Rebecca Minkoff's New Shop at Confederacy

Rebecca Minkoff and Ashton Kutcher at debut of Rebecca Minkoff shop-in-shop at Confederacy

'Twas a night of premieres July 19. Designer Rebecca Minkoff opened her first California shop-in-shop for her New York-based Rebecca Minkoff label. It is located at Confederacy, a boutique celebrated for delivering new, fashion forward and designer styles to Los Angeles’ east side, a neighborhood fiercely proud of its idiosyncraticvintage and bohemian looks.

For Confederacy, it was the first time it experimented with hosting a shop-in-shop on its lovely and expansive 5,000-square-feet of real estate in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood.

The event was celebrated with a fun soiree graced by model Agyness Deyn and Ashton Kutcher, a friend and former co-star of Confederacy co-owner Danny Masterson. Both appeared on TV series That 70s Show which ran from 1998 to 2006.

A very pregnant Minkoff said she planned to build more stores in the future. She chose Confederacy because of her history with store co-owner Ilaria Urbinati. Urbinati and Minkoff co-designed the Rebecca Minkoff label’s Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 seasons. Urbinati also thought the Rebecca Minkoff label was the proverbial perfect fit for Confederacy. “The Rebecca Minkoff girl is a perfect downtown New York girl. It’s what Silver Lake is wearing.” The hipster Silver Lake neighborhood is adjacent to Los Feliz.

The Minkoff shop takes up the front half of Confederacy. Designed by Ben Shulman, the shop-in-shop features a Julian Schnabel painting located prominently at the front of the store, an antique concession stand displaying Minkoff handbags, and two orchids growing out of a planter, which was embedded in the cash register counter.

The cocktail dresses, blouses and handbags of the Rebecca Minkoff store represent a bit of an about face for Confederacy. Around January 2011, Confederacy ruffled a lot of feathers by getting out of the women’s fashion business and focusing on menswear. “We sell men’s better than anything,” said Urbinati who gained prominence as a men’s stylist.

And what is hip for men’s styles now? Think that Italian summer, Dolce Vita look; navy blue blazers, printed pocket squares, white pants with cuffs rolled up and brown shoes worn without socks. “If all of the actors are asking me for printed pocket squares, something is going on,” Urbinati said of the trend.

Ilaria Urbinati

Minkoff handbag display