Swimwear Brand Gigi C Opens A New Showroom In LA’s The Grove

Gigi Caruso, founder of Gigi C.

Since Barneys New York closed in 2019, its Los Angeles store in The Grove has sat vacant until luxury lifestyle bikini brand owner, Gigi Caruso scooped it up. Caruso has officially opened the Gigi C showroom and offices in the space today.

The new Gigi C showroom.

There’s nothing worse than having a large retail space shut down in a major retail area. Gigi C is bringing life back to a space that has been dead for four years. “It is important to us to uphold the legacy of the old Barneys location, to the space that was once home,” says Caruso. “It was an iconic destination for years, and we are so proud to be taking over and breathing new life into the location.”

Caruso, whose father, billionaire Rick Caruso, owns the Grove, continues, “I grew up going to The Grove with my family, so it has always held a special place in my heart. My mom and I would shop in the Barneys department store there frequently, which quickly became a fond memory of mine since my mom is such a style inspiration to me. When that particular space became an opportunity, I knew it would make for the perfect Gigi C headquarters. We looked at many spaces but nothing felt as right as this one.”

Gaining a celebrity following from the likes of models Irina Shayk to Candice Swanepoel, and actresses Selma Blair, Eva Longoria, and Naomi Watts, Caruso has an elevated space to welcome them and other clientele now. “Our team has rapidly grown in the last year, and we felt we needed a space where every department can collaborate and work together. I believe it is so important to have a space where we can invite our wholesale account buyers, influencers, editors, stylists and other people from our community,” she says.

She chose to partner with LA-based celebrity interior design firm Maison Ko, founded by David Samuel Ko, who has worked with the likes of Hilary Duff to tell this new story. “The style of the space is complimentary of the Gigi C product. It is chic yet minimal while representing the brand ethos and my personal style. The layout of the showroom floor was designed specifically to show the product in a unique way. We worked closely with Maison Ko to help bring the brand’s aesthetic to a physical space, and the outcome is an embodiment of what Gigi C truly is,” she says.

The interior was designed by Maison Ko.

Ko designed the 5,840 square foot space with clean and minimal lines, gravitating towards a black and white color palette inside, and ash oak floors which align with the brand’s core colors. The windows are done in black steel and the partitions contrast the brass clothing racks. “We’re known for our core black and white color palette, and this is definitely evident throughout the whole space. We mixed textures and tones while remaining within that color palette to really let the Gigi C styles pop within the Showroom on the beautiful brass clothing racks that adorn the first floor,” says Caruso.

The downstairs is the showroom.

The showroom downstairs is where private wholesale appointments will take place, as well as editor and stylist visits- and events which will also take place in the space. The California-born designer also designed the office upstairs, which opened earlier this month.

The upstairs is where the offices are located.

The meeting room.

Caruso is hopeful that the offices will translate into successful and innovative business taking root for the brand. For her, it was important that Ko be able to design a place where the workspace blends well with the showroom to form community, allowing people to come together and connect with Gigi C. A brand should be more than just its products, it should also have the mindset that it’s a community bringing people together while meeting consumer needs.

Launching in 2017, Caruso has been able to establish a brand that resonates with women. The quality of the swimwear and activewear is top notch. “When I look back, I think about how opening this space is the biggest milestone in my career. I started Gigi C at home, and it’s incredible to see the growth and community we’ve built in the form of this showroom and office space. Every time I walk through the doors of the new Gigi C headquarters, the first thing I think of is just how far we’ve come as a brand and team, and so much more is yet to come!”

The black and white color palette of the office is an extension of the black and white color palette … [+]

And it’s something she’d do again, knowing all the ups and downs that come with launching a fashion brand- if she had to. “The more complex a process is, the more rewarding it becomes when it is completed. One of my favorite things about growing my brand is when you have an idea, put it on paper and then get to see it come to life and share that with the world! I feel incredibly proud and grateful to everyone who contributed to creating this beautiful space.”

The new fall 2023 collection is inspired by ballet attire.

With a new showroom and office, also comes a new fall sport collection that will launch in October. This collection is an expansion of the Gigi C aesthetics activewear line and it’s inspired by all thing’s ballet. Looks include delicate crop tops, sleek leggings, elegant skirts, and a jumpsuit, with design twists of keyholes tie-detailing that looks ballet-esque. The collection is done in a color palette that ranges from sage to black, and made with the new Gigi C Power Rib, a performance-driven fabric.

“Our athleticwear has always represented strength – conveying a very strong and powerful energy. I felt that the art of ballet introduced a softer and more interesting take on how strength can coincide with femininity and softness,” says Caruso.