Inside Bonobos’ Newport Beach guideshop at Fashion Island
Bonobos is growing. After setting up shop in Los Angeles last summer — on trendy La Brea Ave. at that — the brand has opened stores in both San Diego and San Jose. But Orange County just scored its own location, too. Open today at Newport Beach’s Fashion Island, Bonobos is bringing its unique brand of menswear to OC guys looking for a different way to shop for work and play.
“Fashion Island is a great destination for the local community,” says Ron Thurston, Director of Retail at Bonobos. “And the prime location in the center as well as the proximity to our Nordstrom partner made this an excellent choice for us to open a Bonobos Guideshop.”
Inside Bonobos’ Newport Beach guideshop at Fashion Island
The Bonobos Newport Beach guideshop follows on the footsteps of San Diego’s Westfield University Towne Center opening and marks just the third guideshop to be open at a mall (the first was at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Maryland and the UTC spot was the second). Previously Bonobos stuck to street storefronts, but as the brand expands, the guideshop concept is entering into malls and more. Like the La Brea store, the Newport Beach location — which clocks in at 1,085 square-feet — incorporates local art and unique touches that you’ll only find at the Fashion Island guideshop, such as a custom Bonobos surfboard and photo books featuring vintage surf photos and more.
And like all of the Bonobos guideshops, guys will be able to find the brand’s pants, shirting, knits and suiting. Bonobos is built on pants and there are plenty of them on offer in the label’s signature flattering fits, colors and prints. There’s also a selection of shorts and t-shirts — it’s Newport, after all — as well as polos. The guideshop allows guys to make an appointment online (though shoppers can always pop in for an impromptu visit) and come in for a one-on-one shopping consult. The guides will walk new customers through the brand’s different styles while veterans can check out new colors and seasonal offerings.
“The reason we chose Newport Beach at Fashion Island was the incredible success of our other west coast locations and the relaxed, California vibe that we as a brand easily identified with,” says Thurston.
Bonobos is offering a more extended range of suiting along with the pants that are the brand’s bread and butter. The Newport Beach store is featuring the rollout of the Jetsetter Suit, the latest tailored option from Bonobos, which offers a wool stretch that’s comfortable enough to wear all year long and available in three staple colors. The Newport Beach shop also plays host to the brand’s Groomshop, which lets a groom-to-be and his wedding party get together (either all at one shop or in any of the brand’s guideshops nationwide) and be fitted in one of the brand’s tuxes, suits or separates — and get at 15% discount while they’re at it.
Bonobos’ Jetsetter suit
The Newport Beach guideshop also offers a selection from Maide, Bonobos’ golf line. It’s just the thing to spice up a guy’s game on the links, especially if they’re sick of looking like every other guy on the green. What’s next for the line? Expansion in New York with a two-story 5th Avenue flagship and more guideshops on the way, but with five ‘shops up and running in California alone, the West Coast might just be the best dressed coast.
“We are excited to see how the Newport Beach community reacts to the personalized shopping experience of the Bonobos Guideshop and the upcoming launch of our spring and summer collections,” added Thurston.
The Bonobos Newport Beach Guideshop is located at 1057 Newport Center Drive, at Fashion Island. For more information and to make an appointment, visit www.bonobos.com.
Images courtesy Bonobos
