By Mariella Rudi
Perhaps what makes Principessa, the boho-chic darling retailer on Abbot Kinney, so successful is their hyper-awareness to what their consumers all ready look like. They pay attention to the girls and women walking outside their storefront, and they fine-tune their merchandise to fit and enhance that certain brand of cool only found in Venice.
Principessa has curated a well-balanced summer collection between big names like One Teaspoon, Jen’s Pirate Booty, For Love & Lemons, Johnny Was, and Wildfox and the lesser-known local designers. They’re big on supporting the community that has embraced them; they often carry merchandise that only natives can design, like hats to jewelry to dream catchers.
“For us it’s really based on the Venice Girl, so we respond in terms of what we buy for the store for customers to purchase, to the girls that we see around us. Whether our customers are tourists from Germany to the girl who lives down the street to the girl who’s coming down here from West Hollywood to shop, she’s buying what the Venice Girl vibe is,” store manager Mehera said.
Since opening their doors to the fabled bohemian strip in 2001, Principessa has captured the eyes and hearts of celebrities, national media, and the girl next door. The shop more resembles a house in the 70s Laurel Canyon, but it’s the customer service that makes it really feel like a home. The team behind Principessa stays on top of local styles and flavors of the month. No matter what time you step into the store, you’ll find at least 10 coveted items that you know you shouldn’t buy but still do.
They’re big on trends and local designers. Most of the time, those two mean the same thing.
“A big trend we’re seeing this season is really, really tiny things and tiny beach wear that can be made into evening wear, as well. Again, your Venice Girl is going to be a little bit less done up in a traditional way – she might be wearing something that looks like a bikini but with some really fabulous shoes to go out at night,” Mehera said.
Short and flirty two pieces, preferably matching, have been a festival staple this season, and it seems the look has translated to the streets during these humid days. Venice designer Flynn Skye was one of their favorites for this look.
Their other trend is one word that means something entirely different to the Venice teenyboppers of 2015: caftan.
“One of the looks is very loose and flowing, effortless-chic. That’s how they do it down here by the beach in Venice. Even the girls who go out at night here on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ll see them in caftans and flip-flops or Converse. You don’t see a lot of high heels, makeup, or hairdos. Just this: a statement cuff with a loose, flowing caftan. You know, that whole bohemian beach vibe,” said buyer Jen.
One of their favorites is a caftan by local designer Indah. They paired the look with thick bronze cuffs on both wrists, sans shoes. The jewelry du jour was Alkemie, a Topanga brand made by a husband and wife team.
A lot of what you see in the store comes from are locally sourced, especially with the jewelry.
“We do a lot with local designers and local artisans,” Jen said.
Principessa is located at 323 Abbot Kinney Blvd. For more information, call 310.450.6696 or visit principessavenice.com.
