Coast Magazine

La Perla

August 2003

FASHION STANDOUTS
“La Perla has always been known for its fabulous swimwear collections”, said La Perla South Coast Plaza store manager Cindy Jo Homa at an in-store cocktail reception introducing its famous summer attire. “Everything's about swimwear tonight”, said the savvy manager. She said the lingerie retailer's hottest collection for swimwear continues to be the Maria Collection, known for its jeweled beading. Truly. the two-piece and one-piece swimsuits along with pareos and cover-ups were exquisite and were very well received by party guests. Colors tended towards the brights, with turquoise, pink and green especially prevalent. Homa also showed the Caress Collection later in the evening, which featured the latest La Perla lingerie looks. The evenings tropical theme was carried out by Quattro Caffe with its catered mai tais and margaritas and its famous coconut shrimp and yummy chocolate-dipped strawberries.

The Sergio Rossi boutique at South Coast Plaza held a preview of its Fall 2003 Collection of footware. with high praise from clients attending the two-day affair. Boutique manager Heather Kralik and her warm, accommodating staff showed the upscale retailer's latest footware, including The Indiscreet Collection with its studded detailing and hard leather and suede mix and the Temperament Collection, featuring sleek, classic smooth leather with silver ring detailing. “The entire collection showcases the round-toed, chunky-heeled shoe or boot as well as classic pointed-toed footware with the thinner, stacked heel”, Kralik said. Boots are fitted at the calf, with some styles extending well above the knee, and top stitching is a feature seen both in shoes and boots. The prevalent colors shown were graphite gray, cameo and a deep red. Kralik confirmed that the mixing of grained and smooth leathers was a strong statement for fall.

Open since February at Crystal Cove Promenade in Newport Coast, the Jennifer Croll boutique features contemporary clothing for both men and women and prides itself on its couples' shopping “There's pool and beer for the guys and a room filled with toys and movies for the kids so the moms can shop”, says sales associate Melissa Monios. Monios' pomeranian, Lola, is another draw. “She's our greeter”, Monios says. The boutique features women's fashions from black-tie to beachwear with labels such as Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenberg, Nicole Miller, Manadalay, Lyn Lugo, Theory, AG Jeans, 3 Dot, Trina Turk, and Laundry Mari Dade yoga wear is also shown along with Charles David shoes and Chan Luu jewelry. Men's labels include Ted Baiter, Ben Sherman, Theory, Tommy Bahama and AG Jeans.

SUMMER FASHION PICK
The latest addition to the Hermes accessory collection at South Coast Plaza is The Twilry. Named for silk twill, the Twilry is two inches by 33 inches and available in three designs: Mediterranean. Allures and the retailer's signature Bolduc, each in four colors. It is the perfect size to fit around the neck, the wrist, your handbag, or your ponytail.

TRUNK SHOW
August 8 and 9 - The St. John Boutique South Coast Plaza is hosting its Fail 2003 trunk show with assistants on hand to help with wardrobe selections and special orders. The newly expanded boutique now houses 14,000 square feet of the latest St John Collections.

CHECK IT OUT
Erica Dee women's boutique in Corona del Mar just celebrated its two-year anniversary with an all-day party for its large client base. Owner Erica D. Berge continues to offer her customers a one-stop shopping experience in a hip boutique environment. Constantly adding new lines, such as CiK California, Citizens of Humanity, Von Dutch, and Chip and Pepper, the savvy retailer has expanded by adding a maternity and baby section. Moms-to-be can find cutting-edge looks for their little ones as well as contemporary clothing for themselves. Bulgari at South Coast Plaza has just reopened after being closed for a six-week renovation. Its elegant, inviting Italian interiors are really lovely. Garys & Co. at Fashion Island is preparing to incorporate P.O.S.H., its traditional, classic men's clothing store, into