Meritt Elliott and Emily Current, best friends, designers, entrepreneurs and co-CEOs of The Great., have opened up a second outpost of their multi-category womenswear brand in Venice (1107 Abbot Kinney Blvd.). A Craftsman-style bungalow serves as the backdrop for the former celebrity stylists’ Americana-inspired pieces — cozy knits, embroidered tees, college sweatshirts and ultrasoft sleepwear — which have garnered them a following that includes Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba and Amanda Seyfried. “In college, we were on a perpetual hunt for special pieces we couldn’t find anywhere else,” explains Current, “and we often took the bus together to Venice to go vintage shopping.” Adds Elliott: “We loved the uniqueness of this neighborhood of artists and found treasures that reflected the casual West Coast ease so inherent in our sense of style.”
The brick-and-mortar also features a curated collection of vintage finds, estate jewelry, ceramics and apothecary items from local, BIPOC and women-owned businesses, as well as linen napkins and aprons from the label’s home offerings. “In-person shopping has always been incredibly important to us — we love the sense of discovery, the opportunity to try on different styles and sizes to suit our personal style, to touch and feel fabrics for softness and texture,” says Current of the brand’s commitment to in-person retail experience, which includes plans to open 15 more locations in Los Angeles and around the country by the end of 2023. “Some of our most cherished finds, and joyful memories, come from combing obscure vintage shops or flagship stores of beloved brands, or stumbling upon a rare knick-knack at a corner marketplace or a flea market,” says Elliott. “Like us, we see the post-pandemic customer wanting to not only have a beautiful experience when shopping, but one of unique discovery that creates authentic kinship with a brand.” thisisthegreat.com.
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Seven American Ballet Theatre dancers, all LGBTQ and/or POC, take the spotlight in a new campaign with Morgenthal Frederics. As part of the collaboration, the luxury optical brand will earmark 50% of proceeds from its ChromoClear acetate collection to ABT Rise, which is dedicated to onstage diversity and inclusion, through July 2022. morgenthalfrederics.com.
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“I’ve always loved Mother for their jeans and their California cool, laid-back aesthetic,” says Carolyn Murphy, who has teamed up with the brand on an upcycled capsule collection crafted from deadstock fabric, vintage items and repurposed quilts. Pieces include a trucker-style quilted jacket, sweatpants, and a white button-down which Murphy says “has a subtle twist on what is considered a ‘go-to’ closet item. I particularly like the details in the quilting, embroidered birds and bandannas, the overall collection represents Americana,” adds the model, who feted the launch of the 14-piece collection at a lunch at Thorne Family Farm in Malibu with brand co-founders Tim Kaeding and Lela Beck, as well as January Jones, Gillian Jacobs, Abigail Spencer and Jamie Chung. Through the collab, a donation of $50,000 has been made to environmental champion the Sierra Club. motherdenim.com.
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After closing its Orange County location, John Lobb has reopened in Beverly Hills (9530 Brighton Way). Among the offerings from the heritage shoemaker, favored by the likes of Daniel Craig and Simi Liu, is By Request, which lets clients customize their handcrafted shoes by choosing from an assortment of leathers, soles and metal buckles. johnlobb.com.
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Say “bonjour” to Lancôme’s “Emily in Paris” collection, launching at the end of November to coincide with the Netflix show’s Season 2 return on Dec. 22. Look for playful makeup and a fragrance inspired by the glamorous Parisian life of title character Emily Cooper, played by Lancôme ambassador Lily Collins. lancome-usa.com.