New York designer Sally LaPointe spent the last couple of days in Los Angeles strengthening ties with the fashion community and hosting a dinner on Wednesday night at Chateau Marmont. LaPointe had a little help from entrepreneur NJ Goldston, who cohosted the affair with Mimi Cuttrell.
“It’s my first time doing something like this in L.A.,” said the designer, who currently sells in 25 retailers including Moda Operandi, Allora by Laura in Santa Barbara, Switch in Beverly Hills, and 1508 in Venice Beach.
LaPointe is often on the road for trunk shows at boutiques, but took a few days to meet with stylists and editors at Palihouse West Hollywood. “The clothes seem like a good fit in L.A., because they are about easy dressing,” she said. Although she prefers designing for fall, where she can use luxurious trims like fox fur on sweaters, she has found a following among women like Goldston who travel often.
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“I have been hosting dinner salons for emerging designers because I think certain women like to be the first to ‘discover’ something new,” said Goldston, who is also a Net-a-porter ambassador. She gathered friends such as Christine Chiu, Sally Perrin, Rochelle Gores Fredston, Erica Pelosini and April Uchitel to help spread the word. She praised the label for being size-inclusive, a buzzword among fashion brands.
LaPointe noted that her sell-throughs have been steady, with several fall items already sold out, which she takes as an encouraging sign in the challenging retail climate. “I think that creating a certain amount of demand among customers does help to add longevity to the brand,” she said.