ASPEN
CHICAGO
DA LLAS
HOUSTON
LAS V EGAS
P OWER PL AYER
LAID-BACK LUXURY Retail maven Elyse Walker
debuts a casual, chic boutique in Newport Beach.
A
fter blessing Newport Beach’s fashionforward set with her namesake boutique a few years ago, Elyse Walker has done it again with the debut of her latest retail concept, Towne by Elyse Walker, right next door to her main store at Lido Marina Village. While the Elyse Walker boutique is where you’d go to snag Alaia or Alexander McQueen, Towne’s theme is laid-back luxury for both men and women. “It’s about dressing down but also looking chic and put together,” Walker says. The co-ed concept is also new for the brand but she says it’s something that men were constantly asking for. It’s been well received, she adds, and it’s easy to see why. The store is a stylish wonderland filled with effortless pieces you actually grab when you’re off duty—think dreamy denim, vintage tees, oversized blazers, cool sneakers, and backpacks—from cult-favorite brands such as Golden Goose, Isabel Marant, and Mansur Gavriel as well as fresh new labels you haven’t seen everywhere else. “It’s like day and night or office to weekend,” Walker says of how the two stores complement each other. “The stores are sisters. You want to hang out with both of them but they both tell a different story.” In true Elyse Walker fashion, the design of the space is just as fab as the clothes themselves and embodies that casual, California aesthetic with a lounge, bar, and backgammon sets. “I believe that retail is all about experience,” she says, which is why the design process is one of her favorite parts of opening a new store. “I love the whole planning process, from tearing down the walls to designing the furniture, fixtures, lighting and art and creating the customer experience.” With two stores now in Newport Beach, it’s clear that Walker is enamored with Orange County. When she’s in town, you might spot the fashion powerhouse at Lido House. “It’s amazing,” she says of the hotel situated just a half a block away from her stores. “They have the best rooftop bar with a nice view of the whole town.” Her favorite OC activity, though, includes taking a boat out on the water and popping open a bottle of wine while watching the sun set. Now that’s how you do Newport in style.
BECCA BATISTA
WINTER 2019
150
DUJOUR.COM
BY JESSICA ESTRADA
