(Left) Tuxedo jacket by Orphic by Max Noce. (Right) “Lola” evening gown by Jen Awad.
ROCK COUTURE
Orphic’s Rock ’n’ Roll Confidential Opens on Sunset
Max Noce made a career of finding elegance in rock ’n’ roll style, and at his Orphic boutique, he hopes to find what’s next in the iconic looks pioneered by Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and Lady Gaga.
Noce and business partner/girlfriend Brittney Hastings opened Orphic in March at 9030 W. Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood, Calif., on the same stretch of concrete where rock clubs The Roxy and Rainbow Bar & Grill produce concerts almost every night. It’s also adjacent to Shamrock Social Club tattoo parlor, which lists clients such as Johnny Depp.
The boutique opened with little fanfare, and musicians such as Cee Lo Green and Billy Duffy of The Cult picked up clothes from house line Orphic by Max Noce, as well as fashions from the 35 other labels, mostly by California designers.
The mix of music and fashion is rooted in Noce’s biography. He started his fashion career working as a merchandising manager for the fashion houses of Valentino, Ungaro and Dolce & Gabbana while playing in rock bands in his native Milan and London. His last stop was Los Angeles, where he opened Sorum + Noce, a high-end rock boutique, in 2008 with Matt Sorum, formerly a drummer for Guns N’ Roses. The boutique closed in 2009 after disagreements between the owners.
After a few years of making custom clothing for rockers, Noce partnered with Hastings and entrepreneurs Currado Malaspina and Valentino Negri to open Orphic as a tastemaking boutique for rock fashion and art.
Surreal paintings from artists such as Christopher Ulrich line the walls along with guitars and faded Persian rugs. Designers sold there include Antonio Barragan and Mila Hermanovski as well as Noce’s line, Orphic by Max Noce.
The custom-made Orphic by Max Noce focuses on menswear, and, recently, the top-selling item has been a tuxedo jacket that retails for $1,800. “It’s really fitted,” Noce said of the light wool jacket with a shawl collar, double vent and three-pocket front. “It’s got a ’60s vibe. You can wear it with jeans. When you walk through the room, people will notice it.”
For womenswear, top-selling items include the “Lola” evening gown from Los Angeles designer Jen Awad. It retails for $1,600. The piece is composed of a mini-dress made out of silk and a floor-length chiffon skirt. The dress’s bodice also features bows and cutout panels.
For Orphic’s next stop, Noce and Hastings are talking with a European partner to open a store in Zagreb, Croatia.
