Whistle Club

EAST TO WEST TO BEST

After attending Parsons the New School of Design, I worked in the corporate side of the fashion industry for a number of years in NYC. I was pining for a return to the west coast and all the glory that is Santa Barbara (I’d completed my undergrad at UCSB), but I knew I still wanted to work in fashion. I started researching the retail landscape of Santa Barbara and noticed the boutiques largely hosted more mass-market brands or were 100% California lifestyle driven. I felt compelled to fill a void in the marketplace, introduce a tight edit from independent designers and fashion industry favorites who didn’t have representation in the area and create a highly-curated space that would lend itself to building community and helping women get dressed with confidence and ease.

PC: STUDIO ARNA Owner and Buyer Rebecca McKinney Blair founded her smartly curated boutique, Whistle Club, with the vision of bringing a fresh perspective to the Santa Barbara shopping scene, one that would introduce the local community to designers, both emerging and established, like Rachel Comey, No. 6, Lauren Manoogian and Re/Done. With roots firmly planted in the heart of Montecito on Coast Village Road, her initial concept continues to evolve as not only an antidote to fast fashion but a place to truly sharpen one’s sartorial sensibilities. We recently caught up with this busy mom-boss between bug-hunting missions with her two young boys and buying sessions at the store. Here she shares the origin story of Whistle Club, the challenges and gifts of the past year, her current faves and more.

DRESS CODE

Confident. Cool. Understated. Elevated. Imperfect.

The Whistle Club aesthetic sits best in dichotomy – interesting but always wearable, easy yet elevated, something feminine or “pretty” styled with notes of masculinity.

I like unpretentious luxury.

C/O CHRISTIAN WIJNANTS

PC: STUDIO ARNA 2020 SILVER LINING NOTES

I’m the mom of two little boys (ages 2 and 4), so personally, the silver lining was getting to spend extra time with them searching for slugs at the Mission Rose Garden, roaring like a dinosaur, and fine-tuning our Lego skills.

Professionally speaking the fashion industry continues to take a hard hit but seems to be embracing this crisis as a catalyst for change. Ideas about how fashion can become more equitable and sustainable are at the forefront of conversation. Collectively we are all digesting 2020 as best we can and (hopefully) using it as a reset for a better future. I believe a “buy less, buy better” ethos will increasingly be the way forward.

CURRENTLY COVETING

I’m a Rachel Comey gal and am always inspired by her aesthetic point of view. Also, the dresses from Christian Wijnants are total knockouts. He’d previously designed for Dries Van Noten, and his prints are often indicative of his background there. And then I’ll definitely be updating my closet with a new jumpsuit and clogs from No. 6.

THE SPIRIT OF MONTECITO

Coast Village Road is so dang charming - there’s lots to love. But ultimately, it’s the people that make it great. I’ve been wildly humbled with how our community has continued to show up for us and our fellow small businesses throughout fires, mudslides, Covid, etc.

WHISTLE CLUB MINDSET

We believe in getting dressed for yourself! The psychology of putting on clothes that make you feel great is powerful.

MAKING THE CUT

LIZZIE FORTUNATO The top three considerations for introducing a new brand/collection to the store edit.

1) The Product: I have to be drawn to the product and likely the story behind it. Our edit focuses on quality, integrity and design, so these are all factors at play when considering a new collection. 2) The Consumer: Is it right for our clients? Will it be of value for them? 3) The Edit: Will it hang well with our existing designer matrix? What can it uniquely contribute? But with all that being said, I don’t overthink it! Fashion is often intuitive, and I’ll run with it when it feels right.

PC: STUDIO ARNA

Be sure to follow @whistleclub for the latest looks and loads of design inspiration.

#SHOPSMALL TALK

In a world of big-box stores and corporate chains, our local business owners are working hard to preserve the distinctive character of Santa Barbara. These independent establishments reflect our community, bring variety to our retail experience, and vitality to our neighborhoods.

The Fabric Merchant CLOTHING • HOME • DESIGN

2920 GRAND AVENUE, LOS OLIVOS • 805.325.5761 • THEFABRICMERCHANTCO.COM PATTI PAGLIEI Founder/Owner of Waxing Poetic and The Shopkeepers Happy 20th Anniversary to your Santa Barbara jewelry (and soon-to-be lifestyle) brand Waxing Poetic!

Thank you! From our first boutique in Los Olivos to our current flagship in the Funk Zone, The Shopkeepers, we've been so fortunate to be a Santa Barbara-based company. There are so many gifts to draw from here and such an incredible community of love.

How did you come to find the inspiration for Waxing Poetic?

Listening to what is felt but maybe not said, to the quiet in-between (aha!) moments, and then finding the materials and processes to turn them into talismans and treasures. There is something so powerful in saying "yes" to the moment that calls you to focus on what you really believe. When the first designs I made were embraced, it set me off on a path I knew I needed to fulfill. So I kept going.

How has Waxing Poetic evolved since then?

Along with my husband John, sister Lizanne, and our incredible team, we have learned to steer by heart, managing to grow (quite literally) from my dining room table to being represented in over 500 stateside boutiques and online.

What are you most excited about at the moment?

To celebrate our 20th year, we are launching a line of locally made Poetic tees, ceramic giftware crafted by economically disadvantaged and at-risk women, and anniversary packaging featuring Colette Cosentino's artwork.

Any plans for an in-person celebration?

Yes! We hope to celebrate at The Shopkeepers as soon as we can be together, with live music by John's band, The Doublewide Kings!

What has WP taught you?

That there is nothing more sacred, more beautiful than truth–and when we embrace the truth of who we are, in all its wonder and imperfections, beauty begins.

Waxing Poetic available at The Shopkeepers 137 Anacapa St. Suite A, shopkeeperssb.com