worked at some great establishments and under the tutelage of talented chefs. I took advantage of that and learned so much.

SCP: What’s your attraction to brekkie dishes?

PARK: Breakfast is easier to incorporate my pastry background since some dishes are sweeter, like French toast and pancakes.  I use my baking background for the house-made everything spice bagel for the citrus-cured salmon.

SCP: What’s a personal favorite?

PARK: My favorite breakfast dish now is our play on chicken and waffles. We make classic Korean fried chicken wings glazed with sweet garlic soy and instead of a traditional waffle we serve two taiyakis filled with kecap manis pastry cream. Kecap manis is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce that when mixed with custard creates an amazing salted butterscotch-maple flavor. 

LEE: My favorite dish is the curry mussels — it’s mind blowing and unlike anything I have ever tasted. Another favorite is the avocado mousse. The dessert brings me back to drinking avocado smoothies during my childhood in Brazil. If you grew up anywhere such as South Asia or South America and you taste this mousse, you will be immediately brought back in time.

SCP: How about a favorite among the many seafood dishes?

PARK: On the dinner menu, I love our salmon dish with misugaru gnocchi, lima bean pesto and fish sauce vinaigrette. Misugaru (a powder made from roasted grains popular in Korea) lends a nuttiness; the fish sauce vinaigrette brightens it up.

Our most popular seafood dish, however, has been the green curry mussels with sweet potato, fresh herbs, serrano chiles and an outstanding poblano chorizo that we source from The Chori-Man in San Pedro.

SCP: Please tell us about the plan for the upcoming community table. 

LEE: The idea behind the community table came about when John asked, “What else can we do to help our community?” The community table gives us the opportunity to fundraise once a month while simultaneously showcasing the remarkable talents of John and the kitchen team at Tableau.

John’s dream is to end world hunger and homelessness. The community table allows us to work to this goal one small step at a time. It also helps build connections with the community members that we are helping, and to perhaps one day, provide them a job at the restaurant.

SCP: We understand it’s important for you to support the underserved in the community.  At Tableau, which organizations are you assisting?

PARK: Our first non-profit partner at Tableau is Vocational Visions, based in Mission Viejo, whose mission is to create pathways to employment, life-long learning and social inclusion for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

SCP: About the restaurant’s name – what’s the thinking behind it?

PARK: Tableau comes from the old French for “picture or painted target.” We usually use tableau to describe a vivid lively scene like a happy gathering around the table. The significance for me is that gathering and connection.

At Tableau there’s a great photo of my four kids at a table, celebrating a birthday. Guests have commented how happy they look. My hope is that our guests can experience that same joy whenever they dine with us.

MATCH STONEWARE

ONLY AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA

Hot drinks at Tableau are served in beautiful handmade ceramic cups from Match Stoneware. “We’re excited to be the first restaurant in Orange County to showcase Match’s ceramics,” Park said. “What I love about their pieces is that it looks like a lot of time, effort and thought went into them. We hope that guests have the same reaction to our food.”

TABLEAU KITCHEN & BAR

LEVEL 1, CRATE AND BARREL WING
714.872.8054

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]]> Naomi Osaka debuts her own TAG Heuer Limited Edition Aquaracer https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2022/01/naomi-osaka-debuts-her-own-tag-heuer-limited-edition-aquaracer/ Wed, 19 Jan 2022 18:23:28 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=68826

NAOMI OSAKA DEBUTS HER OWN TAG HEUER LIMITED EDITION AQUARACER

Our Exclusive Mini Q&A with the Four-Time Grand Slam Winner

When four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka won her first match on day one of the Australian Open on Monday, the tennis star unveiled to the world her newest fashion statement, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Naomi Osaka Limited Edition. The defending champion showed the watch in action in the most natural way possible: by playing.

Available at the West Coast-exclusive TAG Heuer boutique that opened at South Coast Plaza six months ago, the new watch is a collaboration between Osaka and the well-known timepiece company. Just a year ago, Osaka signed on to become an ambassador for the La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland-based brand.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300
Naomi Osaka Limited Edition

Only 250 have been made of this Naomi Osaka limited edition model, the most eye-catching feature of which is its bold use of color. The dial and the strap are rendered in shades of green, the hue that’s been sweeping the fashion universe since last year. The lacquered and wave-patterned dial is in a soothing pale mint, while the five-minute markers are in neon green, sitting adjacent to white diamonds that accent eight octagonal hour markers.

The striated rubber strap is in a chic emerald – a standout in a sea of classic blacks, browns, navy and metal colors. The watch also comes with an additional strap made of recycled fishnets that’s recyclable, reflecting Osaka’s ongoing commitment to the environment.

Turn the watch over to reveal the case back and you’ll find a charming surprise: It’s engraved with Osaka’s official logo – a teddy bear holding a flower.

In considering technical features, it was natural for Osaka to gravitate toward the Aquaracer model, prized by athletes and highly active people for its outstanding robustness and its wider hour markers and hands that are easy to view at a glance. The watch is equipped with the TAG Heuer calibre 5 automatic movement and is water-resistant to 300 meters.

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South Coast Plaza’s Exclusive Mini-Q&A

WITH NAOMI OSAKA

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South Coast Plaza: What were some of the design and technical must-haves that you wanted out of a TAG Heuer watch that bears your name?

Naomi Osaka: We wanted something sporty but that could also be worn with a variety of looks. We also wanted to have two strap choices for even more versatility.

SCP: We love the shades of green for the strap and dial. Please tell us about your inspiration for those.

Osaka: Green is the color of my logo which I designed a few years ago now. The color palette “Naomi Green” was something I came up with as it gave me energy and pop. It’s a color I like to wear and it flashes and clashes; plus, it’s a nod to my day job (tennis).

SCP: How would you describe your personal style when it comes to fashion, especially fine timepieces and jewelry?

Osaka: My daily style is really a mix of sporty and feminine. But my style for specific occasions is a lot wilder and unpredictable. I love styling outfits with pieces that are unique and unexpected, which is why my new limited edition Aquaracer is perfect for sport.

The green band feels like a nice surprise in contrast to a lot of other sporty watches out there. And for dressier looks, I usually choose a watch with a stainless steel band because it goes with my jewelry and feels more elevated.

For more on the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Naomi Osaka Limited Edition visit:

TAG Heuer

LEVEL 2, CAROUSEL COURT
657.655.2144

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]]> Q & A: Laurent Vrignaud On His Paris-Inspired Cafe, Moulin https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2021/11/q-a-laurent-vrignaud-on-his-paris-inspired-cafe-moulin/ Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:59:00 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=64376

Q&A: LAURENT VRIGNAUD ON HIS PARIS-INSPIRED CAFE, MOULIN

The new outdoor eatery offers pastries, crepes, champagne and more

With its cheery red umbrellas, cafe tables and chairs, the new MOULIN at South Coast Plaza’s Garden Terrace aims to give you a taste of Paris. Imagine plates of croissants, pain au chocolat, and other beloved treats baked daily by a cadre of French patissiers. Picture those all-time Parisian favorites – fresh sweet or savory crepes – made to order. Now savor them with cafe au lait or Champagne, sit back and watch the people walk by. Authenticity is at the core of MOULIN, according to owner Laurent Vrignaud, from the furniture to the food and drinks.

We spoke recently with Vrignaud about his coming to California and why he brought MOULIN to South Coast Plaza.

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We’ve filled the terrace with big red umbrellas and the famous chairs and tables by Maison Gatti and Tolix. It will be the next closest thing you can get to Paris in Orange County without boarding an airplane.

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LAURENT VRIGNAUD ON HIS NEW MOULIN LOCATION AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA

Here are highlights from our conversation with Vrignaud:

You’ve created MOULIN inspired by wonderful memories of your Parisian childhood. What is your go-to café when you visit the City of Light and what do you order?

I enjoy visiting Le Musset, a classic Parisian café located a block from the Louvre on a great corner with a big outdoor terrace. I always order le Salade Nicoise and glass of rosé – the same thing I enjoy at MOULIN.

At 18, you left to pursue the California dream. Why?

My father got a job in the Bay Area and I joined him because it was my dream to become a surfer. Thirty-eight years later, I’m still surfing and living the California dream!

Laurent Vrignaud

What was your role in the action sports industry and why did you decide to make a change?

In order to keep surfing as a teenager, I started wholesaling surfing equipment to surf shops up and down the coast of California. In the winters, I started wholesaling snowboard equipment. Eventually, I grew that into the biggest independent action sports sales agency in the country, but in all those years, I could rarely find an authentic French café that reminded me of those from my childhood in Paris. Eight years ago, I was ready for a new challenge so I decided to create MOULIN.

Why did you settle in OC?

Orange County is the mecca of the action sports industry so it made sense for my former business to be headquartered here. We were raising our family and our daughter was attending OCSA (Orange County School of the Arts) so it made sense to open MOULIN here.

What appealed to you about opening at South Coast Plaza?

I would like to see more international growth from our brand. From the brand selection and retail presentation, South Coast Plaza delivers a world-class experience. So when Anton Segerstrom invites you to join them and the other renowned French brands, it is an offer you don’t refuse and it validates what we are doing at MOULIN.

What attracted you to the outdoor site on Garden Terrace?

Just like classic Parisian cafés, MOULIN is all about the outdoor patio experience so the Garden Terrace location is a no-brainer for us. We’ve filled the terrace with big red umbrellas and the famous chairs and tables by Maison Gatti and Tolix. It will be the next closest thing you can get to Paris in Orange County without boarding an airplane.

You’re going to have breakfast, lunch and then make a late afternoon stop at MOULIN at South Coast Plaza. What will you order for each?

Breakfast is always a double espresso with pain au chocolat, my favorite lunch is le Salade Niçoise and glass of rosé, and for a late afternoon visit, nothing beats chatting with a couple of friends on the patio with a Paris-Brest pastry and a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne.

We hear you have a special MOULIN creation exclusively for South Coast Plaza. We love exclusives!  Tell us about it.

To celebrate our newest location, we are introducing a new pastry that can only be found at MOULIN at South Coast Plaza. It is the Earl Grey & Fig tart – trés magnifique!

Do you have a signature item?

Our signature item would have to be our jambon fromage (ham and cheese) sandwich. We make our ham in-house Parisian style and serve it on a fresh-baked baguette with Emmenthal cheese. Our saucisson cornichon sandwich is a close second.

What are MOULIN’s top three sellers?

Our top seller is the jambon fromage sandwich followed by our almond croissant. The chocolate éclair is our top-selling pastry.

What Champagnes will you have at MOULIN at South Coast Plaza and what do you recommend as a pairing?

We have a partnership with Laurent-Perrier, one of the most acclaimed Champagne brands in the world. Guests at MOULIN at South Coast Plaza can enjoy it in the split size, half bottle or full bottle. A perfect pairing is Champagne and our freshly-made strawberry or lemon crêpe.

For the holidays, will you have any special seasonal desserts?

Oui! In early December we start taking pre-orders of our famous Bûche de Noël, (yule log). This year’s bûches will be available in two sizes and three flavors. Last year, we sold out with people driving from LA and San Diego to get them. We can’t wait to introduce our SCP visitors to our Bûche de Noël.

MOULIN

OPEN NOW

LEVEL 1, GARDEN TERRACE

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]]> Q&A: Monique Lhuillier Marks 25 Years of Design https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2021/11/qa-monique-lhuillier-marks-25-years-of-design/ Fri, 05 Nov 2021 06:39:41 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=64021

Q&A: MONIQUE LHUILLIER MARKS 25 YEARS OF DESIGN

BY INGRID SCHMIDT

The LA designer discusses her journey in developing a successful lifestyle brand

Celebrating 25 years in business, Los Angeles-based designer Monique Lhuillier made a name for her dreamy bridal gowns and has since built a lifestyle empire. Her brand is known for a distinct aesthetic that she describes as “feminine and glamorous, but with a modern twist.” 

To mark the occasion, Lhuillier has debuted a 25th anniversary dress produced in a limited run of 25 and inspired by her red carpet gowns worn by Taylor Swift and Kaley Cuoco. Also in the mix is her new book Monique Lhuillier: Dreaming of Fashion and Glamour, which includes a foreword by long-time client Reese Witherspoon.

Monique Lhuillier 25th anniversary dress

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“If you look at my work from early on until today, you’ll see that my point of view hasn’t really wavered.”

– Monique Lhuillier

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The center is a fitting venue for marking the anniversary, given that her achievements in creating a coveted brand are manifested in her year-old boutique, the only store to carry the widest range of products reflecting the Monique Lhuillier lifestyle. They include her signature bridal, evening and ready-to-wear collections as well as the more affordable ML Monique Lhuillier ready-to-wear and Bliss bridal collections, shoes, accessories, lingerie in collaboration with Hanky Panky, home fragrance, and a namesake eau de parfum that debuted last year.

Lhuillier’s design signatures are omnipresent, including every hue of pink, wedding gowns crafted in fresh iterations of lace, and convertible dresses with details such as detachable sleeves or capes.

At the Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen stores at South Coast Plaza, collaborative Monique Lhuillier collections span bedding, lamps and rugs to tabletop, toys, wallpaper, home accessories and holiday decor.

Since launching her company in 1996, Lhuillier has worked alongside her husband, Tom Bugbee, who serves as CEO. She talked to us about this experience, her advice for fashion entrepreneurs, and what’s on the horizon.

A conversation with Monique Lhuillier about 25 years of design:

Tell us about how you grew your brand.

When we started our company, I was a bride-to-be looking for a wedding dress and I had graduated from fashion school (the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) in L.A. I didn’t think that there were a lot of options for brides, so I decided to start this brand. The struggle wasn’t just breaking through, which was the biggest challenge, but also keeping it owned by us and growing, because we never took outside money. 

So we were always very lean and smart about our decisions. At the same time, we were not an overnight success. We did not have access to PR, marketing, or funding, so we did a lot of things by ourselves.

After four years, I could see that the tide was turning. People started to say my name correctly, and I knew we had some momentum. We opened our first retail store in Beverly Hills in 2001. Because so many celebrities are based in Los Angeles, I had stylists saying, ‘If you could make that dress in a color, I would love to put it on the red carpet.’ That really helped to build our brand and our name recognition and visibility for the world to see. I became a member of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) in 2002 and showed during New York Fashion Week for many years. That also helped cement our place in American fashion. 

As our brand grew, I wanted to expand into other categories. I didn’t want to just be in a woman’s life for her wedding. What about for her special occasions? So that’s where the evening gowns came from. 

Then it was, what does her home look like when she gets married? And when they have children, what does the nursery look like?  So we started designing home products with Pottery Barn.

Most recently, my fragrance is part of finishing the look. All the puzzle pieces are coming together.

Any mistakes you’ve learned from along the way?

Sometimes our collections were too large, because I wanted to be something for everybody. Then I realized that people come to us for a specific thing. It’s so easy to over-design and make big collections. But then when you go to produce, it costs a fortune and you never get to regroup before the next collection comes out.

Can you call out a dress moment that was particularly meaningful to you?

In 2019, I dressed a record eight women on the red carpet for the Golden Globes. I mean, that’s unheard of! Normally you dress two, maybe three. That night was really remarkable because I knew two were going to wear my designs, but I didn’t know that all the others were going to decide to go with it at the last minute.

Dressing celebrities, you don’t know until they hit the carpet what it is they decide. So we were watching, saying, ‘Oh another one! Another one! Now there’s four, now five!’ They all looked completely different and beautiful in their own way. So that is a night that I will cherish forever.

How has it been to work side by side with your husband, Tom, from day one?

Back then, Tom was getting his MBA at USC and working for Deloitte & Touche, so he has a business background. Our roles were defined, business and creative. But when you’re a start-up, you wear many hats. Now 25 years in, we are still involved in everything from day to day, but have great teams in place, so we can function more efficiently and effectively.

Tom and I have been married for 26 years and the first ten years, we didn’t  start a family because the business was our child. It can be challenging. We may have different opinions about something and then sit down for dinner in 20 minutes.  The benefit is we both really want what’s best for the company. We’ve stayed authentic to what it is that we do.

What’s in the future for you and your business?

I would like to see more international growth from our brand. South Coast Plaza was a fit for us because they have a lot of international clientele. I’d also like to explore getting into the beauty business, because I feel that a color makeup palette makes sense for our brand, especially on those special days. We have more footwear coming in the fall and are expanding our accessories collections. I now want us to go on vacation with the customer, so I have a resort collection coming out in December for spring 2022 that is new to my offering.

An exhibit of Monique Lhuillier’s favorite archival gowns from the past 25 years is on display steps away from her boutique on level 1 in the Saks Fifth Avenue wing through Nov. 15

What advice would you give to young designers who want to succeed in the fashion industry?

If you look at my work from early on until today, you’ll see that my point of view hasn’t really wavered. My biggest advice is to have a very clear vision of what it is you stand for and stick with it.

Monique Lhuillier

LEVEL 1, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE WING
714.241.4432

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]]> In Her Own Words: Monique Lhuillier https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2021/10/in-her-own-words-monique-lhuillier/ Wed, 13 Oct 2021 01:23:57 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=62179

IN HER OWN WORDS: MONIQUE LHUILLIER

The designer marks 25 years with her Spring ’22 Bridal Collection

 

A mong Monique Lhuillier’s bridal collections in recent history, Spring ’22 is personally significant, marking 25 years since she designed the first bridal gown that launched what would become a successful career and business. This collection, “reflects my current state of mind — full of optimism, joy and gratitude, embracing the opening up of the world,” Lhuillier says. 

Here, Monique Lhuillier share highlights from her Spring’22 Bridal Collection:

“

Life is so precious, it should be celebrated to the fullest! This sentiment brings me back to why I got into Bridal – the hope, promise, love and traditions that life is all about.

”

MONIQUE LHUILLIER

SPRING ’22 BRIDAL COLLECTION

  • “Buttercup, a vibrant, yellow open weave silk gazar with cascading flowers.”

  • “Dahlia, a new botanical print with all my favorite florals — Queen Anne’s Lace and pink Dahlias.”

 

  • “Rose, an ombre satin with hand tufted bustles and hand rolled rosettes.”

 

  • “Poetic sleeves, detachable for versatility, three dimensional embroideries and flowers, all signatures reworked to celebrate our 25th year in the bridal business.”

The Spring ’22 collection is available to view at the Monique Lhuillier bridal salon at South Coast Plaza. More details.

Monique Lhuillier

LEVEL 1, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE WING
714.241.4432

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]]> In His Own Words: Supermodel Alton Mason on Style https://www.southcoastplaza.com/stories/2021/10/in-his-own-words-supermodel-alton-mason-on-style-2/ Mon, 11 Oct 2021 20:26:57 +0000 https://www.southcoastplaza.com/?p=62035

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

SUPERMODEL ALTON MASON ON STYLE

 

If you don’t recognize his name yet, you might very soon.  Alton Mason, dubbed by GQ as the hottest male model in the world and a supernova in the fashion universe, is the star of South Coast Plaza’s new fall men’s lookbook. No stranger to the European and American runways and campaigns of fashion powerhouses, Mason, a dancer/ singer/ songwriter/ filmmaker, brings his own brand of grace and dynamic movement to the latest looks from South Coast Plaza’s major luxury menswear boutiques, including Thom Browne, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Dior Men, Fendi, Versace, Berluti, Dolce&Gabbana, Zegna, Canali and Boss.

Modeling may take up most of his days at the moment but he’s heading for the biggest pop culture spotlight of them all – Hollywood. Earlier this year, director Baz Luhrmann cast Mason to play Little Richard in an “Elvis” biopic. Before preparing to inhabit his first big film role, the Los Angeles-based multi-hyphenate shared musings on style with us:

Thom Browne (Cover Image: Versace)

 

ALTON MASON ON HIS PERSONAL STYLE

  • Dolce&Gabbana

    “I really like to dress the way I feel and I can be different from Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday, Thursday”

  • Dior Men

    “My personal style is reflective of how I feel on the inside.”

  • Dior Men

    “Clothes that are comfortable, clothes that are fly silhouettes, clothes that represent past, present and future. That’s what I look for.”

  • Balenciaga

    “The way clothes fit definitely influences my mood, my energy.”

  • Fendi

    “Something really flowy, sometimes I feel flowy and loose and easy.”

 

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