words_dena rochelle
I wish that Heist had an outpost in San Francisco, or better yet, Los Altos or Palo Alto. The first time I set foot into the Venice boutique on Abbot Kinney (during my SoCal living days), I fell in love with the labels that were artfully displayed around the space. As owner and sole buyer for the store, Nilou Ghodsi curates Heist as a larger version of her closet (one that I’d definitely love to raid). She was among the first retailers to bring Isabel Marant stateside and credits the French designer as one of her biggest influencers over the years. In addition to Marant, the shop currently stocks an enticing mix of labels like Humanoid, Jerome Dreyfuss, Raquel Allegra, Won Hundred, Xirena, and Monrow. It’s not just the brands that speak to me, it’s the pieces that Nilou selects. Take Raquel Allegra for instance. I would wear almost every single item available at Heist. Honestly, there is only one I would pass on… the bright red sweater (but I would totally buy it as a gift for my bright color-loving friends). I also like that with every label selected, Nilou chooses a mix of classic minimalist items and statement pieces. This is how we dress. We need beautiful basics but also want amazing details, great fits and things that stand out.
One of the other reasons I love Heist is the Ensembles, which are styled and worn by Nilou (and some other stylish ladies that are part of her inner circle). This Hache Jacket and Won Hundred dress is among Nilou’s latest ensembles for Fall 14. I look at these women often for style inspo and it gives me a better sense of how the clothes will look on me. This is so helpful when shopping online, which I’ll have to keep doing until I convince Nilou to open another Heist in NorCal!
