Knockin' on SCP's Penthouse
In Spring 2009, a Prada and a Miu Miu boutique will set up shop at luxury retail center South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif. But on Oct. 28, a group of journalists was treated to a dinner and a special viewing of South Coast Plaza’s newest section. It is called The Penthouse, and it was designed to appeal to those with the most-refined designer tastes.
It is located in center’s once-little-used, little-seen third floor of the Nordstrom wing. The evening’s host was Anton Segerstrom, a partner in South Coast Plaza and son of founder Henry Segerstrom. Assorted guests, including yours truly, dined at a four-course meal from Marché Moderne, The Penthouse’s nouveau French restaurant.
Anton Segerstrom said the new section would serve as a bit of Melrose Place in South Coast Plaza; it would offer boutiques for some of the world’s best-known designers and probably stress a healthy helping of heritage luxury brands.
So far, the Penthouse is the address to SoCa, the first boutique for Irvine, Calif.–based St. John’s new contemporary line, also called SoCa. It opened Oct. 23.
Other boutiques in The Penthouse include French footwear designer Christian Louboutin, Italian men’s suiting design house Canali and an Oscar de la Renta boutique. For Louis Vuitton fanatics, it will also house a second-floor expansion for the Louis Vuitton boutique, which is located on South Coast Plaza’s second floor. (South Coast Plaza might be heaven for Louis Vuitton devotees. Along with the upcoming two-floor Louis Vuitton store, there’s also a large Vuitton boutique in South Coast Plaza’s Bloomingdale’s and another one in its Saks Fifth Avenue store.)
The Penthouse will keep people guessing, too. There are two vacant spaces at the Penthouse, but Segerstrom would not reveal if the leases for these spaces are already signed and just who will be moving in.
The Penthouse Canali
Christian Louboutin
Oscar de la Renta
