Homes & Estates Digest Homes & Estates Digest 2015 | Edition 2 | Page 8

Feminine Mystique:

By Alyson Pitarre

I

n the bridal world, no name inspires reverence quite like Monique Lhuillier. A favorite among well-heeled brides and celebrities
(including Reese Witherspoon and Carrie Underwood), the Philippines-born fashion designer is the queen of detail, capable of
reinventing feminine glamour with every drape of organza, every application of Chantilly lace, every daringly bold silhouette that
hits her runways season to season. Her design innovation doesn’t stop with a walk down the aisle, either. Her 11-year-old fashion
house has expanded into evening wear, ready-to-wear, tabletop and gifts, stationery and home fragrances—providing non-brides
(and maybe even a gentleman or two) with an opportunity to share in the Monique Lhuillier promise of sophisticated luxury. (She
has future plans for a furniture line, too.)
As it turns out, the designer’s runway style transitions well to home décor. For her own French manor home in Holmby Hills,
she mixes neutral tones and textures, threading elegance through every room. A 13-foot custom crystal chandelier hanging in
the foyer resembles an upside-down wedding cake—a nod to her bridal beginnings. And Paris—one of her favorite cities in the
world—never seems to be far away, as interior designer Jennie Abbott artfully combined modern and vintage furniture from the
1930s through the 1970s like a great French mix master. She even added French doors, which connect back to the kitchen—the
place where Lhuillier’s family “pretty much lives,” she says—and adjoining family room.

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