Rodeo Drive

Agent Provocateur to Open in Beverly Hills

Luxe British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur is opening a new boutique on Beverly Hills' famed Rodeo Drive this spring. The new location will be considered a West Coast flagship store for the company, known for steamy ads featuring the likes of Kate Moss, Helena Christensen and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the Beverly Hills Courier reports. The upmarket label, which saw profits soar 45 percent in the past quarter, plans to expand its lineup to include sunglasses, cosmetics and bedding. The London-headquartered chain also plans on growing online sales and opening up a flagship East Coast store in New York next month. It currently has 51 stores in the U.K., Europe, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Middle East and the U.S., with plans for branches in Russia and Japan in the works as well.

Tags: Agent Provocateur, Beverly Hills, boutiques, Helena Christensen, Kate Moss, lingerie, London, luxury shopping, Rodeo Drive, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, UK

Jewelry Designer Stephen Webster Opening Rodeo Drive Store

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

British jewelry designer, Stephen Webster is taking his rock-and-roll style to Rodeo Drive. His new store is set to open on December 6 in Beverly Hills and also includes a art gallery, a private dining space for special events and a bar. The designer often uses nature as an inspiration creating rings and bracelets and necklaces featuring some under represented animals including manta rays, lobsters and even mosquitoes.

Webster told the LA Times that he plans to eventually open a store in New York City but that he choose the store in Beverly Hills because of the two-story storefront. Webster, an avid art collector, will showcase work from artists he likes. British artist Tracey Emin has created a neon piece for the store that reads, "I promise to love you." The store's huge glass windows will feature window displays created by Los-Angeles-based stylists. Webster joins a street packed with jewelers including Tiffany & Co., Harry Winston, David Yurman, Cartier and others.

Tags: beverly hills, jewelry designers, rodeo drive, stephen webster

Vertu Opens Rodeo Drive Boutique

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

You might be tempted to think that the days of the diamond-covered cellphone are over but that doesn't seem to be the case. Vertu recently opened its Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills boutique showcasing among other baubles, a $70,000 cellphone made with an 83-carat sapphire, platinum, black leather and rubies. The LA Times reported that at the grand opening there were more than a few enthusiasts in attendance including music producer Quincy Jones and singer Seal.

Everything about the Vertu is luxurious, from the handcrafted jeweled exterior to the ring tones created by famous composers and bands specifically for the phone and the concierge service available at your fingertips. Vertu has been around since 1998, created by Frank Nuovo, who was Nokia's lead designer. Around 250,000 of the phones have been sold. Not iPhone numbers but still impressive for phones that cost five figures.

Tags: beverly hills, cell phone, rodeo drive, vertu

Rodeo Drive is Getting a Ferris Wheel!

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

As the excitement about Fashion's Night Out 2010 continues to build, Rodeo Drive has thrown their diamond-studded tiara into the ring.

Official rendering

After the overwhelming success of the event last year, this year's FNO will be on a Friday (last year was a Thursday) and even more markets are expected to participate. This includes Los Angeles' most elite shopping street: Rodeo Drive. Not only will the exclusive boutiques band together to host a cocktail fueled, high-fashion block party, but the 200 block of the street will feature the Drive's first-ever ferris wheel! Rides for two will be complimentary when you flash your receipts from your FNO Rodeo Drive purchases.

Finding a good splurge-worthy item won't be difficult. In-store events will be taking place at top-drawer shops including Chanel, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo and Valentino and more than 40 other Rodeo Drive stores will be participating with extended hours and other perks.

"We hope to produce a fantastic block party atmosphere on the street," says Rodeo Drive Committee President Tom Blumenthal. "Just as Rodeo Drive is know for offering an unparalleled shopping experience on a daily basis, Fashion's Night Out is an exciting opportunity to create a memorable, one-of-a-kind event for our clients."

Tags: beverly hills, fashions night out, FNO, los angeles, rodeo drive

Donald Trump Selling In Beverly Hills

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

If there's anything Donald Trump believes in, it's that real estate in a good location will always have its value. That might explain why he picked a Colonial style mansion in Beverly Hills with a Rodeo Drive address. The Real Estalker dishes that Donald Trump bought the home last summer and has put it back on the market for $12 million. The home itself is a 10,442 square foot mansion located close to the Beverly Hills Hotel. The home was built in 1981 and the property includes a pool and tennis court.

The listing shows this property as 'looking for backup' and the Real Estalker Mama says that is is in escrow after less than two weeks on the open market. It is unknown if Trump ever lived in the six-bedroom home or even ever set foot inside. The listing says the over 31,000 square foot lot is an "excellent development opportunity" so I think we are looking at a teardown on this one.

Source

Tags: donald trump, DonaldTrump, real estaet, RealEstaet, rodeo drive, RodeoDrive

JeanRichard Launches New MV Augusta Watch

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

On June 13, Swiss watchmaker JeanRichard launched its latest watch amidst a gathering of over 50 exotic MV Agusta motorcycles at the David Orgell jewelry boutique in Beverly Hills. The Chronoscope MV Agusta Brutale (above) was produced in partnership with the legendary Italian motorcycle brand. The design of the watch reflects the signature features of MV Agusta's Brutale motorcycle. The large case is clothed in a highly resistant rubber that gives the watch a lighter touch. The dial is clad in carbon fiber highlighting three counters inspired by the motorcycle's dashboard. Several red accents also echo the classic colors of MV Agusta motorbikes. Also at the event, MV Agusta previewed its 2009 Brutale 1078 model to a large group of MV Agusta enthusiasts who lined up their motorcycles along Rodeo Drive.

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, JeanRichard, motorcycle, MV Agusta, MvAgusta, Rodeo Drive, RodeoDrive

Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Green

Looking for a fun and free Father's Day event in the Los Angeles area? On June 21 the 2009 Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance will take place in Beverly Hills featuring more than 100 exotic cars on display lining Rodeo Drive north of Wilshire Boulevard. "In addition to our traditional and classic collector cars featured at the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance, this year we are also proud to showcase a unique selection of alternative energy vehicles, micro and electric cars, and solar vehicles, amongst others," notes Bruce Meyer, co-chair of the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance. "From the display of luxurious, cutting-edge automobiles to the world-renowned fashion boutiques, Rodeo Drive offers something for everyone to enjoy on Father's Day."

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, classic cars, ClassicCars, electric car, ElectricCar, Fathers Day, FathersDay, Los Angeles, LosAngeles, Rodeo Drive, Rodeo Drive Concours dElegance, RodeoDrive, RodeoDriveConcoursDelegance

Queen of England's Luxe Stationer Smythson for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Smythson of Bond Street, suppliers of luxury stationery and leatherbound diaries to the Queen of England, is being put up for sale. According to the company however this is not a distress sale, rather the result of several parties having expressed interest in acquiring the business, the London Telegraph reports. Smythson was bought for £16 million in 2005 by a consortium led by Goldman Sachs banker Mike Sherwood. Sales have increased considerably since then and are expected to be around £20 million for the previous year-to-date. Nonetheless this seems like an odd time for any investor to pay a premium for a luxury goods company.

Founder Frank Smythson opened his first London shop in 1887. His trade card described his business as "First class stationery, leather goods and cabinet work." In addition to its UK shops Smythson now has stores on New York's 57th St. and Beverly Hills' famed Rodeo Drive. Smythson was granted a Royal Warrant to Her Majesty the Queen in 1964. Other warrants followed: HRH The Prince of Wales in 1980, HM The Queen Mother in 1987, and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 2002. Back in September we reported on Smythson's luxurious $6,500 watch cabinet.

Tags: British royalty, BritishRoyalty, Diary, London, Prince of Wales, PrinceOfWales, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Rodeo Drive, RodeoDrive, Royal warrant, RoyalWarrant, Smythson, stationery, UK

Beverly Hills Faces Financial Woes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Hard times have even come to Beverly Hills, California. The LA Times is reporting that city officials in Beverly Hills have said that the city predicts a $24-million drop in tax revenues over the next 16 months which is about 15 percent of the general fund budget. It is said to be the largest percentage budget reduction in the city's history. The city is enacting a formal hiring freeze. Other wealthy Southern California cities including Santa Monica and Newport Beach are also facing budget woes. As shopping declines so does the revenue from sales tax on all those purchases (including the sale of luxury cars). There has also been a decline in building permit and planning fees in some cities as even the wealthy are holding back on major remodels. The fallout could continue for a long time especially for California cities which rely on property taxes which may decrease as the real estate market continues to drop.

Often in hard times the wealthy enclaves are safe because visitors are spending. Out on Rodeo Drive, the street is still bustling with shoppers from around the world but they may be doing less buying and more browsing. Also many brands are advertising their wares on sale and there are more vacant stores than there have been in the area in years.

Source

Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, rodeo drive, RodeoDrive

Chanel J12 Beverly Hills Watch

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

As the Los Angeles Times recently reported, Chanel has recently opened a new Chanel flagship in Beverly Hills. The 14,700-square-foot Rodeo Drive store has a dramatic storefront of white and black with a cast-bronze canopy. The four-story space is a palace of elegance showcasing not just clothing and acessories but also a wide variety of artistic flourishes in Murano glass, gold leaf, feathers and silk. Taking pride of place in the store is this unique watch, a one-of-a-kind version of their J12 tourbillon ringed in sapphire baguettes with a sapphire cabochon set in the crown. The watch is inscribed Beverly Hills No. 1/1.

Source

Tags: beverly hills, chanel, rodeo drive, timepieces, watches, wristwatch

Merry Christmas

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and joyous tidings of the holiday from Luxist. We are hoping you are having a great day. We will be posting on a limited schedule for the next day or so but be sure to be with us next week for a features including a look at charitable organizations for sending your year-end donations to and some predictions for next year's hot trends. And, if you are so inspired, be sure to post pictures of your holiday loot and decorations to our Luxist Flickr Pool.

Source

Tags: holiday, luxist, rodeo drive

Is Rodeo Drive Losing Its Edge?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Jewelry

The LA Times has an interesting article on the "high-low" trend on Rodeo Drive. Once one of the most elite shopping areas in the world, the shopping area has been making itself more accessible to the masses. They recently opened a bebe store and are working to make the area more "mall-like." But don't get too concerned, a DeBeers store recently opened too. Openings for next year include Omega Watches, Dior Homme, Graff jewelry and Harry Winston. The mix of high and low reflects our modern world in which luxury shoppers are equally comfortable atboth Gucci and Target . But as the LA Times notes, Rodeo Drive seems to no longer draw the celebrities the way it once did. Any given day on Rodeo Drive brings more tourists than star power and even the paparazzi seem to lurk more on Robertson where Kitson and other trendy stores are located. Is Rodeo's push to attract the masstige market making it less of the ultimate place to shop or should they be doing even more to attract the mid-range shopper?

Tags: los angeles shopping, luxist, luxury, rodeo drive

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