Schiaparelli opens first U.S. store at South Coast Plaza next month

Schiaparelli will open its first standalone boutique in the United States in December at South Coast Plaza. The Parisian fashion house, established in 1927 by Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli, will occupy a space on Level 2 of the Nordstrom Wing.

The new location will sell ready-to-wear clothing, leather goods, jewelry, and accessories. The ready-to-wear collection includes knits, pants, tops, and dresses. Schiaparelli is widely recognized for its avant-garde Face Bag, which features three-dimensional eyes, lips, and a nose. Prices for the handbags start at approximately $6,500.

The brand’s history involves collaboration with artist Salvador Dali. The two figures created apparel that blurred the line between fashion and art. Elsa Schiaparelli died in 1973, and Dali died in 1989. American Daniel Roseberry currently serves as the creative director for the house.

Celebrities have frequently worn Schiaparelli gowns to high-profile events. Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande have selected the brand for appearances at the Oscars and the Met Gala. Gaga wore a custom black and red Schiaparelli dress during President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration, where she performed the national anthem.

Schiaparelli is not the only new retail entrant in the region. Sun Day Red, a golf apparel and footwear brand co-created by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade Golf, opened its flagship store in San Clemente on Monday, Nov. 2. The brand is two years old and was designed in Orange County, Woods' native area.

The new store replaced the former Stance headquarters building at 197 Avenida La Pata. The interior features dark blue walls, leather chairs, and racks of clothing, shoes, and hats. Brad Blankinship, president of Sun Day Red, stated that the location serves golfers and fans in the community. He noted that the headquarters is located near apparel talent in South Orange County and golf talent in Carlsbad. The store operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The term Sun Day Red references Woods' habit of wearing red shirts on Sunday tournament days. Woods was born in Cypress and played full rounds of golf before his second birthday. He turned professional in 1996 at age 20 and won the Masters in 1997. In 2005, he launched a $25 million learning center in Anaheim. He stepped back from that nonprofit, now called the TGR Learning Lab, in 2009.

Big 5 is closing its store at Rancho Santa Margarita Town Center. Social media posts show closing banners on the 9,000-square-foot storefront at 30682 Santa Margarita Parkway. The space is adjacent to Ulta Beauty in a center anchored by Target. Shoppers reported markdown sales are already underway. The company, which was acquired by Worldwide Golf and Capitol Hill Group last year, has not announced a specific closing date.

Goodwill of Orange County raised $170,000 at its annual fundraising event, The Good Lunch 2026. The event took place on Oct. 15 at Newport Beach Country Club. The funds will support workforce development programs for young adults in the county. These programs provide career navigation, paid work experience, job readiness training, and skills development.

Other local business news includes leadership changes at South Coast Conservatory. Jessa Mendoza is the new executive director, succeeding Jena Minnick-Bull. Mendoza has worked at the conservatory for 10 years and has 26 years of experience as a dancer and educator. The organization has 1,000 enrolled students across 13 studios at two Orange County locations.