NEWPORT BEACH
NEWPORT BEACH SHOPPING is a study in contrasts. The area has a variety, including one of the top designer fashion boutiques in the world (A’maree’s), hometown stores on Balboa Island and a particularly unusual shop with upcycled beachwear that quietly subverts the tradition of Orange County’s corporate, big-money surf brands.
A’maree’s (2241W. Coast Highway) has been the standard-bearer for high fashion in the O.C. since 1976. The family-owned lifestyle boutique features cutting-edge European fashion from Celine, Balenciaga, Azzedine Alaia, Rick Owens and Dries Van Noten, alongside Japanese brands Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe and Sacai — all filtered through the lifestyle prism of Southern California — plus loads of exclusives that the owners find on their travels.
For summer, there’s a huge display of wispy tunics and sundresses by L.A.-based label Dosa, as well as artful piles of sandals by Golden Goose. Be sure to check out the totes by Luisa Cevese from Milan, made of very chic-looking recycled textiles, and the natural hemp rugs and throws from Japan.
A’maree’s moved into its current digs on the waterfront of Newport Harbor in 2010. The modernist buildingwas designed in 1961by Pasadena architects Thornton Ladd and John Kelsey, who would go on to design the Norton Simon Museum. It has floor-toceiling windows and glass portholes allowing views of the yachts passing by on the water outside and the fish swimming below. This is a shopping experience not to be missed.
Next door is Yoki’s Garden (2429 W. Coast Highway), the new home of Jeff Yokoyama’s unorthodox surf-wear brand Generic Youth, a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces made from discarded beach towels.
Inside the small shop, hoodies, vests and board shorts feature patchworks of logos, prints and colors that blur together like sun-soaked memories of summers gone by (an embroidered Ralph Lauren Polo Pony, the slogan “Aloha ’96” and an old Maui & Sons shark logo, for example). Yokoyama uses zippers, hoods and ribbed hems from hoodies from Goodwill to round out the garments, making them 100% repurposed.
Yokoyama, a 25-year vet of the surf industry, founded such iconic beach brands as Maui & Sons, Pirate Surf and Modern Amusement before selling them and going on to start Generic Youth in 2007. He also works with the USC athletic department, using discarded uniforms and repurposing them into some of the funkiest collegiate garb you’ve ever seen. You can watch the seamstresses doing the cutting and sewing in the back.
Afew miles south along Mariner’s Mile, the historic midcentury building known as the Cove (410 W. Coast Highway) was destined for demolition until last year, when it reopened as a retail complex with a handful of boutiques owned by female entrepreneurs, featuring a variety of goods. Blend features fashionable yet easy-to-wear clothing such as Mother Jeans, Clover Canyon blouses and Ulla Johnson dresses. And MerMade Designs has coastal-inspired home décor and gifts.
Across the bridge on Balboa Island, at A’maree’s Sale Away (332 Marine Ave.), the boutique’s sale shop, you can score Dries Van Noten and Givenchy dresses, Sacai sweaters, Lanvin and Pierre Hardy shoes at up to 70% off.
Along the rest of Marine Avenue on Balboa Island, you’ll find plenty of garb for the beach and sunset cocktails. Check out Five Seas (224 Marine), Sunny Days (304 Marine) and Etc. Etc. Etc. (312 Marine) for laminated canvas bags in seaside prints by Halsea, which is based in Costa Mesa, Toms shoes and Superga sneakers, Johnny Was tunics, Alice & Olivia and Diane von Furstenberg sundresses and Parker beaded jackets.
For lunch, try the poke and the fish tacos at Bear Flag Fish Co. (407 31st St.).