VIDEO: Trina Turk talks about the inspiration for her boutique at the Parker Palm Springs.
Louis Vuitton’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière, had a burning desire to utilize the allure of the desert to unveil his Resort 2015 Collection, but Palm Springs’ own Trina Turk has been designing and sharing the California lifestyle and her magic with the rest of the world for more than 20 years.
Coincidentally, Ghesquière fell in love with the Bob Hope Estate about 20 years ago or about the same time that Trina Turk opened her first store in Palm Springs.
Previously, there had not been a succinct definition of fashion for the casual California lifestyle other than jeans, beachwear, and a wide assortment of tropical print shirts. It almost seemed like “camp” for adults!
Trina’s love of color and fabrics motivated her to create her eponymous store in Palm Springs and eventually open 12 more stores throughout the country, as well as recently launch a charming smaller store in the Parker Hotel. Trina is definitely a fashion visionary, and although the Parker boutique took four years to come to fruition, it was obvious that this was something that Trina needed to do to cement her influence in the California lifestyle.
The boutique is a spirit-lifter the minute you enter and there are plenty of choices for casual California life. Bathing suits on plexi forms let you know that you must sit at the fabulous pool at this resort, and the caftans guarantee you that this is as dressy as you will need to be in the desert sunshine.
Trina Turk with Mr. Turk, Jonathan Skow.
So, it seemed natural that on a very rainy and grey evening at the Parker Hotel last week, Trina launched her newest capsule collection and celebrated her 20th anniversary with invited enthusiasts, and national and local media.
Almost every guest at the cocktail party sipped champagne and “Trinatini’s” while honoring Trina by wearing her designs in every color of the rainbow (except for a few fashion folk who cannot get away from wearing the safety of all black). It seemed that all of the dependable California sunshine was inside the elegant Parker Hotel ballroom.
Guests sports bright color patterns at Trina Turk’s 20th anniversary reception at the Parker Palm Springs.
Jami Galbraith, Tracy Worthington, Maria Verstappen wear matching Trina Turk prints.
Four of the guests were seen wearing fashions styled from Trinas 20th anniversary Capsule collection ‘s special Egyptian print fabric – more about this fabric later!
(From left) Missy Arko, Jami Galbraith, Claudine Covolo, and Sarah Montalto.
(From left) Athalie Laquerre, Jaime Kowal, Mary Jo Ginther, Amy Blaisdell, and Sarah Hahne.
(From left) Rachel Mosely, Liz Cherkasova, and Jenn Ash.
(From left) Rachel Mosely, Jillian Magenheim, Heather Gildroy, Olivia Lopez, Trina Turk, Jenn Ash, and Kat Collings.
The Brunch and The House
Boarding the “Buzz” to make the trek to Trina Turk’s Palm Springs home.
The following morning national and local media guests were picked up at the Parker by the Buzz Bus and shuttled to Trina’s beautiful home, “The Ship of the Desert,” in the Mesa area of Palm Springs for a private brunch and home tour.
The exterior of “The Ship of the Desert.”
This ship-like home appears to float above the valley with decks and windows that are reminiscent of a romantic luxury liner. Built in the 1930s for a Navy admiral, Trina and her husband and partner, Jonathan Skow, purchased the home in 1998 and proceeded to remodel with the Trina Turk California lifestyle aesthetic clearly in their plans. Bright colors, important art work, a joyful mixture of textures and prints left no doubt that you were in a California home with colorful and comfortable elegance.
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The living room and a view of Palm Springs and beyond.
The master bedroom.
A second bedroom.
The mystery of the curved walls and redwood balconies seemed to collaborate with Trina’s invitation to “look” through her home before settling in at the sunny yellow tables set for a sumptuous brunch with champagne and much chatter.
The brunch area awaits the guests.
Enjoying the brunch catered from Cheeky’s in Palm Springs.
A toast at Trina’s table with (clockwise) are Trina (pink), Arianna Menon, Susan Stein, Katy Carrier, and Brittany Adams.
Although the dreary rain continued outside, fashion writers from national fashion magazines, well-known bloggers, public relations executives from New York and Los Angeles, as well as local media, did not want to leave this iconic experience that exemplifies the confident and casual life style that Trina Turk has shared for the last 20 years.
Trina’s hope is to create more signature lifestyle stores similar to the one in Palm Springs in markets like Phoenix-Scottsdale, Miami, and Palm Beach. Each store would encompass all aspects of her collections and include women’s, men’s, home, and design.
Trina’s brunch drew media from national fashion magazines, fashion bloggers, public relations executives from New York and Los Angeles, and local media.
As we boarded the “Buzz” bus, Trina presented each of her guests with a beautiful scarf in an Egyptian floral print created for her 20th anniversary capsule collection.
On the return trip to the Parker most of the delighted guests were competing to create the most creative way to wear or tie the scarves. What a perfect way to “wrap up” a momentous Trina Turk celebration!
Susan Stein is the Fashion Editor for Palm Springs Life.
Guests exit the “Buzz” bus at the end of the day donning Trina’s gift of a beautiful scarf in an Egyptian floral print created for her 20th anniversary capsule collection.