LaLa Store Reveal

I came. I saw. I cried. Then I walked the runway.

In a flurry of flights and little sleep, I managed to swoop down to Fort Lauderdale to see the LaLa store in the flesh and support my girl, Molly, in the grand opening of her store. The last time I was in the store they completed the build-out and lighting, but nothing more. We finalized the furniture layout, wallpaper, and shopped for the fitting rooms, then I went back on my merry way to NYC. Molly kept me updated on the progress of the design and texted me pictures but nothing compared to walking through the door on Saturday.

The floor was cleared of merchandise to make room for the party and runway show. Seeing the store in person after spending months reviewing blueprints, moodboards, and iphone pics was a huge moment for me. It was even better in person. I had one little teary moment but was ordered not to cry, as hair and makeup were in full effect! With that said, the designer hat was off and this girl was in model mode!

 The fabulous Mendy sisters transformed me from 'hipster geek' to 'LaLa chic.' I mean, check out the before...

...and after....

Blazer, tank, and shorts all courtesy of LaLa Couture. 

We conducted a mini runway show that showcased the latest LaLa looks. Shortly after the show, ladies were lining up for the dressing rooms and  at the cash register! It was a great night filled with amazing fashion, design, and friends. I wouldn't trade being a part of this for anything in the world!!!

 This is why I love South Florida. Look at all that COLOR!!!!!!

Owner, Molly Carey, and I. This girl has more hard work and determination in one pinky finger that most of us have in our entire bodies. The way she charged at this dream and made it happen inspires me on a daily basis. 

Enjoying a pre-runway drink with Molly and Christy. It was very sweet for Molly to include the "original LaLa girls" in her show. It's not every day that old ladies like us get to walk the runway with 19 year olds! Christy and I are part of a group that have gone from unpacking the first boxes to modeling the first shipments of clothes. It's been so surreal. 

photo c/o The Mendy House

Here's the Kartel lamp we squealed over this summer that was the first purchase for the boutique. The artwork was purchased off Gilt Groupe. 

This is the view into the fitting room area that I helped design. The chaise normally resides in the middle of the store but was brought back here to make room on the floor. The interior designer, Alli, had the idea of painting the archway into the fitting room the hot pink, which provides are great contrast and depth in the space. 

More details. The chaise and mirror are from PolArt. We used textured wallpaper from Sherwin Williams to add texture and richness to the room. For all of you who have ever wondered how this looks, I highly recommend doing and accent wall like this and then painting it the same as the rest of the room. 

You can see here the level of detail in the wallpaper. 

I hope you enjoyed my mini recap. I'll post runway photos as soon as they're up. It was a shame I had to get back home to NYC this weekend, because I wanted to do some major dammage shopping. There is something for everyone in this store and if you're a fan of color, definitely check it out!

The LaLa Couture store is located at 1918 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. 

Please follow LaLa here at : www.facebook.com/lalacouturegirl

Shop here at: www.lalacouture.com