Fashion Island Nordstrom Arrives With a Gala Party
The new Nordstrom at Fashion Island
Fashion Island is in the home stretch of its $100 million facelift. However, one of the jewels of the Newport Beach, Calif., retail center’s new look debuts April 16. It’s a more than 138,000-square-foot full-line Nordstrom, which was welcomed to The Irvine Company-owned center with an April 14 gala, which featured a visit from the Seattle-based retailer’s president, Blake Nordstrom.
The main reason for the party was to raise funds for The Orangewood Children’s Foundation and Universityof California, Irvine Medical Center. The crowd of 1,700 at the fete also included Marie Gray, the founding designer of St. John, and her daughter, Kelly, the former St. John executive and face of the company’s advertising campaigns.
The Fashion Island Nordstrom will offer an exclusive St. John department, and the Irvine, Calif.-based St. John will design a collection specifically for the Fashion Island store. Exclusive product will be tested at that Nordstrom, ranging from $350 three-piece men’s suits designed by John Varvatos and accessories from Vestal, an Orange County brand popular at surf shops. The Nordstrom also offers a big department for handbags, which includes special sections for the brands Burberry, Marc Jacobs and Valentino.
The Fashion Island Nordstrom was built on the site of the former Macy’s store. However, a new building was constructed for the Nordstrom, and it will be located on the ocean-side section of the mall, said Keith Eyrich, president of Irvine Company Retail Properties.
“Adding the Nordstrom elevates the Fashion Island shopping experience to a new level,” he said. “We are committed to continuing Fashion Island’s development as the finest coastal shopping and dining experience, and the opening of Nordstrom marks a significant milestone in our $100 million reinvestment. New fountains, soft seating, hardscape and landscape can be seen throughout the center, and we look forward to its completion by Holiday 2010.”
The gala crowd at Fashion Island Nordstrom
