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China Robinson, mother of Chanel Iman, a supermodel that requires no introduction, has teamed up with business partner Candance Simmons to open The Red Bag Boutique. The Culver City-based shop carriers a variety of accessories and designer brand clothing including current trends as well as one-of-a-kind vintage threads. When I stopped in to check out The Red Bag Boutique for myself, Chanel Iman was behind the counter ringing up customers and signing autographs for her fans. Whenever the globetrotting model is in town, she makes it a priority to pop into the boutique to oversee the merchandise and help her mother out. “I just come in every once in a while to help her out. I mean…it’s my mom. I support her in anything that she does and I’m just really happy for her and excited,” exclaims Chanel.

The premise of the boutique is for it to be a place where mothers and daughters can shop together and experience a day of retail pampering in a friendly environment that accommodates both parties. “Originally when she [my mom] came up with The Red Bag Boutique, she wanted to have women come in and shop for themselves, you know older women of her age. And then I wanted girls to be able to come in with their mom and not just sit there so I decided to go shopping for the girls of my age, so it’s a mother and daughter type of place to shop,” explains Chanel. “It’s a great mom and daughter store. We have lots of customers who come in and the mom goes in one dressing room, the daughters go in another dressing room,” says China.

Chanel personally selects the clothing for a rack in the shop’s front room that accommodates shoppers of her age. While helping a customer when I was in, she mentioned that she personally owns everything from her collection. “I bought everything off that rack for myself,” laughs Chanel. As an added bonus to her fans, Chanel autographs the tag of every piece of her clothing so that customers who purchase from her rack leave with an additional souvenir.

China took me on a tour of the store, while explaining that the boutique caters to a more trendy, yet sophisticated style. “You know, nothing that is like an in and out trend; something that you can invest in that is going to be in your closet for a while.” The store’s front room focuses on more of a retro fashion and is where the boutique’s newer pieces are stored.

The back room, which was my favorite, is where The Red Bag Boutique’s vintage collection is housed. “We have everybody back here from Oscar de Larenta to Armani to Chanel to vintage Christian Dior. We have Balenciaga. We have a whole rack back here that belongs to Chanel; it came out of her closet. A lot of things back here have never been worn but they are pre-owned, says China.” Jason Wu, the designer of Michelle Obama’s gorgeous inaugural gown, is yet another big name label found in the back room of The Red Bag Boutique. Standing in the vintage room makes you feel as if you are inside the walk-in closets of some of history’s best designers. Crystal chandeliers dip down from the ceiling and accessories are arranged on top of vintage nightstands. Armoires are filled with decorative pieces, such as a collection of pins that China had as a little girl and antique perfume bottles still containing the scents worn by China’s mother.

Customers that purchase items from the store walk out with The Red Bag Boutique’s signature red bags, marked with the shop’s official logo, a joint combination of the hanger tattoo on the back of Chanel’s neck and the body from the tattoo on Chanel’s ankle. “We thought Bloomingdales has the brown bag, Victoria’s Secret has a pink bag and Tiffany’s had the blue bag, so we need the red bag. Red is my favorite color so I was all for it,” exclaims Candance Simmons.

Candance and China are having a blast with their new boutique and hope to turn it into a favorite shopping destination for mothers and daughters. “Everyone that comes in here leaves and says, ‘Oh I feel so good. You make me feel so good. Thanks for helping me and I would have never done this but I’m so excited that I did.’ And that’s our blessing to our clients, is to style them,” says Candance.

The store is currently running several promotions, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Currently, items in the vintage room and on Chanel Iman’s personal rack are 25% off. Fashion gurus China and Candance invite you to stop in for a personal shopping session, take home a piece from Chanel’s own closet, and sip a glass of champagne with your mother while you shop.

10754 W. Jefferson Blvd Culver City, CA 90230. Phone – (310) 559-7332
Words by Nicole Pajer. Photos by Dustin Downing