If there's one designer that truly encapsulates the energy and style of L.A. it's Anine Bing. Her unique fusion of minimal Danish design and that quintessentially cool, laid-back California style has garnered a cult following that hopes to emulate her seemingly inimitable je ne sais quoi. Her clothing line strikes a balance between classic and edgy, and she has managed to infuse that magical mix into her boutique design too.
Bing and her team just opened their second L.A. store in the Pacific Palisades, and it truly emanates that minimal Scandinavian aesthetic without losing the warm and sunny disposition of its beachside location. Bing worked closely with her husband, Nico, on sourcing furniture for the store from all over the world including Sweden and Bali, including some from L.A, to ensure a truly global feel.
Step inside and take the tour for yourself with style notes from Bing and some of our favorite pieces from her collection.
Like all of Bing's stores (and her home), the Palisades store design drew inspiration from her love of Scandinavian simplicity. "I love having elements of inspiration around the store with art and photos of people I'm inspired by, but I like to keep most of the design simple and clean so the clothes can be the focus," she says. "I wanted the space to feel warm and inviting but polished and beautiful so that shopping there was an experience."
The vision for the Palisades store was to give women a stylish space where they could feel beautiful too. "I love to be in beautiful spaces I can feel inspired by," she says. "So our goal for the store was that—to make sure we gave the clothes a beautiful place to be and that the women shopping in our store could enjoy an inspiring space with elements that I love while picking out their clothes."
Bing's style is a mix of various aesthetics with a classic twist. "I wear a lot of classic pieces like white tee shirts and denim, but I also love to add a little edge with a leather jacket or maybe a leopard boot," she explains. "My whole closet is a mix of both of those looks inspired by European minimalism and American vintage." This also influenced the store design.
So much of what they put into the store was inspired by things Bing has in her house. "The design is also inspired by the style of clothes I love, a mix of hard and soft, masculine and feminine," she says. "I love having fresh flowers on the counter and leather accents and black frames throughout the store. I think this balance comes from my style for both my home and my closet."
Anine Bing's daughter Bianca is already following in her mom's stylish footsteps.
While each store is minimal and sleek, they each have their own personality but there's one thing that stays the same: "I have a black-and-white picture of Brigitte Bardot in my house that's also in our Anine Bing headquarters and in all of our stores," says Bing. "I wanted these spaces to feel like an extension of who I am and for the things that inspire the company to be all throughout the places we work."
Like all aspects of her life, Bing likes to keep things pretty minimal and crisp. "I didn't want any of the design to distract from the clothes," she says. "So we kept it clean. It feels open and fresh and lets the clothes speak for themselves. Lighter colors have a way of making a space feel bigger."
The biggest challenge was the "crazy" timing for the store. They only had a few months from the construction to opening day, so making sure everything was perfect while also meeting their deadlines was tricky at times. "It was a big team effort to pull off our opening, but we were able to rise to the challenge," says Bing. "It was amazing to see what we were able to pull off. My husband, Nico, has done that with all of our stores. Once we make a decision to do it, we act so fast, and he has a lot to do with that, along with our amazing retail team."
The space is really open, sunny and spacious, which is the one thing Bing really loves about the new store. "It captures one of my favorite things about living in L.A." she explains. "The lighter colors make the store feel big and airy, and we have these beautiful big windows that let the sun in. But the brick floors by far are my favorite design element. Everyone commented on the floors on opening day; they really stand out and make the space feel super open."
The first thing Bing bought for the store was the art by a Danish painter (and one of her really good friends) Allan Bestle. His art hangs in their house and at the Anine Bing headquarters. "He makes a custom piece for each one of our retail locations," she says. "It's such a powerful piece that really gives the space an amazing statement and personality."
While you're surrounded by classic, minimal design and clothing, there are a few unexpected pops of color like these hot pink boots. It's all about the mix.
Shop some of Bing's best sellers below.
Up Next: Anine Bing on what it's like to dress the biggest names in fashion.
