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CHURCH BOUTIQUE | LE SUPERBE

EVENT FORTY SIX

LE SUPERBE

HOLIDAY SHOPPING EVENT

CHURCH BOUTIQUE | 21 NOVEMBER 2024 | 8063 BEVERLY BLVD.

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LE SUPERBE

Le Superbe’s Jeannine Braden Throws Holiday Shopping Event at Church Boutique

CHURCH BOUTIQUE on Beverly Blvd. is one of L.A.’s coolest and without a doubt, eclectic shops. Almost a religious experience, it’s a wonderland of furnishings (art deco covered couchettes, fainting chairs, sexy, ergonomically appointed chairs, leopard covered stools, unique (aka: edgy) jewelry, small batch designer clothes and knits, plus vintage items and purses from almost every luxe brand. It was the perfect place to set a “holiday shopping party” – that rare L.A. hybrid breed of wine, chocolate fondue and sparkly clothes for sale, that Church owners Rodney Church and David Malvaney specialize in.
 
PARTICULARLY when the designer is. L.A. homegirl Jeannine Braden, born and raised in Venice CA, and longtime star of the L.A. fashion set. A few decades ago, she created two early standout boutiques packed with hand selected mixes of high designer pieces with rare cool finds: Flair at Fred Segal Santa Monica, and Post 26 at Brentwood Country Mart. As a stylist, Braden’s celeb clientele included  Alanis Morisette, the Go-Go’s and Belinda Carlisle; she also did repping and buying for brands. Stepping out as creative director, she founded Le Superbe five years ago: a line combining the sunny vibes of SoCal and a mix of items straight off a stylist’s rack: meaning, high and low looks, designer shapes and fabrics, with denim, t-shirts, cardi’s and cami’s, sweatshirts and cargo pants – day into evening, weeknight cocktails to weekend chillout. ( MORE )

| Scroll down to read interview with the designer |

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LE SUPERBE

CHURCH BOUTIQUE | 21 NOVEMBER 2024 | 8063 BEVERLY BLVD.

CAPTURING THE CROWD

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LE SUPERBE

INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER JEANNINE BRADEN

This poster girl for L.A. style specializes in layering opposites: tailoring and tough, vs. soft shapes and fuzzy fabrics.  She came out of the gate in 2019 with Le Superbe’s rare combo of fluid and glamourous pieces – dresses and separates made to mix and match, enhancing what’s already in your closet and freshening up your style outlook. Of her many collections a year: pre fall, fall, holiday, pre-spring, spring/summer, certain wearable silhouettes are staples: mini-skirts, midi pencil skirts, metallic and matte pleated skirts, sexy dresses, easy breezy dresses, killer cardigans, cargo pants, embellished denims, fuzzy throw-on “chub jackets” in varied hues – holiday is def my fave of hers, every year. It’s a season of somehow subtle sequins, cozy bejeweled sweaters, lurex gold and silver weaves, faux furs, print bombers, scarf tie chiffon blouses, all in classic flattering shapes. Le Superbe’s collections can be found, season after season, at Saks, Neiman’s, Anthropologie, Shopbop, Revolve and ShopLeSuperbe.com
 

The most popular items at Church/Le Superbe’s shopping party? I can tell you my two faves: the Panthera faux fur leopard teddy coat and equally leopard Panthera Extra Kate midi dress in viscose and spandex. I started wearing the Panthera teddy coat in mid November – it’s warm and fuzzy, but amusingly chic (usually polar opposites). In it, I get stopped CONSTANTLY: in grocery stores, coffee shops, luxury hotels, screenings, Sephora, my sushi stops – I mean, everywhere. A good three times a day – no exaggeration. I’ve worn some pretty fabulous things in my time (over 30 years as a fashion/culture writer/editor) – trust me on this – and not one of them – not my prized Saint Laurent cropped motorcycle jacket, my wardrobe of Dries, my Margiela mixed print heels, my vintage fuchsia Versace couture coat, not my rare Gaultier’s, not my over the top LV-one-of-a-kind bags – have ever garnered this kind of eye (I) catching. Underneath it I donned Le Superbe’s Extra Kate dress, a leopard stretchy wrap wirh loads of leg. Two tone leopard is where it’s at, baby! Just ask Gwen Stefani. The coat clouds your bod in softness, the dress clings like a slip. The coat came off and on all night, as I mingled with co-host Normandie Keith, the Go-Go’s Charlotte Caffey (the band’s on tour spring 2025 at both Coachella and Cruel World), Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama and Shakespeare’s sister, manager Joanne Horowtiz (who bought the Extra Kate dress cause it looked so good on me), designers Henry Duarte and William B., boulevardier Lionel Geneste, THR culture editor Ben Svetkey and his photographer wife Lenka Ulrichova, plus photographers extraordinaire Michele Laurita and Thomas Drotar.

INTERVIEW with Designer /Creative Director Jeannine Braden

MG: Just how many holiday collections has Le Superbe done now?

JS: Five.

MG: You always do great separates for holiday (November through February). It’s so convenient; a sweater with a sequin skirt is much comfier tight leggings or a bodycon dress..

JS: Well, we give you that option too. I love to provide a lot of options – as stylist and designer, that’s what I’m always looking for. We always do great dresses too. What I’ve noticed about our customer: a lot of buyers like to buy sets. So they don’t have to think about it. Then they have a full outfit, but it’s wearable in so many other ways. My goal is always: no look should be just one and done. There are always hero pieces in your wardrobe – the statement piece, like a glitter dress or sequins. Those are so extra they jusr don’t go in and out. A black sequin dress can go to a cocktail event, a movie premier, or a date. You can tone them down with flats and/or a sweater, dress them up with heels and faux fur. Sequins are always relevant. There’s a reason rock stars, big entertainers, wear sequins. (Think Bob Mackie) And they’re actually forgiving. You can be curvy, lots of bodies look good in stretchy sequin pieces. You have to be somewhat loud and proud to wear them – but this is Los Angeles. You don’t want to hide.

MG: Didn’t you start Le Superbe with sequins? I’ve seen you wear them a lot.

JB: My holiday philosophy is: dressing up should be fun. But so should dressing up in general. Every time I wear a piece, I hear, “Where’d you get that?”   Women who shopped at my store years ago still have pieces they bought there. They are still special five years later. My t-shirts always have a sense of humor, every Le Superbe piece is a little cheeky. Yes, we started off with sequin pieces; it’s in our DNA. You’ll always find sequin or embellished pieces in Le Superbe. I believe in extra – but not untouchable.

MG: You always do Christmas sweaters, but they’re far from ugly.

JB: Definitely not ugly. We use jacquard techniques (design motifs in various prints) – it’snot easy. They are better sweaters than many brands because they’re unique – both cardigans and pullovers. I make them for real people to feel special. They’re “IT” pieces, but not elitest. Because I have a background as a stylist – particularly to musicians – sparkle’s very familiar to me. In my longtime yoga practice, I’ve learned it’s always important for people to shine. I certainly did that in my work with the Go-Go’s and longtime friend and client Belinda Carlisle.

MG: Tell me about the names of some of these dresses for big holiday parties?

JB: Normandy Keith was wearing the Late Night Kate Dress – it’s a long sleeved sheath that’s clingy but not overtly body-con – it’s quite forgiving and comfortable. We do the Kate dress almost every season – I named it for Kate Moss; I saw her wearing a dress like this on a date with Johnny Depp many years ago. Normandy’s faux fur check jacket is the On the Walk Bomber. My skirt was the Glamour Granny Square– reminds me of the crochet craze of the 70’s, but with sequins. My Midnight Fur Ever sequin chubby jacket sold out – inspired by 70’s rock stars. DJ/model Vilena was wearing our Twiggy dress – reminds me of an old video of Twiggy in a long sleeve sequin mini.

MG: What’s the best look for holiday entertaining at home?

JB: I’d recommend the slightly whimsical Extra Crewneck sweater– the feather cuffs come off. You can wear it every day or have it be your holiday outfit. I’d wear that with our black or creamy viscose camo pants and a ballerina flat. The pants also look good with its matching top, the Glistening BF shirt in black or silver. It makes everything super easy. I love all of our “extra” pieces: the sequin Pouchette mini skirt, which stretches when you move. And the multi-hued beaded Floral Sequin bomber in autumnal colors. Throw that over anything and it’s a holiday.

CAPTURING THE CROWD

EVENT FORTY SIX