Retail Happenings: Chan Luu chooses Santa Monica for first U.S. flagship; Alchemy Works sails into Lido Marina
Chan Luu chooses Santa Monica for first U.S. flagship
The Los Angeles-based Chan Luu label, which has a handful of stand-alone stores in Japan, marks its 20th anniversary by opening its first U.S. flagship in Santa Monica. The label, known for its intricate wrap bracelets, launched as a women’s accessories brand in 1996 and has steadily expanded over the years to include full collections of men’s and women’s handcrafted jewelry, scarves and home goods and women’s apparel (think crocheted bras, halter tops and pencil skirts, dip-dye maxi skirts and embroidered velvet kimonos). The 925-square-foot shop, located between the Swarovski and Pandora stores on the second level of Santa Monica Place, will be the showcase for the label’s latest collections across all of those categories.
Chan Luu, 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica.
Alchemy Works sails into Lido Marina
Downtown L.A. gallery, retail and events space Alchemy Works has opened a 1,300-square-foot second location in the new Lido Marina Village retail development in Newport Beach. Alchemy Works: Harbor House, which opened April 11, stocks apparel and accessories by Apolis (the label’s creative director, Raan Parton, and his wife, Lindsay, opened the original Alchemy Works in fall 2013), shoes by Vayarta and the Office of Angela Scott, timepieces from Weiss Watch Co., leather office accessories from Bartleby, Victoria Morris ceramics, and Vere Verto handbags, among others. It will also be home to the first Orange County showroom for online eyewear brand Warby Parker. Housed in a topographically tricked-out Warby Parker Map Room, the showroom features the company's full line of optical and sun frames and offers customers the opportunity to try before they buy, with nonprescription frames available for purchase. (Prescription glasses need to be ordered and shipped.)
Alchemy Works: Harbor House, 3408 Via Oporto, Newport Beach.
