Letarte Swim
Fashion Island is staying true to it’s seaside shopping vibe. After introducing shoppers to Aussie swim brand Seafolly and bringing in San Lorenzo Bikinis from Brazil (not to mention OC’s own Swim Spot), the Newport Beach shopping center is welcoming another swimwear label, Letarte. Known for embellished suits and channeling the spirit of aloha into its design, the label is beloved by beach-goers worldwide. Previously, you could find Letarte at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman along with over 400 other specialty boutiques worldwide, but with their retail expansion, you can experience (and shop) the Letarte world for yourself.
Sisters Lisa Letarte Cabrinha and Michele Letarte Ross
“We are excited to add Letarte’s first Orange County location to the amazing assortment of swimwear shops at Fashion Island,” said Stacie Ellis, senior director of marketing for Irvine Company Retail Properties. “Being located next to the beautiful Pacific ocean makes Newport Beach the perfect spot to find your summer and beachwear essentials.”
Created by sisters Lisa Letarte Cabrinha and Michele Letarte Ross, Letarte was established in 2000 inside a bungalow right on the sunny shores of Maui. The brand is still based on the islands, but designer Lisa Letarte Cabrinha (along with her sister and president of the company Michele) brings in boho influences from around the world and combines it with Hawaiian spirit to create one-of-a-kind prints for the line. The brand has caught the attention of celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Cindy Crawford as well as earning over 50 appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, including two covers.
Letarte boutique
The Fashion Island boutique follows the opening of a location in Los Angeles at the Malibu Country Mart. The Newport Beach store spans 1,000 square feet and includes the brand’s swimwear as well as beach-ready rashguards, boho after-swim apparel and cover-ups breezy sheers as well as luxe crochet. The store is also carrying the brand’s children’s line, all housed in a beach-inspired shop that is decorated with surfboards, coastal art and more.
“Our Letarte stores have inspired us to create a luxe year-round experience for our customers by bringing them from the beach to the street with dresses, tunics, swimwear and Apres Soleil Cashmere,” says Letarte President Michele Letarte Ross. “Whether I am visiting our Madison Avenue store on a snowy Saturday or in the Palm Beach boutique on a sunny afternoon, I hear the same sentiment repeated — Letarte takes you away to a different place. It’s the vibe in our stores, an embellishment on an tunic, a pattern on a bikini. What started out as a brand has evolved into a lifestyle.”
Letarte is located at 133 Newport Center Drive, at Fashion Island. For more information, visit www.letarteswimwear.com.
Shop our favorite Letarte pieces:
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Images courtesy Letarte
