GRAZIA
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VOLUME EIGHT
GAZETTE JUST GETTING STARTED PEYTON LIST FROM DISNEY FAME TO A NEW BEAUTY LINE, IT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME Alexa Swinton tackles a meaningful and bold new role in “And Just Like That...”
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OBJECTS OF OUR AFFECTION A new collection from Piaget turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.
PARADISE LOST Sex, drugs, and murder: The real story behind the fabled rock ‘n’ roll haven of 1960s and 70s LA.
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VOLUME EIGHT
FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES
DAVID THIELEBEULE
EDITOR IN CHIEF, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
BRIAN CAMPION
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CASEY BRENNAN
EXECUTIVE EDITOR AT L ARGE
DANICA LO
STRATEGIC EDITORIAL ADVISOR
Our coterie of Angelenos who embody success, culture, change, and the art of living well
SENIOR ST YLE EDITOR Colleen Kratofil ST YLE EDITOR Ty Gaskins HEAD OF ENTERTAINMENT Jaclyn Roth ST YLE WRITER Hannah Militano CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Catherine De Orio Shelton Boyd-Griffith Michael Kaplan Maggie Kim Jaclyn Roth John Russell Josh Sokol Dominic Utton JUNIOR DESIGNER Alexandra Sexton
DIGITAL INTERNATIONAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jessica Bailey DIRECTOR, E-COMMERCE Karli Poliziani FASHION DIRECTOR Charlotte Stokes FASHION WRITER Grace O’Neill FEATURES WRITER Rebekah Clark BEAUT Y EDITOR Emily Algar CONTRIBUTING BEAUT Y EDITOR Kate Lancaster
SARAH GAVLAK
JULIA VON BOEHM
With over 20 years of experience, Von Boehm is one of the industry’s most sought-after stylists, working with A-list clients including Nicole Kidman.
With locations in Los Angeles and Palm Beach, Gavlak’s eponymous contemporary art galleries play host to dynamic exhibits with a focus on female and LGBTQ artists.
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Jeff Mazeo DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION & MULTI-MEDIA Sean Kravit
HEADQUARTERS 100 BROADWAY, 11TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10005 • PHONE (917) 231-8680 • EMAIL CONTACT@GRAZIAUSA.COM Printing: Earth Enterprize. Grazia USA, 100 Broadway, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10005 (graziamagazine.com; UPC 0-74820-40390-7) is published quarterly by Pantheon Media Group LLC, a company registered in the U.S.. Audit pending by BPA Worldwide. © 2021 Mondadori Media S.p.a. All rights reserved. Published by Pantheon Media Group, LLC, with the permission of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.a. and Mondadori Media S.p.a. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. Advertising inquiries: sales@graziausa.com. Press inquiries: press@graziausa.com. General inquiries: contact@graziausa.com. For syndication, email contact@graziausa.com.
KATE BUCKWALD
JEFFREY ALAN MARKS
An LA-based Producer and Brand Strategist, Buckwald has brought her creative expertise to various GRAZIA USA projects, including the stunning cover shoot with Olympic star Allyson Felix.
MELISSA CRONIN
PRESIDENT, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
BRENDAN MONAGHAN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL CHIEF BRANDS OFFICER
ANDREW LEE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CARLOS ERIC LOPEZ
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Andrew Lee
With a playful yet refined aesthetic, Santa Barbarabased Marks has been designing thoughtful and unique residential and hospitality projects around the world for more than two decades.
One of LA’s top photographers, Lopez parlayed friendships with Hollywood’s early noughties “It Girls” into a successful career and Carlos Eric Lopez Studios is now one of the city’s most sought-after agencies.
VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER Tanya Amini EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brian Campion CHIEF INNOVATIONS OFFICER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Paul Dousset VICE-PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MONETIZATION & OPERATIONS Jeremy Zimmerman EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL EVENTS & MARKETING Sara Shenasky EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FASHION & LUXURY Maria Eliason EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING, BRAND STRATEGY, & COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS Emily Sigman SALES DIRECTOR, BEAUT Y Koko Drechsler DIRECTOR OF SALES, WEST COAST, USA Nancy Cooper DIRECTOR OF SALES, FRANCE & SWITZERL AND Guglielmo Bava CREATIVE DIRECTOR, EDITORIAL & INTEGRATED MARKETING Ilaria Svitic SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Gabriella Zurrow EXECUTIVE EDITOR AT L ARGE Casey Brennan CHIEF WRITER, DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Dominic Utton CHIEF OF STAFF Melissa Melendez Reale
IN The Issue
DYLAN HOWARD CHAIRMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & PUBLISHER
HEADQUARTERS 100 BROADWAY, 11TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10005 • PHONE (917) 231-8680 • EMAIL CONTACT@GRAZIAUSA.COM
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Grazia is a trademark registered and owned by Mondadori Media S.p.a. MONDADORI MEDIA S.p.a. Chief Executive Officer Carlo Mandelli; Vice President & Artistic Director Carla Vanni; Managing Director International Business Daniela Sola; Head of International Platforms Marne Schwartz; International Marketing Manager Fashion & Design Francesca Brambilla; International Advertising Manager Daniella Angheben; Photos & Rights Manager Melania Landini. For further details, please write to graziainternational@mondadori.com © 2021 Mondadori Media S.p.a. All rights reserved. Published by Pantheon Media Group LLC with the permission of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.a. and Mondadori Media S.p.a. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.
13 THE NEW & THE NOW
19 MOST WANTED
23 LOOKING FORWARD
35 COVER STORY
46 WHAT’S IN MY BAG?
ON THE COVER Peyton List, photographed by Tayo Kuku and styled by Olivia Weeden. Louis Vuitton dress, $3,200, pumps, $1,080, louisvuitton.com.
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THE SCENE & The Seen As the world slowly starts to reopen, the event circuit is finding its new “normal”—and GRAZIA has an inside look.
Fai Khadra x Oliver Peoples Cocktail & Dinner Party. Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and The Weeknd took in the scene at the Fai Khadra x Oliver Peoples event at Pluto LA on January 12th where guests sipped on Jenner’s 818 tequila. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ZACK WHITFORD FOR BFA.
From left: Rocco Basilico, The Weeknd, and Fai Khadra; Kendal Jenner; Hailey Bieber.
Dior Beauty celebrates J’adore with Holiday Dinner hosted by Christian Serratos.
San Vicente Bungalows played host to the very special Dior Beauty event on December 14th hosted By Chistian Serratos. Guests included Grace Van Patten, Kiernan Shipka, Alexandra Daddario, Evan Ross and Jurnee Smollett. PHOTOGRAPHS BY OWEN KOLASINSKI FOR BFA.
From left: Alexandra Shipp, Ashley Park, and Taylour Paige; Kiernan Shipka; Sydney Sweeney and Alexandra Daddario..
Jonathan Simkhai x Saks Fifth Avenue Cocktail & Dinner Party to celebrate the launch of Jonathan Simkhai Footwear. Designer
Jonathan Simkhai celebrated the launch of a new footwear line with a splashy event in Los Angeles on December 16th, joined by Sydney Sweeney, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Alexandra Shipp. PHOTOGRAPHS BY LINNEA STEPHAN FOR BFA.
From left: Sydney Sweeney; Jonathan Simkhai; Alessandra Ambrosio.
GRAZIA USA
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AVA I L A B L E Q U A RT E R LY
Italian Made
AUTHENTICALLY AMERICAN SUBSCRIBE TODAY AT WWW.GRAZIAMAGAZINE.COM/US/SUBSCRIBE
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THE NEW & THE NOW
VOLUME EIGHT
LOS ANGELES
THE NEW Cannabis Revolution
Pure Beauty is creating sustainable and socially conscious weed for the modern cannabis connoisseur. BY TY GASKINS
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ore than 25 years after California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana, cannabis has become one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing industries nationwide – no pun intended. Legalized recreational cannabis is now booming across the country in a modern-day industrial revolution. Meanwhile, marijuana has become mainstream, with entrepreneurs taking recreational weed and transforming it into high-tech brands. Cannabis entrepreneurs Imelda Walavalkar, Tracy Anderson, and Irwin Tobias Matutina hopped this surging wave early on, launching their flourishing Los Angeles-based cannabis company, Pure Beauty, in 2017. Pure Beauty defines a new meaning of marijuana for the modernday stoner – who, really, isn’t much of a typical “stoner” at all. This isn’t your college roommate’s “pot” stash or your parents’ grass. Pure Beauty is intended for modern-day cannabis connoisseurs, who can come from nearly any demographic. For that reason, Pure Beauty sees its mission as so much more than just cannabis. “Pure Beauty represents a movement to create an inclusive, potent community that emphasizes — and always seeks to advance — high-quality products, creative culture, sustainable practices, and social justice initiatives within the green space,” the founders told Grazia Gazette: Los Angeles. “If one were to draw a Venn diagram between the arts and style, environmental stewardship and societal equity, Pure Beauty finds itself centered at the overlap. This makes it a standalone player in the cannabis trade.” Matutina spearheads the creative, which includes the role of cheekily naming products: “babies” for the brand’s miniature joints, its recently launched three-pack of joints, “threesome,” and a 100-milligram beverage that lives up to its name, the “Little Strong Drink.” “We strongly encourage expressive freedom regarding collaborations, commissions, and engagement,” the Pure Beauty team continued. “We regularly tap a diverse pool of photographers and creators, giving them blank slate freedom for lensing Pure Beauty.” One look at the brand’s website and social media, and you’ll see the outcomes of these commissions: magazinemeets-gallery quality, where images blend to portray multiple creative eyes instead of just one clinical look, reinforcing the sense of community that Pure Beauty’s co-founders always aim to foster. It isn’t all looks and clever names for Pure Beauty, though. The team puts a big emphasis on sustainability, using biodegradable and recyclable materials, including the industry’s first and only plant starch bag, to package their range of offerings. Taking it a step further and implementing environmentally friendly practices internally, more than 99% of the company’s water usage is obtained from their facilities’ HVAC systems and dehumidifiers, which saves millions of gallons per year. Furthermore, all electricity at Pure Beauty is generated on-site using micro-turbines. Being female and minority-owned, a focus on social justice rounds out the brand’s final pillar. The trio fights for fairness and equity in the still-budding cannabis business in a variety of ways. They collaborate with and donate to many initiatives and philanthropic organizations in the space – especially those working towards prison reform and assisting individuals incarcerated for nonviolent, drug-related offenses. Outside of cannabis, Pure Beauty has a Drugstore that sells merchandise ranging from loungewear to home decor and more. They’ve also had their hand in fashion, working with M Missoni and the eyewear label Garrett Leight, and their latest collaboration includes apparel and an exclusive strain called Gateway with cult- abel Aries. It’s high time for cannabis culture (yes, pun actually intended this time) and Pure Beauty is showing just how to create a foundation for a prosperous business in 2022. purebeautypurebeauty.co
GRAZIA USA
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VOLUME EIGHT
HAIR YOU ARE
Noah Davis
HOW GREAT Thou Art From exhibitions and retrospectives to major gallery showings, take a tour of LA’s bustling art scene.
Among its many dazzling attractions, one of LA’s most slept-on secrets is its dynamic arts and culture scene. With major institutions like the Getty and MOCA going strong alongside smaller emerging galleries, a host of art collectives, roving galleries, and pop-ups, the City of Angels has a seriously bustling art scene, one to rival those of other major art market cities. Now at The Broad, visit the ever-popular Instagram-worthy installation rooms of Yayoi Kusama’s Longing for Eternity, and stop by her Infinity Mirrored Room-The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away when it returns later this year. Then, make your way over to MOCA, for the final days of Jennifer Packer: Every Shut Eye Ain’t Sleep (through Feb 20). A short drive down the 10 at the Hammer Museum, Ulysses Jenkins: Without Your Interpretation (Feb 6 – May 15, 2022) is the first major retrospective for the dynamic video and performance artist, featuring a diverse array of video, mural paintings, photography, performances, collaborative works, and more. Or, try Kishio Suga: Paper at Blum & Poe Jan. 15 to Feb. 26, offering the first major survey of his paper works outside of Japan. Finally, one of the art world’s most anticipated events of 2022 is the re-opening of the Underground Museum with an exhibition of the museum’s founder, Noah Davis curated by longtime friends Helen Molesworth and Justen Leroy; Noah Davis is showing through Sept. 30, 2022. – BY SHELTON BOYD-GRIFFITH
If longer, healthier hair is on your 2022 wish list, the newly released Don’t Despair, Repair from beloved haircare line Briogeo is a must. Formulated with a blend of rice water protein, B-vitamins, and algae extract, this strengthening and moisturizing treatment helps nourish and revitalize limp locks so that hair can grow long while maintaining optimal hair health and preventing future damage. Add to cart and say goodbye to dry, damaged strands and hello to a smooth and shiny mane. briogeohair.com – BY CASEY BRENNAN
WHAT’S GOOD WITH DEUXMOI The girls that get it get it, and the girls that don’t probably aren’t reading DeuxMoi. The mysterious brains behind the celeb-obsessed Instagram account (#ANONPls, natch) shared their fave spots to catch an Instagramworthy meal, so you can say, “DeuxMoi made me do it.”
BEST SHOPPING? Malibu Country Mart or Brentwood Country. Bennifer are spotted here often. Or, MedMen, where Pete Davidson was just denied entry for having the incorrect type of ID..
HIDDEN NEIGHBORHOOD GEM? Olivetta is a hidden gem loved by Malia Obama. Pace, a favorite of Kendall Jenner. Anywhere on Larchmont Blvd. you can spot Kristin Bell.
FAVE LA ACTIVITY? Hiking Runyon Canyon then getting juice at Kreation Juice or going to Brentwood Farmer’s Market or Fairfax Flea Market.
FAVE RESTAURANT/ DISH? Nobu Malibu, a fave of the Kardashians, Harry Styles, Paris Hilton, Kanye West, Leo DiCaprio. Definitely the Yellowtail Jalapeño.
SKINCARE FOR Inner and Outer Beauty
The LA-based vegan skincare line Ascension takes on beauty through a holistic approach. The current skincare space is full of so many new brands, curated for various skin types, ethics, and philosophies. (And we’re grateful for that!) It can be hard for new brands to break through the noise, but Ascension, an edible vegan skincare brand founded in 2018 by multihyphenate Max Hemphill (the photographer for our firstever Grazia Gazette cover!), is doing just that. Centered around detoxification, repair, and protection, the line first came into being when Hemphill began his journey into veganism. “I wanted the products I used to reflect my new lifestyle” says Hemphill. “After I had contracted a parasite in the Dominican Republic, I started using diatomaceous earth and saw tremendous effects.” This sparked his vision of what the beauty and wellness industry should look like: rooted in both spiritual and physical wellness. The gender-neutral brand thoughtfully curates every item to work together for a holistic skincare regimen; Ascension is not only environmentally, ecoconscious but incredibly affordable within the skincare sector, with products ranging from $16 to $26. “Our products are made with raw ingredients and are intended for internal and external use. We strive to provide inner and outer beauty through a holistic approach,” Hemphill tells Grazia Gazette: Los Angeles. “Our intention is for people to understand that skincare is also a part of selfcare, and our hope is to make it easy for our Ascension Rose customers to achieve 528, $25, ascensionearth.net. their sense of beauty with our products.” For firsttime users of the brand, Hemphill recommends the Rose 528 face and body spray ($25). “It’s truly my favorite because it’s so easy and quick to use, and it really does a fantastic job at uplifting your mood while hydrating the skin with trace minerals.” Ascensionearth.net – BY SHELTON BOYD- GRIFFITH
GRAZIA USA
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THE NEW & THE NOW
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LALA Land
With an NYC speakeasy import, a splashy Korean deli, and a new luxe hotel from architectural legend Frank Gehry arriving soon, there is no shortage of excitement in the City of Angels. BY CASEY BRENNAN
BATHTUB GIN
With an original location in NYC, this super-secret, Prohibitioninspired bar has a serious “Roaring 20s” vibe along with creative craft cocktails. The West Hollywood location is hidden above Stone Street LA and boasts an extensive Gin + Tonic selection, Negronis, and a must-try Espresso Martini. 7174 Melrose Ave.; bathtubginla.com
LOUIS VUITTON Objets Nomades x Frank Chou
For their curated design capsule, Objets Nomades, Louis Vuitton enlisted the work of sculptural designer Frank Chou.
A
s a maison, Louis Vuitton has a particularly while existing within its own complete universe. It’s longstanding relationship with art and futuristic in execution, current in design, and of the design. From collaborations with some past with its curved linear lines and playful expression. of the world’s preeminent contemporary “What attracts me is the perfect balance between artists including Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, taste and life, history and dream, craft and modernity Henry Taylor, and Liu Wei, to the design of The in Objets Nomades,” says Chou. “One of the first Fondation Louis Vuitton building in Paris by renowned inspirations is that we were thinking about China’s architect Frank Gehry, Louis Vuitton has always been influence on our daily life, including our society, committed to merging the worlds of art, fashion, and environment, culture, history, and nature. Therefore, design in exciting and ever-evolving ways. Since 2012, at that time, terraced fields in China attracted me Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades – a capsule and stuck in my mind.” collection of curated furniture and objects Chou grew up in Beijing, China, – has been inviting renowned and and founded Frank Chou Design emerging designers from around Studio, a studio rooted in Chinese the globe to collaborate on one-ofmodern design expression, there a-kind, artisanal products: From in 2012. “As a designer from lighting to vases, from screens China, we definitely have a to swing chairs, all items are different cultural background, beautifully crafted, incorporating and we seek to think about our LV’s signature leather. identity further in this project,” This past December, during he says. “However, the true Design Miami, Louis Vuitton spirit which I think we all have presented its latest Objets Nomades in common, regardless of regional collection featuring the work of the culture and background, is that we Sculptural designer Frank Chou. Campana Brothers, Marcel Wanders Studio, have an outstanding attitude towards life.” Raw Edges, Studio Louis Vuitton, and Chou’s “responsible design” speaks to his Beijing-based designer and creative director, Frank belief that designers “have a duty to lead, teach and Chou. Chou’s offering — his Signature Armchair and fight for what is right – and a better future.” That’s Sofa inspired by terraced fields in China — is his debut why Chou and his eponymous studio have won for the initiative, as well as the first Objet Nomade several high-profile design prizes and continue to specifically designed for exterior use. forge out a design ethos, completely their own. If the The colorful floating structures are covered in Louis Signature Chair is any indication of the innovation Vuitton’s iconic waterproof canvas and “Brio,” a colorful of Chou and the spirit of Vuitton’s Objets Nomades fabric by Paola Lenti. With its arched free-standing exploration of design talent and curiosity, we can’t design, the Signature chair recalls the architectural work wait to see the next offering. louisvuitton.com of both Bauhaus and Mid-Century Modern masters, – BY SHELTON BOYD-GRIFFITH
CONRAD LA
Opening this spring, the Conrad Los Angeles will be the first of the brand’s resorts in California. Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, the 305-room luxury hotel will feature modern accommodations with floor-to-ceiling windows, a luxe spa, a private pool deck, a 16,000-square foot roofdeck. Plus, look for a new restaurant and cocktail concepts from Chef Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup. 900 Wilshire Blvd.; hilton.com
YANGBAN SOCIETY
One of the Left Coast’s most anticipated openings, Yangban Society Korean-American Deli and Super brings a unique new concept to the Downtown Arts District. From culinary power couple Katianna and John Hong, Yangban Society features dishes that showcase Korean flavors with regional California ingredients like garlicbrined rotisserie chicken and kimchee and pork belly, while the retail minimart features products from other L.A.-based and Asian American-owned businesses. 712 S. Santa Fe Ave.; yangbanla.com
DESERT 5 SPOT
Located at the newly opened Tommie Hollywood boutique hotel, Desert 5 Spot brings a 1970s vintage Palm Springs aesthetic to the heart of LA, thanks to retro décor, an old-fashioned jukebox, and a laid-back vibe. This 5,000-square foot desert-inspired boîte features a rooftop pool, lounge, and a music venue. Expect live music performances and evening programming from the resident honkytonk band, with sweeping views of Hollywood Hills and Downtown to boot. 6516 Selma Ave.; desertfivespotla.com
GRAZIA USA
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HOLLYWOOD Heavyweights
A Beginner’s Guide to Luxury Fashion in the Metaverse
Meet the legal power players who cater to Tinseltown’s A-list
BY JOSH SOKOL
NFTs. ETH. WTF? If you don’t know where to begin when it comes to the seemingly endless and non-tangible (or is that nonfungible?) topic of the metaverse and its associated tokens, welcome to your crash course. It couldn’t come a moment too soon: Brands such as Gucci and Balenciaga have already made their metaverse debut over this past year, and with more on the horizon, this new wave of digital fashion isn’t going anywhere. Karinna Nobbs, co-founder of THE DEMATERIALIZED — a British-based company working to diversify the models of production, consumption, and ownership in the traditional fashion world and the digital space — helped explain this brave new world in an interview with Grazia Gazette: Los Angeles.
allowed more access and more of a level playing field for brands. On the flip side, there was also a backlash to this cyber aesthetic and to experiencing everything via a screen, and people reported craving physical touch of people and garments when shopping. GG: How has the metaverse helped in shaping the contemporary retail shopping industry so far? KN: It’s too early to say, as we are only at the very beginning of understanding and experiencing what the metaverse can offer. So far, we have seen luxury brands experiment with virtual store spaces to drive dwell time online and ecommerce sales, some which are direct representations of actual flagship stores and some which are more fantastical (i.e. Valentino, Gucci).
GG: What are some of the brands you work with? KN: Three main types: digital-first brands (i.e. RTFKT, The Fabricant, Tribute Brand, Institute of Digital Fashion, etc.), established physical brands (i.e. Rebecca Minkoff, Karl Lagerfeld), and emerging brands with a purpose GG: What are some of the pros of the (i.e Ebit). metaverse-based retail space? KN: The most exciting one is that creativity GG: Do you think the pandemic had in terms of design is limitless. You can literally any effect on how people went about build the store of your dreams. The second shopping culture, and do you think that advantage is that in principle, accessing it has anything to do with the uptick in should be easy and by anybody. Lastly, as hinted metaverse-based interest? KN: Brands were forced to invest in digital tools at earlier, if you are an independent designer who is just starting out you will be able to during the pandemic in order to stay relevant create a metaverse-based retail space relatively and to be able to sell B2B and B2C, and this easier and cheaper than you could IRL, and so definitely opened consumers’, creators’, and the media’s eyes to alternative ways to discover and this is how Web3 opens up new opportunities for many who before would not be able to experience fashion. Many loved this approach and the democratization of this movement as it progress further.
Mitch Schuster is one of the most important figures on the celebrity entertainment scene… but it’s a fair bet you’ve never heard of him. And that’s exactly the point. A partner at Meister, Seelig and Fein, a law firm based in New York, Shuster specializes in “crisis management” – something he sums up as “making problems go away” – for a select, and closely guarded clientele of athletes, entertainers, and high net worth individuals. “My skills revolve around anonymity and quiet professionalism and keeping things under the radar when possible,” he told Grazia Gazette: Los Angeles. “That’s why agents call me when their client is in trouble, and that’s why CEOs and company presidents call me when they’re in trouble. Those folks think, Hey this is the guy I need, this is the guy I should have in my phone for these types of situations.” Call him they do. In the three decades that he has been practicing law, Schuster has built up a reputation in the industry for being the go-to guy when you’re in the kind of predicament that you’d really rather keep under the radar. The fact that Schuster is not a household name himself is a testament to just how good he is at managing other peoples’ crises. “My motivation is always, before anything, doing what’s best for the client,” he says. “My ego comes second. There are things I could have publicized that I haven’t.” Most often, doing what’s best for the client means making sure nobody ever knows there’s a crisis that needs managing at all. Even as we talk, his phone buzzes: A client he only identifies as “an athlete” has been arrested. The rest of Schuster’s day will be spent ensuring we don’t find out who, or why. “Some things do become public, but I would say 99 per cent of what I do has been quietly resolved and kept under the radar,” he says. “And that’s how I measure my success. Winning may not necessarily mean not paying any money. Some of the clients I work for are responsible for their bad acts. It’s not my job to judge them, but it is my job to help them.”
LA’S LEGAL POWER PLAYERS ORIN SNYDER
LAFAYETTE 148 Dives into Swimwear
The capsule prioritizes the label’s aesthetic just as much as function Hot off their 25-year anniversary, luxury label Lafayette 148 – a destination for sophisticated designs and minimal silhouettes — is diving into a new category: swimwear. Titled L148 Swim, the new line will follow in the footsteps of the brand’s ready-to-wear and footwear collections, in that it will be made with flawless quality and sustainable materials. Launching February 23, the range of one- and two-piece swimsuits will be composed of 100% regenerated nylon yarn forged from reclaimed ocean plastics. The brand’s signature modern sensibility comes through in each design, with reversible swimwear pieces in sun-kissed hues and classic staples giving the buyer the versatility to wear every piece everywhere – not just poolside. lafayette148ny.com – BY TY GASKINS LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK swimsuit, $498, lafayette148ny.com.
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Described by Chambers USA as “aggressive, highly motivated” and “totally dedicated to winning”, Snyder’s clients have included big tech firms Facebook and Yahoo, entertainment giants Sony and Warner Music, and celebrities including Mariah Carey, Elton John, and Lady Gaga. The former federal prosecutor is a fearsome opponent and has been described as “the deadliest trial lawyer in tech.”
SHAWN HOLLEY
A partner at LA-based firm Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert, Holley has worked for a high-profile roster of entertainment industry clients, including Kim Kardshian, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Snoop Dogg, and - famously - rock-bottom-era LiLo.
PAUL TWEED
A Northern Irish native now known as “the most powerful man in Hollywood,” Tweed is the libel lawyer who has never lost a case. It’s little wonder that his client list includes A-List actors, politicians, pop stars – and even royalty. In a Grazia interview last year he described tech giants Amazon, Twitter and Facebook as “the big battlegrounds” for defamation cases now. Tech, you’re on notice.
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MSF
Meister Seeling & Fein LLP
GUIDING CLIENTS THROUGH
CRISIS
MITCHELL SCHUSTER PARTNER CHAIR, COMMERCIAL LITIGATION & CRISIS MANAGEMENT 125 PARK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10017 (212) 655-3500 MS@MSF-LAW.COM
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Knowledge, Unfiltered
www.knewz.com
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THE RIGHT Stripes
We all know that fashion trends tend to work in cycles. We’ve seen baguette bags and velour tracksuits of yesteryear all make a comeback; now stripes too are making a grand revival. This season, the wardrobe staple reigns supreme with bolder, brighter, and funkier patterns than ever seen before. Here’s how to sport the trend for its latest revival. BY TY GASKINS
Akila, $130, akila.la.
Ray-Ban, $191, ray-ban.com/usa.
Givenchy, $289, farfetch.com.
JIL SANDER
COURRÈGES
BOTTEGA VENETA
EMPORIO ARMANI
KENNETH IZE
BRANDON MAXWELL
Saint Laurent, $405, saksfifthavenue.com.
Miu Miu, $545, miumiu.com.
MOSCOT, $310, moscot.com.
ROSE-COLORED GLASSES The future’s so bright, we’ve gotta wear shades.
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LONGLASTING LIPS Apply, Blot, Repeat.
Glossier Generation G in Zip, $18, glossier.com.
Proenza Schouler top, $790, proenzaschouler.com; Loulou Studio pants, $589, farfetch.com; Jacquemus bag, $960, jacquemus.com; Prada loafers, price upon request, prada.com; Louis Vuitton necklace, $600, us.louisvuitton.com.
Balmain top, $990, balmain.com; Bottega Veneta pants, $1,490, farfetch.com; Havva Mustafa sandals, $388, havvamustafa.com; Coach bag, $395, coach.com; Eliou necklace, $180, saksfifthavenue.com.
BYREDO Lipstick in Earth Dust, $42, byredo.com.
PAT McGRATH LABS MatteTrance in Dream Lover, $38, patmcgrath.com.
GANNI top, $97, ganni.com; Miu Miu jeans, $905, miumiu.com; Susan Alexandra bag, $325, susanalexandra.com; Nike sneakers, $100, nike.com; GUCCI earring, $470, gucci.com.
Dior Rouge in Cherry Topaz, $39, dior.com.
Giambattista Valli dress, $2,690, farfetch.com; Coperni bag, $590, coperniparis.com; Isabel Marant belt, $160, isabelmarant.com; Jimmy Choo mules, $695, jimmychoo.com; Kloto earrings, $395, kloto.com.
Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Lip Oil in Garçonne, $42, westman-atelier.com.
CHANEL Rouge Coco in Carmen, $42, CHANEL.com.
SIR top, $290, sirthelabel.com; Loro Piana pants, $850, bergdorfgoodman.com; Prada bag, $950, prada.com; Fila sneakers, $65, fila.com; Szade sunglasses, $69.95, szade.com.
Silvia Tcherassi dress, $890, silviatcherassi.com; LOEWE bag, $2,800, LOEWE.com; Dior scarf, $320, available at Dior boutiques nationwide; Tory Burch sandals, $328, toryburch.com; Alison Lou earrings, $135, net-a-porter.com.
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Prada Triangle bag, $2,200 Prada Triangle bag, $2,200 Chloé basket bag, Available at select $850, chloe.com. Prada boutiques, Prada.com
Prada’s Iconic Triangle Logo, REIMAGINED I t’s no secret that Prada takes pride in its signature brand emblem, and rightfully so. For Spring, the Italian fashion house places emphasis on the triangle logo, most noticeably in its abundant accessory collections of bags, hats, and shoes. Traditionally presented as a plaque embellishing accessories, has now been reimagined by co-
COPERNI
CHANEL
creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons as a bag of its own. The new Triangle cross-body bag draws eyes not only for its unique design; but also, its range of vibrant colors captivates: including Mango (a bright yellow) and Sole (a striking green). The bag also comes in the brand’s signature minimal white and black palette. We’re calling
FENDI
it now: the Triangle Prada bag will undoubtedly make its way onto the list of must-have handbags for 2022. With its versatility and practical, straightforward design, we can already see our favorite Los Angeles street style Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner sporting the bag around sunny LA for a hike up Runyon Canyon or dinner at Craig’s.
MONSE
COURREGES
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CBD FO R FO O DIES Delicious organic CBD oil hand-grown in Colorado. Skip the chemicals; not the results.
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23 VOLUME EIGHT
ER A TIO N
LOOKING FORWARD GE N
A
As the youngest actor on And Just Like That, Alexa Swinton is bringing a new perspective to HBO’s Sex and the City revival
BY JOHN RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHER BRANDON LEGER
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O
ne of Alexa Swinton’s first memories is of being attacked by a zombie. She was three years old, cowering on the lower bunk of a set of bunkbeds with some other kids and, improbably, the iconic late theater actress Elaine Stritch. Her mother was hiding beneath the bed. Suddenly, the rabid undead creature burst through a wall, trying to reach the children. This is the charming way the 12-year-old actor and her mother, Inna, describe filming Swinton’s scene in artist Matthew Barney’s River of Fundament. The provocative sixhour film, released as part of the former Mr. Björk’s 2014 MoCA exhibition, is loosely based on Norman Mailer’s 1983 novel Ancient Evenings and its themes involve rebirth, the American auto industry, Mailer’s own death and other more… scatological imagery. It was also Swinton’s very first role. Both mother and daughter describe River of Fundament, succinctly, as “a zombie movie,” which, all things considered, is probably for the best. “It was scary!” Swinton recalls, laughing. “I didn’t know it was a movie!” She also remembers the famously irascible Stritch telling Inna, “We have to get this kid away from here! She’s stealing my spotlight!” Born into a family of performers — both of her siblings are “in the business,” and Inna is an actor, screenwriter and standup comic — Swinton seems to have been destined for the spotlight, and she’s had no trouble seizing it for herself. Most recently, she’s been getting raves for her role in HBO Max’s Sex and the City revival, And Just Like That, playing the younger and more rebellious of Charlotte York-Goldenblatt’s two children, Rose (and, later in the series, Rock). Last summer, Swinton appeared in M. Night Shyamalan’s horror flick Old, and before that she starred opposite Allison Tolman in ABC’s short-lived sci-fi drama Emergence. She’s also played the daughter of Paul Giamatti’s character on Showtime’s Billions since the show premiered in 2016. In July, when photos of the And Just Like That cast surfaced online, people immediately noticed Swinton’s character’s eclectic style: she wore a black tuxedo print T-shirt over an ankle length Oscar de la Renta floral print dress with sneakers and an adorable knit cap with an owl’s face on it. That first glimpse announced a character who had no trouble whatsoever expressing exactly who they are via their own quirky sense of style. It also begged the question of how the hyper-feminine, comparatively conservative Charlotte (played by the sneakily hilarious Kristin Davis) would cope with such a free-spirited child. Swinton points to a specific scene in the show’s sixth episode as illustrative of the characters’ dynamic. Charlotte is surprised by her children’s characterization of her cherished collection of Madame Alexander international dolls as “culturally insensitive.” Swinton plays the scene with a dry, laidback ease that serves as the perfect contrast to Davis’s prim, sputtering alarm. “Charlotte has these two kids,” Swinton explains. “They’re Gen Z, they’re on TikTok, they’re on social media, and they’re kinda like the people that are representing younger people in the world today.” The humor, as Swinton sees it, comes from the kids patiently, but firmly, explaining the world as they see it to the frequently befuddled Charlotte. Swinton “has a unique personality and brings a new quality to Charlotte’s family, both as a character and an actor,” Davis said
of her young costar via email. It’s a dynamic that’s reminiscent of the character’s reactions to her three much more bawdy friends in the original series. It also reminds Swinton of her relationship with her own mother. “I think I definitely try to teach her what might be more… appropriate,” she says with a mischievous laugh. Inna agrees: “You taught me about pronouns when you were six!” “Just the other day, actually, I was talking about neo-pronouns to my mom,” Swinton says. “I sent her an article about how to use them just because she was curious. And I think that’s a lot like what Lily and Rock are like with Charlotte. It’s that vibe where they’re like, ‘You know what, this is what’s happening
right now. We love you, we just want to let you know.’” It turned out that Swinton’s character’s look was just the tip of the iceberg. Over the course of the season, Charlotte’s youngest, who was named Rose and assigned the female gender at birth, has increasingly asserted a less conventional identity. “I don’t feel like a girl,” they admitted in one episode. In another, they changed their name to Rock and, later, got a short, shaggy haircut. Swinton, who resolutely refers to her character as Rock and uses gender neutral pronouns to describe them – while using she/her offscreen – was aware of the character’s journey before she ever got the role. Her audition process included the scene in which Rock tells Charlotte that they don’t feel like a girl. “I was like, I’m glad we’re finally getting something like this, because I
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‘FAMILY IS IMPORTANT TO SWINTON, TOO. WHEN ASKED TO TELL THE STORY OF HER LIFE, SHE SAYS SHE HAS TO START WITH HER PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. MOM INNA, WHO WAS BORN IN RUSSIA, IMMIGRATED TO THE U.S. WITH HER OWN PARENTS WHEN SHE WAS 9 YEARS OLD, AND SWINTON SPEAKS FLUENT RUSSIAN.’ haven’t seen it,” she recalls. Swinton acknowledges that the experience of questioning and having to explain her gender identity is not familiar to her personally. She was, though, well aware of transgender issues and the concept of non-binary gender as many young people of her generation are. But, she says, her understanding of where Rock was coming from is largely thanks to a friend she met online during the pandemic. “He identified as female before, and it took a lot of figuring out, and he needed someone to talk to, and so it was just helpful to have someone who wasn’t going to be there in person and have prior judgements,” Swinton explains. “I learned a lot about the actual experience of trying to figure out who you are as a person and how much you rely on your friends.” Playing Rock has, of course, only deepened Swinton’s empathy for others in similar situations. “I just really feel for the people who are 12 years old and figuring out their identity and figuring it out with their friends and family.” At the same time, she says, it’s refreshing that the show doesn’t problematize Rock’s identity, that it depicts a family learning to adjust their expectations and preconceptions in a loving and supportive way. “I feel like Rock was very fortunate to have Charlotte and their family just be there, because not a lot of people have that,” she adds. Family is important to Swinton, too. When asked to tell the story of her life, she says she has to start with her parents and grandparents. Mom Inna, who was born in Russia, immigrated to the U.S. with her own parents when she was 9 years old, and Swinton speaks fluent Russian. Her maternal grandparents live with her family, and she is steeped in her mother’s RussianJewish heritage. She’s grown up with stories of what life was like for her grandparents in the former Soviet Union. “I’ve learned to be very thankful for what I have,” she says. In 2016, the Swinton family launched The Swinton Show, a YouTube channel featuring videos of Inna and her three children performing. One of the earliest clips is of a six-year-old Alexa singing “I’ve Got No Strings” from Disney’s Pinocchio. More recent videos feature Swinton singing “Let It Snow” and TikTok star Anson Seabra’s “Welcome to Wonderland.” At an age when most kids split their time between school and extracurricular activities, Swinton thinks of acting as a competitive sport. “I have to train a lot,” she explains. “I have to have a skillset for it, because some parts require other things that you need to be able to do, like ice skating and stuff like that.” But The Swinton Show is more of a fun creative outlet. “It’s like the fun drills you do,” Swinton explains. “Like when you play basketball and you get to just have a fun time playing horse? You still try your very best and you still want to win, but you also just have fun doing it.” She’s also spent the past few years getting a master class on set from the likes of Giamatti, Tolman, and Shyamalan. Since working on And Just Like That, Kristin Davis in particular has been a major influence. Swinton says she liked Davis from the
instant they met at the show’s first table read. “She was very comfortable with me, which made me very comfortable with her,” Swinton says. Davis, she says, helped her adjust to long, late night shoots and was never too busy to run lines with her. “She was just like, ‘If you need help learning your lines, I’m right here, I can help with that.’” “Alexa has been acting professionally for most of her life, so I didn’t really try to give her any advice about the industry,” Davis recalls. “Alexa is very confident and doesn’t seem to need much praise, which is unusual for someone her age, and so perfect for the part of Rose/Rock.”
Oh, and there’s one other tiny aspect of working on And Just Like That that has been especially thrilling for Swinton: the fashion. She’s all about color, design, aesthetics. Though she’s still too young to see Sex and the City, she was familiar with the characters and their style from watching fashion videos on YouTube, and took particular issue with one famous episode in which Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is forced to remove her shoes at a party only to see them stolen. “I would never,” she insists. “I would literally just hold them!” The ladies of SATC have big Manolos to fill, but as an It Girl in the making, Swinton seems poised to step into them.
Rock ‘n’ Rose: Over the course of And Just Like That’s 10 episodes, Swinton’s character developed a distinctive style reflecting the evolution of their sense of self.
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SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP When it comes to retail in LA, there are a few must-visits. BY TY GASKINS
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uffice to say that in-person shopping is finally back in full force post-COVID — and Los Angeles is no exception. As we turn to a new version of normal, in-person shopping is seeing a major boom, especially after the lockdowns that made e-commerce so popular. In Venice Beach, Abbot Kinney — aka the “coolest block in America” — is once again packed with LA locals frequenting its trendy boutiques and hole-in-the-wall coffee shops. Ditto Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard, and Rodeo Drive, where tourists and locals alike queue — masked and socially distanced, of course — in front of luxury shops that are finally back in action. LA has a store for every shopper, and after the past two years, we’re all due for some much-needed retail therapy. The first stop for a decidedly Angeleno aesthetic is none other than LCD. Originally established as an online boutique in 2016, LCD now has two brick-and-mortar locations, including its first shop on the bustling Lincoln Boulevard in Venice, and another in Downtown LA. Founder Geraldine Chung began her career in music, and it makes sense that she took inspiration from contemporary art, streetwear, and independent labels to fill her space: Whether it be the thoughtfully curated merchandise, the eclectic décor, or the store’s soundtrack, Chung’s energetic, charismatic personality is noticeable at both locations. Thanks to collaborations with local and global artists, up-and-coming designers, musicians, and other creatives, LCD is stocked with exclusive goods you won’t find anywhere else. Just across the street from LCD is Heist by Nilou Ghodsi. “To simply put it, Heist is a bigger version of my own closet,” Ghodsi told Grazia Gazette: Los Angeles. “From our inception in 2004, I have personally hand-picked every article in here.” If you’re a lover of minimal, timeless pieces and subtle-yetstatement-making garments, you’ll love Ghodsi’s style, brought to life on every rack in his boutique. Emerging designers you may have never heard of – yet – are lined up next to wellestablished brands like Nili Lotan and Ulla Johnson. Leaving Venice Beach driving east on Santa Monica Boulevard, make sure to stop at Mameg, hiding behind the Maison Martin Margiela on Little Santa Monica. Mameg showcases a curated collection of designer fashions, jewelry,
home décor, and collections that are only available to purchase in-store. After a quick 15-minute ride to Culver City, you’ll find its Teller, a colorful and airy boutique stocked with more than 70 independent womenswear brands, including Anine Bing, Apparis, GANNI, and more. Teller celebrates the diversity of the LA woman’s style through its wide range of offerings. Back in WeHo, on Sunset Boulevard, you’ll find the gold standard of Hollywood shopping experiences: Fred Segal. With five locations, including the 21,000 square foot flagship location, and a major online presence, Fred Segal remains the O.G. for A-listers and influencers, more than six decades since the store opened in 1961. The founder behind the eponymous label and retail space was a pioneer in creating the fashion scene in LA. Segal, who passed away last year at age 87, dressed Hollywood’s most notable names, from Diana Ross, to The Jackson 5 and Angelina Jolie, making the space a worthwhile stop for its history alone. After a day of shopping, grab a bite at the adjacent Mauro’s Café. Down the block at Sunset Plaza, H. Lorenzo features a diverse lineup of today’s trendiest labels, including Area, Jacquemus, Bottega Veneta, Dion Lee, and many more. H. Lorenzo and Fred Segal are conveniently located just a few blocks down the street from The Tower Bar at The Sunset Tower Hotel, making for a perfect intermission for lunch and A-plus people-watching. (See: What’s Good with Deuxmoi.) Heading further into West Hollywood on Fairfax Ave (also home to paparazzi fave The Grove) you’ll find Des Kohan. Before becoming a store owner, Founder Desiree Kohan was a trend forecaster for Prada, Gucci, and Miu Miu, making it safe to say that the curation of Des Kohan is not only in fashion, but probably even ahead of it. Kohan’s background shows in the unique offering of oh-so-sophisticated high-end and emerging designer fashion, accessories, and stylish home objects. A born and raised Angeleno, Kohan opened her boutique in 2005 to bring international style that is timeless yet transcends seasonality with personalized attention to detail to LA, and that’s exactly what you find when you walk into the Fairfax Avenue boutique. While New Yorkers visiting LA tend to gravitate toward the familiar and buzzy WeHo, venturing a little off the beaten path
to Los Feliz leads to hidden treasures Desperate LA and LAKE, two boutiques with a fantastic offering of unique fashion you just may not be able to find anywhere else. After working in fashion in New York for more than ten years, Melissa Lovoy, the owner of LAKE, moved to LA with the dream of opening a boutique. She was inspired by the small shops in NoLita and wanted to bring the city energy to Los Angeles. As soon as you enter the store, there is welcoming energy that could brighten anyone’s day. Current favorites you can find at the boutique include Rachel Comey, Soeur, Apiece Apart, and R13. Meanwhile, over at Desperate LA, founder Claudia “Cicci” Cassina, a Milanese-born wardrobe stylist explains, “I wanted to bring Italian sensibility to the City of Angels.” Desperate LA first opened up in East Hollywood before merging with iconic shoe shop Vamp Shoes in the city’s cool and youthful Los Feliz. Today, the store features independent designers from all over the world, and Cassina has curated the space full of conversation pieces specifically for fashion enthusiasts who like to have a little more fun with their clothes; expect pieces from breakout designer Batsheva, Ashley Williams, Naya Rea, Adam Selman Sport, as well as jewelry, homewares, and a curated intimacy essentials collection for the bedroom. After shopping with Cicci, stop in for a cozy snack right down the road at neighborhood staple Little Dom’s, or do it the Italian way and enjoy an espresso at the most stylish roaster in town, Maru, located just across the street from Desperate. And since fashion is such an essential part of the LA lifestyle, it’s only natural that Los Angeles has its very own fashion district in DTLA, where streetwear fans and hypebeast congregate at Dover Street Market. The ultra-cool retail space attracts some of the coolest kids in LA thanks to an eclectic mix of high-end clothing and fashion-forward garments displayed as a gallery walkthrough that you can try on and buy. One thing is for sure: This city is so huge, and its fashion offerings are appropriately diverse and epic. Last year showed us how much we really missed in-person shopping and interactions. With the uncertainties that new variants may bring, now is your time to get out and explore all the wonderful city of Los Angeles has to offer, safely masked and vaxxed of course.
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Dover Steet Market
Teller
H. Lorenzo
Desperate LA
‘WHILE NEW YORKERS VISITING LA TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARD THE FAMILIAR AND BUZZY WEHO, VENTURING A LITTLE OFF THE BEATEN PATH TO LOS FELIZ LEADS TO HIDDEN TREASURES’
LCD Venice
Heist LA
Lake LA
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L.A. STATE OF MIND
With the opening of another Los Angeles outpost, global brand Soho House solidifies its status as the de facto clubhouse for the cool kids BY CASEY BRENNAN
P
rivate memberships clubs have been around since the 1700s, originating in London and generally following the stereotype of being men-only and – quite honestly – a bit (ok, a lot) stuffy. When the member club concept later made its way to the US, most were affiliated with the country’s top universities: the Yale Club, the Harvard Club, the Penn Club, and so on. But that all changed in 1995, when the very first Soho House opened in a historic Georgian townhouse at 40 Greek Street in London’s Soho neighborhood. Soho House founder Nick Jones had been offered the space above his restaurant, Café Boheme, and the rest was history. Once open, the club served simple British food and had a variety of lounge-y areas for guests to hang out in along with a cozy event space. The concept was simple — to bring together the diverse crowd of mostly artists and actors so that they could “connect, grow, have fun and make an impact” — and it was an immediate success. “Soho House started 26 years ago when we opened 40 Greek Street in Soho, London,” Nick Jones told GRAZIA Gazette: Los Angeles. “There were members clubs in London, but they were gentlemen only: suits and totally male-
orientated. It wasn’t where I wanted to hang out. We wanted to create a home away from home for the local artists and actors who were in Soho at the time and luckily, people were interested.” Now under the umbrella of Membership Collective Group, of which Jones serves as CEO, Soho House has grown from a single location in London to a global network with thirty Soho Houses, nine Soho Works co-working spaces, The Ned in London, Scorpios Beach Club in Mykonos, a lifestyle retail brand, Soho Home, a handful of Cecconi’s restaurants and Cowshed Spa, as well as the LINE and Saguaro hotels in North America. At this point, there is a Soho House footprint in most major cities across the globe; and, if there isn’t yet, there likely will be soon. “I never expected Soho House to be where it is today, but our members are still the same: nice, kind people with creative souls,” Jones continued. “We aim to create a space where everyone can flourish: A struggling scriptwriter can be sitting next to a successful playwright in our Houses. Our members inspire everything we do; they drive our growth at Soho House and we’re constantly working on ways to make things better for them.” Since the founding of Soho House, there
has been a proliferation of private clubs geared to different specific interests: the Core Club for the power suit set, the now-defunct Wing, which was a women-only concept, and The Well, perfect for those searching for premiere wellness services. Across the pond in London, Annabel’s cotinues to draw an A-list crowd, and Zero Bond and Casa Cipriani, both located downtown NYC, have recently become two of the city’s hottest spots — and most exclusive invitations. But despite the fierce competition – and setbacks due to COVID-19 lockdowns –Soho House has not only survived but thrived. Just last month, Art Basel Miami returned to the Sunshine State, and Soho Beach House played host to some of the fest’s most exciting events. Located in a restored Art Deco building on Collins Avenue and tucked away behind lush foliage, the House — a personal favorite — truly has that home-away-from-home vibe and is a meeting place for the city’s creatives, especially during the Art Basel events. On the ground floor is an outpost of Cecconi’s restaurant along with a bustling lobby lounge; out back, there is a chic pool area complete with extra wide — and comfy! — striped cushioned loungers and a delicious poolside fare. For those
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During Basel 2021, Soho Beach House served as an unofficial clubhouse for the artists, curators, collectors, aspiring collectors and those just looking to have a little fun
who prefer the sand, a private beach is just steps away. The House also features a Cowshed spa, fitness center, and 49 guest rooms for those who want to stay. During Basel 2021, Soho Beach House served as an unofficial clubhouse for the artists, curators, collectors, aspiring collectors and those just looking to have a little fun. For their members and guests, Soho Beach House offered a robust line-up of events, including an interactive NFT exhibit, talks on sustainable artistry, futuristic beach light installations, and DJ sets from Carl Craig, Roger Sanchez, and DZA. The dynamic Beach Tent returned for the tenth year, and famed funk musician George Clinton was on hand to celebrate his “Funkbasel” art exhibition. “Art is a really important part of Soho House, our artist members, the art in our spaces — it makes our Houses come alive,” explained Jones. “Basel has always been a very special moment for us in Miami. We’ve had some great times there, and I’m excited to be back.” In 2021, the brand opened additional locations in Austin, Rome, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Canouan, a small Caribbean island in St. Vincent and Grenadines, accessible by plane or
boat; a fourth LA-based location, Little House West Hollywood, is set to debut at the beginning of 2022, followed by a Nashville location. “I’ve just been to Rome, where we opened our newest House in a 10-story building in San Lorenzo,” Jones shared. “It’s not tourist Rome; it’s where Romans live and socialize, and it’s given us space, and an incredible rooftop: views of the Vatican from one side, and mountains from the other. Soho House Rome has everything under one roof. You can go to the gym, swim in the pool, watch a film, eat, drink, see friends or take a meeting.” Not ready to leave after a special stay? You don’t have to. “We also have apartments so members can stay with us for longer,” Jones said. “Rome is something members have been asking for, so it’s exciting to see it come to life.” Next up will be the March 2022 opening of Little House West Hollywood. Hidden away from the busy streets and located on Holloway Drive close to the nearby West Hollywood club, the latest Los Angeles property will feature a rooftop with views of the Hollywood Hills and glimpses of Downtown as well as light-filled courtyard bar, a House Studio space where members can connect and collaborate, a Club
Lounge, and a new restaurant. The first LA House available for overnight stays, Little House West Hollywood will offer 34 bedrooms decorated in dusty tones overlooking the courtyard, landscaped with flora native to Southern California. “We’re excited about West Hollywood,” said Jones. “It has always been a special place for Soho House. We hosted pop-ups in awards season for years before we opened our House at 9200 Sunset Boulevard in 2010.” That said, locating the perfect spot for the newest Los Angeles outpost was a daunting task. “People have always asked for a place to stay with us while in WeHo, but we needed to find the right space that would complement our existing WeHo location,” explained Jones. “The majority of our members are Every House members, which gives them access to 33 of our houses globally and they love travelling and visiting new houses in different cities. We’re excited to offer Little House West Hollywood as a new destination. Little House West Hollywood has a more intimate feel with rooftop views, and it’s hidden off the main street. It just felt like the perfect space for a Soho House.” See you there.
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silky . smooth . sustainable
So much more than soap
PURPLE SWAN www. purpleswanshop.com
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LO S A N G E L E S
GRAZIA
GAZETTE
THE HOT LIST Peyton List is proving she’s so much more than a child star.
Michael Kors Collection top, $690, skirt, $1,470, michaelkors.com; Louis Vuitton loafers, $1,170, louisvuitton.com; Rings and earrings, stylist’s own.
I
t’s mid-January and Peyton List arrives at her cover shoot in Williamsburg looking calm, collected, and ready to tackle the day. She tries on six or seven different looks, ranging from dresses and draped jackets to metallic gowns – all of which seem to be a perfect match for her increasingly bold and playful personal style. “I’m not a size zero or two,” the actress, 23, admits while taking a break in the cozy and cute apartment. List’s declaration
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is what makes her so beloved after all of these years on television: She is relatable and down to earth, despite being in the spotlight since she was 4 years old. Clearly, this isn’t List’s first rodeo. When the blonde beauty was very young, her mom enrolled her in acting classes as an after-school activity, but over time, she realized it was something she wanted to pursue professionally. “I didn’t really think of it as a career until I was probably a legal
adult,” she tells GRAZIA Gazette: Los Angeles. “It always felt right to me. It never felt off. It always felt really fun and that I was playing dress up with a bunch of adults who would be so kind to me and be so collaborative. They would all take me in and teach me about their job.” List’s career first got off the ground when she was cast as Emma Ross, a bubbly, albeit cynical young girl on the Disney Channel show Jessie, in which she played one of four children
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St. John sweater, $1,995, shorts, $995, stjohnknits.com; Jonathan Simkhai bralette, $185, jonathansimkhai.com.
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Miu Miu sweater, briefs and socks, price available upon request, miumiu.com.
supervised by a nanny, alongside future Young Hollywood stars Skai Jackson, Debby Ryan, and Cameron Boyce, who tragically passed from an epileptic seizure in 2019. When List was first offered the role, she recalls, her agent actually advised her not to take it. It was a tough sentiment to hear, especially because she grew up watching Wizards of Waverly Place, That’s So Raven, and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Ultimately, the opportunity to align with the Disney brand was simply too great to pass up, and when she heard the news that she was cast, she “screamed, cried and jumped up and down” from her excitement. “I always wanted to do it, and it was a dream come true for me. It was mind-blowing as a little kid,” she shares. “It’s funny because when I got on the set, I was the only one in the cast not getting laughs at the table read and nobody thought I was funny. They wanted to cut my character. I almost had this huge opportunity and then lost it. I always think about if I hadn’t come around in the first week and hadn’t learned what I needed to do to stay on the show: would I still be acting or would I have been so disheartened with the industry?” Looking back on the series, which ran from 2011-2015, List is glad she took the part, even though she knew she would have to prove herself in more serious roles down the line. “I feel like it’s given me so many amazing opportunities,” she states. “I feel like it has helped me become the person that I am now, so I think there was a time where I did regret it a little bit, but I do believe that everything works out the way it’s supposed
BY JACLYN ROTH
to.” Following the success of Jessie, List appeared in its spinoff, Bunk’d, in addition to other non-Disney roles: in the CBS sitcom Happy Together with Damon Wayans Jr., in the Hulu series Light as a Feather, in the movie Hubie Halloween with Adam Sandler and Julie Bowen, and most recently, on Netflix mega-hit Cobra Kai — the last of which has reenergized her career and given her a whole new fanbase. However, it hasn’t always been easy breaking out of the Disney stereotype, which Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and Zendaya have similarly transcended. List likens moving on from Disney to “coming out of my college years.” “You’re trying to prove yourself and find your way, just like all of my friends who are in college,” she says. “That was kind of a weird time, going into casting offices and reading for them and hoping that they don’t have some sort of pre-conceived idea of who I am. Sometimes I think it has helped me, because they expect something different than who I am. I think people are more open to it now, but I think a lot of girls that were on Disney before me have already shattered that, like Selena, Zendaya, and all of these girls who have been doing really well.” When List initially auditioned for Cobra Kai, she thought of it as just another acting job and was not expecting the show to become the cultural phenomenon that it is today. List ended up nabbing the role of Tory Nichols in the Netflix show, in which she has demonstrated her acting abilities while being part of a
PHOTOGRAPHER TAYO KUKU
STYLIST OLIVIA WEEDEN
major hit. “My favorite part is getting to be a female who can do martial arts and stunts and fighting,” she states. “Now, being able to show that girls can fight and girls can have those sides to them is so fun.” What makes being on the series even better is that she gets to see how she is influencing the next generation of young girls. Case in point: Show creator Jon Hurwitz told List that at his two daughters’ school, the girls were initially supposed to take yoga, while the boys learned karate. “The girls fought to do karate with the guys. They were like, ‘We can all do it. We all want to do it,’” List recalls. “I was like, ‘That is so cool to me that there is some sort of impact because of the show.’” List never believed that starring in Cobra Kai would mean so much to her. “The last season I went in, and I just thanked the creators,” she admits, adding that she feels indebted to them for “taking a chance” on her. “I am so grateful because it has really shifted my entire life. It’s been one of the greatest things that has happened to me. I love the character so much and the group of people.” Even though she’s been in show business for most of her life, List confesses that playing Tory has “helped” her become more self-confident. Jumping into Tory’s shoes has allowed List to “be more of myself”— something she is still adjusting to in real life and on social media. In 2022, it is just as terrifying as ever to be
MAKEUP T YRON MACHHAUSEN
HAIR RACHEL LITA
GRAZIA USA
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Giorgio Armani dress, $5,800, armani.com.
vulnerable on the internet, but List is excited that TikTok is not a “comparison pit,” as opposed to Instagram. “I just try to follow people that are positive and honest to a certain extent,” she explains. “I know that a lot of it is people’s highlights and their best moments, so I try to remember that, but it does get in your head. I think TikTok has been really cool because my ‘For You’ page is really comforting, and I just see everyone being so authentic, real, and more open. It’s a really cool direction that it’s going.” For her part, it’s not always easy for List to express how she is feeling to others, as she describes herself as “a closed-off person.” Yet, she admits that when Gomez and Lovato both spoke about their mental health struggles, List felt like she could “relate” to them since she too has dealt with her fair share of problems. “I just haven’t talked about any of it…” she reveals. That’s not to say that she won’t ever discuss her past with her 19 million Instagram followers and almost 5 million TikTok followers. “I think I will [ultimately] tell [the public] because I think that a lot of women have been helped by others,” she explains. “I feel like older actors share things from their 20’s that are wild and insane, but they share it way later when they feel comfortable. I almost feel like that is how I am too with my childhood. I need time in order to reflect and then tell everyone what was happening.” In the meantime, List is starting off 2022 on a high note — her makeup brand, Pley Beauty, debuts in late January.
“I called it Pley because I want people to express themselves and have fun,” she says of her vision. “It’s all about color and just being an artist and creating. The whole Etro dress, etro.com; campaign shows that Givenchy bra, beauty is your playground givenchy.com; Briefs, stylists own. and it’s all nostalgic. It’s all clean and sustainable, and a lot of our packaging is Fendi jacket, $4,700, shorts, $1,350, fendi.com; 100 percent recyclable Michael Kors Collection material. I hope to push bralette, $450, michaelkors.com; Reike the beauty industry in Nen slingbacks, $360, some way. I just feel like en.reikenen.com. there are a lot of people that aren’t meeting that sustainable bar.” Though it may seem like List has done so much already, she believes she has merely just scratched the surface of what she can accomplish (and we tend to agree). In fact, while speaking with the talented starlet, she was giddy when revealing that she just landed “a dream role,” which she can’t yet talk about. “It’s been a very surreal experience because I am like, ‘Oh my God, I feel so much better,’ which is horrible because work has
become such a priority to me,” she says. “I have learned so much even the last few days since hearing the news. I really just wanted to prove to myself that I am worth it.” She continues, “I finally acknowledged to myself that I work hard and that my success doesn’t happen by itself.” It’s safe to say this Disney Channel darling is branching out, finding herself and helping others along the way — what more could you really ask for?
GRAZIA USA
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PRIZED POSSESSION
Piaget’s daring new Possession collection turns the everyday into the extraordinary.
PHOTOGRAPHER MARGEAUX WALTER STYLIST BETH PAKRADOONI
Piaget Possession malachite pendant, $8,000, malachite bangle, $17,700, diamond bangle, $20,900, malachite ring, $3,250, diamond ring, $4,700, piaget.com.
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Piaget Possession diamond ring, $6,400, diamond ring, $6,100, diamond pendant, $9,950, malachite bangle, $17,700, diamond bangle, $20,900, piaget.com.
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Piaget Possession diamond ring, $7,350, turquoise ring, $3,400, turquoise bangle, $7,600, diamond bangle, $12,500, piaget.com.
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Piaget Possession turquoise ring, $3,400, turquoise bangle, $7,600, diamond earrings, $3,800, diamond pendant, $9,950, piaget.com.
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Piaget Possession carnelian bangle, $6,400, Polo diamond watch, $52,500, piaget.com.
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Piaget Possession carnelian earrings, $5,400, carnelian pendant, $4,300, diamond ring, $18,700, carnelian ring, $3,150, diamond ring, diamond ring, $7,350, carnelian bangle, $6,400, piaget.com.
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FOUND
Laurel Canyon and the Flowering of an American Dream BY DOMINIC UTTON
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VOLUME EIGHT
Ask anyone in America where the craziest people live and they’ll tell you California. Ask anyone in California where the craziest people live and they’ll say Los Angeles. Ask anyone in Los Angeles where the craziest people live and they’ll tell you Hollywood. Ask anyone in Hollywood where the craziest people live and they’ll say Laurel Canyon. And ask anyone in Laurel Canyon where the craziest people live and they’ll say Lookout Mountain. So I bought a house on Lookout Mountain. —Joni Mitchell
L
os Angeles, 1964. In winding canyon roads just minutes from the hustle and madness of Sunset Strip, hidden among the eucalyptus trees, down single-track lanes, and in quaint, crumbling shacks, something happened that was to change the world forever. The occupants of these collapsing bungalows were to come together – by accident as much as design – to define a whole new era of popular culture. Their names read like a roster of some of the most significant musicians and recording artists of the twentieth century; their influence continues to resonate today. Over a single fertile decade, Laurel Canyon played host to songwriting legends Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon; it was where Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young got together, and the Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac first met. Singersongwriters James Taylor and Jackson Browne were locals; The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Canned Heat, the Eagles, and Love all lived there, as well as Beach Boy Brian Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Nillson, and Jim Morrison. Mama Cass Elliot’s door was always open; Frank Zappa’s home was party central, as were houses belonging to Love’s Arthur Lee, and Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork of the Monkees. Laurel Canyon was the breeding ground for the confessional singer-songwriter sound made popular by leading lights Mitchell, Taylor, and King. It was the birthplace of the laidback, uniquely Californian country-rock music pioneered by the likes of the Byrds and taken to unimaginable heights by the Eagles. It was the inspiration for the Doors’ Love Street and the Mamas & the Papas Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon). In 1970, Joni Mitchell’s third album Ladies of the Canyon was dedicated to the area and its inhabitants, and that same year, the Crosby, Stills, & Nash hit “Our House” was written by Graham Nash about the Laurel Canyon home he shared with Mitchell. British blues legend John Mayall – whose band the Bluesbreakers had included Cream’s Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, Rolling Stones’ Mick Taylor, and Fleetwood Mac’s John McVie, Peter Green, and Mick Fleetwood – was so influenced by the neighborhood he recorded the LP Blues from Laurel Canyon after a 1968 vacation there. If it was a place of extraordinary creative fertility, it was also, perhaps just as importantly, where businessmen David Geffen and Elliot Roberts got together to tap into the sunshine-soaked good vibes and make a global phenomenon out of them – one that continues to generate millions of dollars today.
In the late sixties and early 1970s, Laurel Canyon was more than just a neighborhood: It was a perfect collision of lifestyle and art and ideology – and the tale of those years in these winding streets is the story of the flowering, corruption, and eventual collapse of the hippie dream. The story of Laurel Canyon is the story of the 1960s and 70s – drenched in beautiful music, free love, good drugs and idealism ... and ultimately destroyed by money, success, bad drugs, and murder. Some places breathe magic. Decades before rock ‘n’ roll came to define the hills north of Sunset Strip, Laurel Canyon had long been a favored hangout of creatives, bohemians, and leftfield geniuses. Harry Houdini, Bella Lugosi, and Roaring Twenties “It Girl” Clara Bow all owned homes in the Canyon. In the years after the war, those houses were taken over by jazz musicians, writers and beatniks. Scandal was never far away: Robert Mitchum was arrested for marijuana possession at a Laurel Canyon house in 1948, as he partied with a dissolute crowd of actresses and dancers. He was later sentenced to 60 days in jail. But history remains beguilingly hazy about when what we now call the Laurel Canyon scene really began – partly because nobody was really keeping records, partly because almost everybody concerned was stoned most of the time, and partly because – as with all such scenes – there was no plan, no grand design; but rather, an organic flowering, a unique, accidental, haphazard coming together of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. If there has to be a definitive beginning, however, then a good time might be October 1964, when 19-year-old mandolin player Chris Hillman rented a house on Laurel Canyon Boulevard. He had come to L.A. from San Diego to audition for a band his former manager Jim Dickson was putting together. Joining Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke – and playing bass guitar, an instrument he had previously never picked up – they formed The Byrds, and Hillman’s house became their primary writing and rehearsal
space, as well as the inspiration for their unique blend of Bob Dylan-esque folksiness and Beatles-influenced electric pop. Within a year and following the success of debut single Mr. Tambourine Man – a turned-on, blissed-out take on the Dylan song – the Byrds had become arguably the biggest band in America (and unquestionably the coolest) and a scene had begun to coalesce around them. Attracted by the proximity to the band, cheap rent, and the canyon’s peculiar geography as an oasis of calm in the heart of LA, other musicians began to move into the surrounding streets. Almost immediately, new collaborations were formed. At clubs like the Troubadour and the Whisky a Go Go – just a short drive away on Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards respectively – the young musicians would meet up, perform, watch other bands, swap ideas, and continue the party at nearby Ben Frank’s diner before heading back to someone’s house to keep jamming. The Troubadour especially was a hotbed of creativity. According to record producer David Geffen, who along with Elliot Roberts would manage the careers of Canyonites Mitchell, Neil Young, Judee Sill, David Blue, Jackson Browne, J. D. Souther, the Eagles, and Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Everywhere you looked there was another talented person.” Carole King, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Kris Kristofferson, and Neil Young were regular performers – and even after many of the musicians had become huge stars in their own rights they continued to play at the club, thanks in part to a devious contract clause introduced by the Troubadour’s owner Doug Weston binding them to a specified number of shows. The result was an explosion of creativity – with bands whose lineups now read like supergroups. Among them was Buffalo Springfield, formed when singer/guitarist Stephen Stills persuaded Ohio-born Richie Furay, whom he had met in the coffee houses of Greenwich Village, to come to the Canyon. Furay later described the formation of Buffalo Springfield as a typically laid-back kind of happy accident: “Stephen Stills said, ‘Come out to California, I’ve got a band together. I need another singer.’ I said, ‘I’m on my way.’ Once we started playing at the Whisky, everybody moved to Laurel Canyon. It was the spot. Neil Young had been living in his Pontiac hearse, but he moved up to Lookout.” Along with Young’s fellow Canadians Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer, Buffalo Springfield took the Byrds’ sound still further, injecting more psychedelia and harder rock into the electrified folk. The band only lasted two years, but it set the template for the kind of easy-come, easy-go, collaborative vibe that defined so much of Laurel Canyon’s music. Everyone knew everyone, and everyone was a musician.
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PARADISE LOST Clockwise from top left: Sharon Tate; rock band Buffalo Springfield; murderous cult leader Charles Manson; and folk rock vocal group The Mamas and the Papas
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VOLUME EIGHT
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‘OVER A SINGLE FERTILE DECADE, LAUREL CANYON PLAYED HOST TO SONGWRITING LEGENDS JONI MITCHELL, CAROLE KING, AND CARLY SIMON; IT WAS WHERE CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG GOT TOGETHER, AND THE RUMOURS-ERA FLEETWOOD MAC FIRST MET. SINGER-SONGWRITERS JAMES TAYLOR AND JACKSON BROWNE WERE LOCALS; THE BYRDS, BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, CANNED HEAT, THE EAGLES, AND LOVE ALL LIVED THERE, AS WELL AS BEACH BOY BRIAN WILSON, BONNIE RAITT, LINDA RONSTADT, HARRY NILLSON, AND JIM MORRISON. MAMA CASS ELLIOT’S DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN; FRANK ZAPPA’S HOME WAS PARTY CENTRAL, AS WERE HOUSES BELONGING TO LOVE’S ARTHUR LEE, AND MICKEY DOLENZ AND PETER TORK OF THE MONKEES.’
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LOS ANGELES
Glenn Frey of the Eagles remembered arriving at Laurel Canyon in 1968 as a struggling guitarist and almost immediately bumping into one of his musical heroes. “My very first day in California I drove up La Cienega to Sunset Boulevard,” he said, “turned right, drove to Laurel Canyon and the first person I saw standing on the porch at the Canyon Store was David Crosby. He was dressed exactly the way he was on the second Byrds album: that cape, and the flat, wide-brimmed hat. He was standing there like a statue. “There was just something in the air up there. There’s houses built up on stilts on the hillside and there’s palm trees and yuccas and eucalyptus and vegetation I’d never seen before in my life. It was a little magical hillside canyon.” Joni Mitchell also recalled the magic. “My dining room looked out over Frank Zappa’s duck pond,” she said, “and once when my mother was visiting, three naked girls were floating around on a raft in the pond. In the upper hills the Buffalo Springfield were playing, and in the afternoon there was just a cacophony of young bands rehearsing. At night it was quiet except for cats and mockingbirds. It had a smell of eucalyptus and in the spring, which was the rainy season then, a lot of wildflowers would spring up. Laurel Canyon had a wonderful distinctive smell to it.” If everyone was a musician, many of them were also supremely talented, and a few houses in particular played host to some extraordinary collaborations. The home of Cass Elliot became a center of pot-fueled creativity – so much so that the former Mamas & the Papas singer was described by Graham Nash as “the Gertrude Stein of Laurel Canyon”, with an open-door policy similar to Stein’s 1920’s Parisian salon, which played host to artists and writers including Picasso, Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Henri Matisse. It was at Cass Elliot’s home that perhaps the most defining of the Canyon collaborations was to come together. It is a typically Laurel Canyon tale – not only in the apparently haphazard nature of its happening, but in the fact that everyone concerned remembers it differently (with some insisting it was Joni Mitchell’s house rather than Elliot’s). Stephen Stills, David Crosby, and Graham Nash had all arrived at Laurel Canyon separately. Stills as part of Buffalo Springfield, Crosby thanks to the Byrds, and English-born Nash with girlfriend Joni Mitchell, after becoming disillusioned with the mainstream sound of his former band The Hollies. Crosby and Stills, like the dozens of other talented young musicians in the Canyon, had almost certainly jammed together before, but it was at a dinner party at Mama Cass’s when one of the greatest bands of the era was born. Stephen Stills later remembered the moment. “I always had a place in my heart for alley cats, and David was really funny,” he said. “We would scheme about a band, and one night at the Troubadour I saw Cass… and she said, ‘Would you like to have a third harmony?’ I said, ‘I’m not sure, it depends on the guy, the voice.’ So she said, ‘When David calls you to come over to my house with your guitar, don’t ask, just do it.’ I knew that the queen bee had something up her sleeve, and sure enough, David calls me and says, ‘Get your guitar and come to Cass’s house.’ I can see it now – the living room, the dining room, the pool, the kitchen – and we’re in the living room and there’s Graham Nash. Then Cass goes, ‘So sing.’ And we sang, ‘In the morning, when you rise…’” Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about the coming together of Crosby, Stills & Nash (later joined by Stills’ old Buffalo Springfield partner Neil Young) was that – at that time, and in that place – it was not particularly extraordinary at all. Everyone, it seemed, was either
jamming with or sleeping with everyone else. At Frank Zappa’s house a revolving parade of musicians, groupies, dropouts, stoners, and freaks meant that the party never really stopped, while in the calmer atmosphere of Joni Mitchell and Graham Nash’s home, the queen of American songwriting would write and share songs with anyone who happened to be around, something Nash later described as “a beautiful bubble of creativity and friendship and sex and drugs and music.” Ultimately, however, in what can be seen as a metaphor for the hippie dream itself, Laurel Canyon was to become a victim of its own idealism. As the parties grew wilder, the drugs grew harder, and with them came a new, more disturbing kind of groupie. These girls bristled with intensity, had harder politics, and were in thrall to the leader of their so-called “family” – a failed musician and sometime Canyon hanger-on by the name of Charles Manson… The Manson murders of August 1969 in nearby Benedict Canyon, in which six people, including the actress Sharon Tate, were slaughtered in their own homes over two nights, effectively signaled the end of the 60s and the beginning of the end of Laurel Canyon’s dream. Suddenly, the endless parties and open-door jamming sessions were over. As Cass Elliot’s Mamas & the Papas bandmate Michelle Phillips remembered: “Before 1969, my memories were nothing but fun and excitement and shooting to the top of the charts and loving every minute of it. The Manson murders ruined the L.A. music scene. That was the nail in the coffin of the freewheeling, ‘Let’s get high, everybody’s welcome, come on in, sit right down.’ Everyone was terrified. I carried a gun in my purse. And I never invited anybody over to my house again.” At the same time, the inevitable result of all that musical talent was to, ironically, destroy the very scene that had fostered it. As Geffen and Roberts made huge stars of their artists, the appeal of living in a crumbling, drafty shack surrounded by hangers-on began to fade, and gradually the scene’s biggest names drifted away to classier, more secure neighborhoods. And yet, some magic lingered. In 1974, British drummer Mick Fleetwood rented a house in Laurel Canyon. Already familiar with the area thanks to his time in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, his own band, Fleetwood Mac, had by that time released no fewer than nine albums without ever breaking through to mainstream success. In the course of one meeting in that Canyon house, all that was to change: It was there, on New Years Eve, that he persuaded Americans Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to join his band. The following year, Fleetwood Mac’s tenth studio album – now infused with Buckingham and Nicks’ distinctly Laurel Canyon-esque folk-rock influence – was to become their first to reach Number One in the charts. Two years after that, their eleventh LP, Rumours, would smash records as one of the most successful albums of all time, selling over 40 million copies worldwide. There were just 10 years between a teenage Chris Hillman arriving on Laurel Canyon Boulevard with a mandolin to meet what were to become The Byrds, and Mick Fleetwood welcoming Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into his Laurel Canyon home to join Fleetwood Mac. Ten years and barely a single mile between the start of one musical collaboration and the start of another. Ten years that transformed a quiet backwater of Los Angeles into one of the most important neighborhoods in modern cultural history. Some places breathe magic. “Places become a focal point for breaking out of convention. What was happening in Laurel Canyon was the universe cracking open and revealing its secrets. It was just about a time, a creative awakening.” –Jackson Browne
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VOLUME EIGHT
What’s In My Bag? JULIA VON BOEHM
PHOTOGRAPHER DON PENNY STYLIST ANNE WLAYSEWSKI
Whether it’s working with her A-List clients like Nicole Kidman for awards season or styling magazine editorials, celebrity stylist Julia Von Boehm knows her way around The City of Angels—and what to keep on hand during her travels. Her pick to carry it all? The latest and hottest Fendi First bag. JVB, we’d expect nothing less.
1 FENDI bag, $3,490, fendi.com. 2 Corpus deodorant in Santalum, $24, corpusnaturals.com. 3 MAC Studio Radiance foundation, $35, maccosmetics.com. 4 Lancôme Définicils mascara, $29, lancome-usa.com. 5 Tata Harper cream blush, $42, tataharperskincare.com. 6 Pilot Precise V5 pen, $5.62, amazon.com. 7 Augustinus Bader The Cream, $175, augustinusbader.com. 8 CELINE Travel Spray in Reptile, $125, celine.com. 9 CHANEL N°5 Eau de Parfum Spray, $146, chanel.com.
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LIFE IN PLAY
www.womensgolfjournal.com
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