California Apparel News

Henry Segerstrom was the son of lima bean farmers in Orange County, growing up at a time when the area was more rural than urban and suburban.

But Segerstrom was a man with a vision who built a number of projects from the bottom up, creating the premier shopping center called South Coast Plaza, which opened in a family lima-bean field in 1967. It now hosts luxury retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Tiffany & Co., Chanel and Hermes.

The entrepreneur passed away in February at the age of 91. But his visions are still around.

In a tribute to Segerstrom, an exhibition that explores the Segerstrom family and Henry Segerstrom’s early career; his deep involvement with the visual arts and architecture; his close relationships with artists, colleagues and community members, and his role in creating Segerstrom Center for the Arts will open May 8 in a special space in the Jewel Court at South Coast Plaza.

The exhibition will have dozens of vintage photographs, archival videos, informative descriptions and a selection of major sculptures by Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet and Joan Miró. The exhibition, called "Courage of Imagination," closes May 31.