Kelly Wearstler's Guide to Malibu: Where the Designer Loves to Eat, Shop and Get Glam

From flea markets to gelato stops, see her eclectic faves!

By Brad Virata Jun 30, 2014 7:40 PMTags
Kelly WearstlerCourtesy: Kelly Wearstler

Over the past decade, interior designer-turned-fashion designer Kelly Wearstler has achieved icon status through imagination and her love for all things glam. Her personal style is raw, refined and luxurious and is the ultimate example of Malibu chic. This four-time author and mother of two believes that attention to detail is everything and that you should always push boundaries when it comes to fashion and interior design. Oh, and she's got more Manolos than Carrie Bradshaw! Read on to find out where she's currently obsessing over, Malibu. 

What is your current state of mind?
Curious. Inspired. I am juggling several projects at the moment. We have a new hotel brand. My days are so fun and eclectic. I get a lot of meetings in in one day. One minute I am designing the new jewelry collection and the next I am selecting bathrobes. I am a master multi-tasker. Probably from all my years waiting tables.

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Who is your favorite fashion designer of the moment?
Johnson Hartig
of Libertine has such a distinctive voice and a virtuosic eye for color. His designs are so expressive always with a clever contemporary take on vintage. It's beyond! 

Fave salon and stylist?
I go to Salon Benjamin in Beverly Hills. Leland Ferrell cuts my hair. He cuts the whole family's hair. Negin Zand does amazing highlights. They are the best! 

Courtesy: Kelly Wearstler

Three things that you cannot live without?
My family (including my two rescue pups Rigby and Willie), my camera and my Kelly Wearstler perforated cuff.

Is there a place or store that really inspires your design creativity you when you walk in?
The flea market! I always go up each aisles more than once, you see different things. I adore vintage and collect everything from furniture to jewelry to scarves and clutches. I've been known to find a great hidden gem at a flea market and bring it into my team for creative inspiration. My aesthetic is very much about playing up the sexy tension between something old and something new. Something raw with something refined.

A lot of fashion trends are popping up around the city,  which one of these trends should've died yesterday?
Fashion is about taking risks. I think style should be personal and tell a story. Express yourself and be true to your voice and you can't go wrong.

Courtesy: Plate Malibu

The perfect meal is at what restaurant?
I adore a great salad made with local farm-to-table ingredients. Plate in Malibu is awesome. The boys love their salmon. There is something for everyone. All fresh and healthy. We also go to the farmers market and buy ingredients to make homemade smoothies. The boys experiment with every fruit and veggie combo possible. We love our Vitamix. 

What is your favorite dessert place? 
Gelato at Grom. We get this incredibly decadent chocolate sorbet!   

Courtesy: Grom

Describe the Kelly muse.
A risk taker. A curious girl with a lust for travel who loves to get lost in museums and is constantly educating her eye. A girl who would pair designer shoes with a $5 flea market frock.

Is there a special place where you go to escape?
Malibu in general is my Los Angeles escape. We try to make it out as much as possible. It is a quick commute and the best place to recharge.

Courtesy: Kelly Wearstler