DORÉ

Liseanne is my friend, and she is also the chicest lady in Venice. I met her when I moved to LA and she has been a bit of a fairy for me, as well as a true inspiration.

Her house is always filled with kids and laughter, the door always opened, she cooks amazing food, and she also is the creator of her beautiful brand. It could be intimidating, right?

So listen to this : she is also my neighbor, and we run into each other often when walking our dogs.

Me : whatever sweatpants was available on the floor of my dressing room, focused on whatever podcast I am listening to.
Her : beautiful printed dresses, focused on a peaceful conversation with her husband.

I also love the relationship she has with her kids and was so happy when Ines agreed to do the story with her…!

I know. It’s way too much coolness and beauty. In one post.
When it gets too much, just think about me in my sweatpants. Palate cleanser!

Ines, what is the best style advice your mom has given you?
My mother has always encouraged me to take risks with my style. She sparks my imagination on how I can repurpose my closet by mixing and matching, or folding and layering. One of the most important lessons she has bestowed, however, is how important it is to dress for yourself and no one else. If you take advantage of them, clothes are a tool for self expression, creativity, and confidence.

What are your favorite aspects about your mom’s style?
My mother’s elegance constantly astounds me. I am obsessed with the thoughtfulness she takes in styling herself, yet how she completely refrains from a uniform. Her style is unexpected, and provides me with genuine excitement and inspiration.

Does having an entrepreneurial spirited female figure in your life encourage you to follow in her footsteps? If so, how and what do you admire most about her work?
I don’t yet know what I want to do, but I am certainly inspired by my mother’s work ethic and what she has created with her business. I look up to the way she strives for originality, and how she juxtaposes textures and colors in such a magical way.

Liseanne, your aesthetic is incredibly unique and free-spirited. How has your personal style influenced your designs and vice versa?
I became a designer for the most part because I wasn’t finding anything available with the aesthetic that I was craving. I think that a creative life is truly one of the greatest luxuries, and I apply it to everything that I do, whether it’s working on a collection or getting dressed in the morning. It would be very difficult for me to really separate my personal style from what I design. I’m drawn to a number of seemingly different styles, and the layering of what I am attracted to is what I find the most interesting.

Did you always plan to own a store? How did your brand come to fruition?
I actually never thought I would own a store, so I definitely subscribe to the “never say never” maxim. The idea came to me as the perfect way to present my collection as a whole, and to fully express the aesthetic of what I was creating. The idea came to me on a flight from NYC to LA, and three weeks later I opened the door to the first LFrank boutique on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. It was 2007, and no one was proclaiming it to be the coolest anything. People thought that I had lost my mind. The only other high-end shopping to be had was my friend Pamela Barish. Now she is my next door neighbor on Main Street, 1/2 mile north of my original space. I began designing jewelry when I was a student at UCLA, but the brand continues to evolve. The addition of the lingerie and sleepwear collection in early 2015 furthers the experience of personal luxury that is the essence of everything that I do.

Are there any styling notes you take from your daughter? If so, what are they and how has your relationship with her influenced your personal style?
My daughter Ines is such a chic young woman, and I am very proud of how she navigates this incredibly overwhelming time with regards to her style. She dresses to please herself, to express her individuality, and her creative self. After doing a project in school that focused on sweat shops, she vowed to never wear anything made in one. She buys nearly everything in thrift shops, and the time we spend hunting for treasures is something I relish. She’s got a great eye. We mostly focus on finding something special for Ines, but every once in awhile I come away with something wonderful too.

Having a daughter (especially such a gorgeous and chic one!) has made me conscious of saving things and even of purchasing things that I feel that she will be thrilled to where when she is older. I once bought a pale blue chiffon and fur jacket because I just knew that it would look spectacular on her when she was old enough to wear it. I am also influenced by her commitment to vintage shopping. It is inspirational not only from a style point of view, but also from an environmental one. It feels really great to rescue something beautifully made, and to give it a good home.