Hermès sets up a laundromat-style scarf pop-up at Westfield Century City; Max Mara to bring 'Wrapped in Luxury' exhibit to Beverly Hills

By Kavita Daswani

Nov. 13, 2017 7 AM PT

The venerable Hermès has been enticed by the pop-up-shop craze but, of course, has an altogether unique take on it. The coveted French brand is inviting owners of its silk scarves to Hermèsmatic, its quirky, laundromat-style pop-up where scarves can be given a complimentary dip-dyed face-lift.

“The concept comes from wanting to ‘surprise’ our existing and future clients by encountering Hermès in a totally unexpected location and in a very unexpected way — a laundromat,” said Robert Chavez, the brand’s U.S. chief executive officer. The event replicates ones in New York, Washington, D.C., and Nashville.

Chavez said the initiative should appeal to Hermès scarf collectors who are looking to reinvent the pieces. Customers can choose from a range of brilliant colors.

“It’s like having a brand-new scarf that is still one of your favorite designs from many years back,” he said.

The pop-up goes from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Nov. 19.

Westfield Century City, the Atrium, Level 1, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., www.hermes.com

Max Mara

The coat, as conceived by Italian brand Max Mara, is the subject of an upcoming exhibition in Beverly Hills. Called “Wrapped in Luxury,” the exhibition features 23 photographs of stylish celebrities such as the former Kate Middleton, Reese Witherspoon, Lupita Nyong’o and Jennifer Lopez wearing the brand’s luxurious outerwear.

“We live in a moment where, as a brand, you need to make a statement about who you are,” said Maria Giulia Maramotti, director of North America retail, global brand ambassador and the granddaughter of Max Mara founder Achille Maramotti. “We are the coat.”

Outerwear is among the strongest categories for the label, which was founded in 1951. Maramotti said the classic camel coat is a staple, and lightweight coats are perfect for mild winters such as the ones experienced in Los Angeles.

“Seasons no longer drive what a consumer purchases,” Maramotti said. “There are pieces you can wrap yourself in like a blanket or wear when it’s not that cold. I want our clients to make an investment in a piece and have it last.”

The coats in the photos will be available at the Beverly Hills Max Mara store and retail from $2,000 to $7,500.

Max Mara’s “Wrapped in Luxury” exhibition runs Nov. 16-22 at 451 N. Rodeo Drive, (310) 385 9343, us.maxmara.com

Mestiza New York

Mestiza New York was born when its founders, Alessandra Perez-Rubio and Louisa Rechter, realized they had nothing to wear to formal parties.

“Everything we liked was $5,000,” Perez-Rubio said. “We saw a void in the market for elevated cocktail attire at an accessible price point.”

The duo launched the label in 2015, selling at trunk shows and to their friends. By their third season, the dresses were in Neiman Marcus, and demand for the couture-quality pieces is ramping up. (Moda Operandi carried select pieces until earlier this month.) And after Chrissy Teigen was spotted in a strappy, embellished Laura Bell dress ($1,695), Mestiza couldn’t keep them in stock.

Other standouts from the collection, which starts at $395, include the Glitterati Trumpet gown, a floor-sweeping off-the-shoulder number with wide trumpet sleeves and gold palm leaf beading, which retails for $1,195. And another dress that the duo describe as “high impact” is the Shimmy Shimmy Tassel, priced at $495.

Mestiza New York, mestizanewyork.com

Tradesy

After five years of running a website and mobile app for people to buy and sell pre-owned designer pieces, Tracy DiNunzio, founder of Tradesy, decided to open a brick-and-mortar location.

The 1,200-square-foot Tradesy showroom in Santa Monica opened Nov. 8 and will be a showcase for “our rarest and most unique inventory,” DiNunzio said. “It’s a boutique and art gallery with between 50 and 100 pieces on the floor.”

An Hermès crocodile-skin Birkin bag for around $45,000 as well as other Birkin bags are available at the showroom.

In addition to high-demand items such as vintage trunks, Hermès bags and Chanel accessories from the 1940s, L.A. artist Illma Gore was given designer bags with which to make art. These reworked pieces include a bust of Abraham Lincoln made from Louis Vuitton-monogrammed leather and an American flag fabricated from repurposed Hermès skins.

Tradesy, 1217 2nd St. Santa Monica. Open for special events and by appointment only, www.tradesy.com

Ziran

There’s a reason that the name of the Chinese silk used by Los Angeles brand Ziran translates literally to “perfumed cloud clothing.” The fabric, xiang yun sha, sourced from a town in southern China, has a powdery-soft, velvety texture.

Ziran founder Kelly Wang Shanahan, who started her label last year, fuses the silk with a “modern, easy Californian silhouette.”

“We are the first to use the silk outside China and Korea,” said Wang Shanahan. New selections include the label’s Peony Chill pants, high-waisted, drawstring cropped pants with a large yet subdued peony print, as well as voluminous robes, sexy jumpsuits and reversible bomber jackets.

The pop-up will feature a DJ, and guests will be treated to dumplings made using Wang Shanahan’s family recipe. Prices for the clothes will range from $75 for a bandanna to $1,500 for a robe. Also, menswear will be on offer.

The Ziran pop-up is set for Nov. 17 and 18 at a location in downtown Los Angeles. Send an RSVP to [email protected] for the address and time. www.theziran.com