A next-level four-story soirée
Words by DAVID NASH
On November 21, high style and laid-back living became more accessible in Orange County with the opening of RH NEWPORT BEACH, the brand’s latest gallery at Fashion Island. Chairman and CEO Gary Friedman conceptualized the 97,000-square-foot emporium — with its blurred-line ethos that incorporates home, hospitality, and retail in an indoor-outdoor atmosphere — as a transparent four-level contemporary structure imbued with natural light and fresh air.
The new Southern California outpost debuted to an A-list crowd that included Jessica Alba, Sydney Sweeney, Sara and Erin Foster, Gerrit Cole, Shanina Shaik, and Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill.
Upon entry, expansive glass-and-steel French doors opened to a vibrant garden courtyard complete with two impressive 16-foot waterfalls and terraces, a walking path, and 100-year-old heritage olive trees that created an expansive ecosystem. Guests were offered fresh Bellinis by Cipriani New York and enjoyed Petrossian caviar, Ruinart Champagne, sushi from Nobu, Kazunori hand rolls, and a full raw bar.
One level up, revelers moved through a classical arrangement of rooms showcasing an array of RH interiors — along with one-of-a-kind artifacts and antiques — that introduced guests to RH Modern, the brand’s largest assortment of modern furnishings, textiles, and décor paying homage to 20th-century modernism. The second level, dedicated to its outdoor collections, includes full furnishing lines dreamed up by world-renowned designers, while the third level features the first-ever dedicated Waterworks showroom within a gallery setting and houses RH’s design offices. Heading up the grand staircase, guests reached the rooftop and the 260-seat restaurant, RH Ocean Grill, where oyster shucking became a competitive sport in an effort to keep up with the demand. Two adjacent wine bars served more libations, including Rumor Rosé, as everyone paused to take in the sweeping views of California’s coastline from within the skylit garden atrium, which was highlighted by shimmering chandeliers, more olive trees, and a central fountain.
Benefiting Hoag, Orange County’s nonprofit regional health care network, and its new Sun Family Campus in Irvine, Friedman and the evening’s host committee — including Jessica Frandson, Alexandra and Rick Taketa, Bob McKnight, Lindye and Winn Galloway, and Lia and Victor Assad — mingled with design-savvy heavy hitters of every stripe, like Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, Guess CEO Carlos Alberini, Urban Decay cofounder Wende Zomnir, Beach Riot founder Nicole Hanriot-Tinkess, jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer, and stylist Molly Dickson.
December 3, 2024
Discover more PARTIES news here.
