Landing in L.A. before N.Y.
Move over, New York. Three upscale European fashion brands have recently planted their first U.S. flagship stores on Hollywood ground. Last month, Tanya Heath Paris debuted its inventive range of footwear with interchangeable heels in Beverly Grove, and earlier this month, Milanese company Serapian unveiled its colorful collection of luggage, handbags and travel-ready accessories on Rodeo Drive. This week, Naples-based menswear label Isaia brings its storied heritage of Italian tailoring to Beverly Hills a good three months before opening its second U.S. shop on Madison Avenue.
Isaia
Opening Date: Wednesday What: Originating in the 1920s as a Neapolitan fabric store, high-end menswear brand Isaia (which dresses Hollywood leading men such as Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. without name-dropping) is opening its 10th boutique worldwide in Beverly Hills, with a second U.S. shop scheduled to open in New York City in September.
The brand offers sharply tailored suiting, knitwear, swimwear, denim, outerwear and accessories that showcase traditional Italian craftsmanship and luxurious materials. More than half of the merchandise will be exclusive to the Beverly Hills store.
Isaia signatures include slanted barchetta breast pockets with a shape inspired by Naples fishing boats, contrasting print fabric under jacket collars inspired by each seasonal collection and coral as an emblem and color for stitching and buttons, because it symbolizes good luck in Naples (a detachable coral lapel pin comes with every jacket).
The store will feature a custom tailoring shop encased in glass to highlight the craftsmen atwork, a bar serving Illy coffee and Campari cocktails, and a private Vesuvio Room where VIP customers and celebrities can experience made-to-measure fittings, watch TV and lounge. In an ode to Italian design, the shop is decorated with unique modern art and furnishings, including a coral-colored chandelier by Milan-based designer Jacopo Foggini and a coralred lacquered piano that doubles as a made-to-measure work table. Howmuch: From$125 for a pocket square to $5,895 for a leather jacket Where: 9527 Brighton Way in Beverly Hills
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday
Info: (424) 204-1169, isaia.it
Serapian
Opening date: June 3 What: Founded in1945, upscale Milanese leather goods brand Serapian has counted Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman and, more recently, Joe Jonas and Taylor Swift, among its clientele.
The Beverly Hills location, a partnership with former personal shopper Monica Dastin, who is the new executive director of Serapian U.S.A., is the seventh freestanding global boutique and the first U.S. outpost for the family brand, helmed by Ardavast Serapian (son of the company’s founders).
Offerings include luggage, computer bags, briefcases, handbags (from clutches and top handle bags to shoppers and backpacks) and small leather goods such as iPad cases, belts and wallets in an impressive array of neutrals, bold brights and pastels. The company is knownfor its specially developed stain- and scratch-resistant fabrications, signature mother-of-pearl finish on handbag closures and intricately hand-woven Mosaico leather that involves about18 hours of craftsmanship per handbag. Every bag comes with a tag that can be embossed with initials in the shop for no extra charge; about12 items can be custom-made in any combination of color, material, lining and detailing. Each piece is handcrafted by the company’s artisans in Milan, Italy. Howmuch: From$150 for a leather business card holder to $24,400 for an alligator handbag Where: 204N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Info: (310) 247-8881, serapian.com
Tanya Heath Paris
Opening Date: May1 What: Luxury women’s footwear brand Tanya Heath Paris is known for its interchangeable heels in various heights (from1.6 to 3.3 inches) that click on or off a range of pumps, sandals, slingbacks and boots with the push of a button hidden inside the footbed.
It took a team of French engineers and craftsmen more than two years to develop the innovative design, with signature metallic piping, that also emphasizes comfort and the foot’s feminine curves. Four styles of heels (high and low block heels, kitten heels and stilettos) comein neutrals, metallics and a variety of colors. There are also handcrafted “couture” heels in graphic patterns or decorated with metallic spikes, rainbow glitter or Swarovski crystals; in addition, the Los Angeles boutique offers exclusive styles dressed up in the glittery colors of six local sports teams: the Angels, Dodgers, Clippers, Lakers, USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins.
Two more heel designs will be launching this fall, and next year the boutique plans to add a heel bar, where customers can create custom heel designs. All products are crafted in France.
In 2013, the company opened its first boutique in Paris. The Los Angeles shop— the brand’s U.S. flagship and fourth global store— is owned by Pame Schmider, who previously ran the Bauble On Balboa boutique on Balboa Island and convinced Tanya Heath to extend to America. Howmuch: From$495 for pumps to about $600 for boots (coming in July); $45-$120 for heels. Where: 108S. Robertson Blvd. in Beverly Grove When: 11a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11am. to 6 p.m. Saturday; noon.-5 p.m. Sunday Info: (323) 533-9291, tanyaheathparis-la.com