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PALM SPRINGS

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NOVEMBER 2016 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER 91

Fly into Los Angeles and rent a car (preferably a convertible) because the drive – an hour and

a half through otherworldly desertscapes – is like nothing else. Some will say that Palm Springs’ heyday was the era of Ol’ Blue Eyes, sleek bouffants

and poolside drinks. And while the time-capsule Mid-Century Modern architecture still delights, now there’s also a vibrant creative community,

emerging design districts, treasure-trove shops putting their own spin on the past

and contemporary boutiques embodying the laid-back Cali lifestyle, says KELLY LACK

The Desert House, by Marmol Radziner is a perfect example

of Palm Springs’ Mid-Century Modern

architecture

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SHOPPING

LOCAL KNOW-HOWJAIME KOWAL

PHOTOGRAPHER

I adore Hedge House (hedgehousefurniture.com), which is run by two passionate furniture collectors who are happy to offer advice along with a shot of espresso while you browse. Mr Lyons (mrlyonsps.com) is a beautifully designed new steakhouse. The owners, Tara and Marco, really know what they’re doing – they also own two of my other favourite restaurants: Cheeky’s (cheekysps.com) and Birba (birbaps.com). On a weeknight, Melvyn’s (inglesideinn.com) is a riot. It’s a classy old bar that hasn’t changed in decades, with live piano music and a dance floor that is never empty. If you want to get out of town, Indian Canyons (indian-canyons.com) has miles of hiking trails with indigenous California fan palms in the rocky desert terrain.Kowal is the owner of The Amado hotel (theamado.com) and co-founder of Ernest Coffee (ernestcoffee.com) and Bootlegger Tiki (bootleggertiki.com)

NOVEMBER 2016 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER 93

INTERIORS CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY “I just buy what I like,” says interior designer Kennedy of the vintage items at his studio. Pop by his shop and you’ll find pieces from his signature collection mixed up with a hand-selected range of furniture, jewellery and homeware. There’s even a line of dog clothing and cute pet bowls (pups Harley and Dolly often lounge around the store). Kennedy himself holds court on Sundays when bubbly and design advice flow freely. Armchairs from AED 10,470; 001-760-325 3214, christopherkennedy.com

MODERNWAY Resort-wear designer Trina Turk, who has a dreamy home and shop in Palm Springs, describes Modernway owner Courtney Newman as the city’s unofficial mayor. His store acts as an introduction to desert design history, and he was a founding member of the Palm Springs Modern Committee, which led the area’s Mid-Century resurgence. The store specialises in pieces from the Forties to the Seventies, but he’s especially keen on the psychedelic stylings of the late Sixites. Walk in today and you’ll see a pair of Warren Platner lounge chairs alongside an Adrian Pearsall sofa, an ultra-rare JBL Paragon stereo speaker and a brutalist resin fireplace. Tomorrow, who knows? Warren Platner lounge chair from AED 21, 670; psmodernway.com

A LA MOD In this Uptown Design District shop, owners James Claude and Miguel Linares relish reinvention, bringing out-of-style pieces back to life. Most things here undergo a smart little makeover, whether via reupholstery, re-plating or refinishing. There’s an ever-evolving selection of items born in the Sixites, Seventies and Eighties. The boys fawn over a good Milo Baughman chair, love Charles Hollis Jones’ acrylic work and will never forget the Sixties Maurice Calka desk that passed through their doors several years back. Charles Hollis Jones works from AED 10,285; 001-760-327 0707, alamod768.com

JUST MODERN Headed by Chris Mobley, the chairman of Modernism Week (whose style cred runs deep), this place specialises in brand-new, retro-inspired furniture that does a fine job straddling both the past and present. It’s the design solution for the Mid-Century-minded who get cold feet when actually faced with the unpredictability of sourcing “old stuff”. Look out for lantern lamps, geometric chairs and outdoor fire pits. Lantern lamps from AED 1,285; 001-760-322 5600, justmoderndecor.com

FASHION HIGHEST FORM A counterpoint to the power-clashing maximalism celebrated by Palm Springs’ many vintage emporiums, the tucked-away shop of this local clothing brand is a back-to-basics breath of fresh air. Created by the former design director of Hype and French Connection, the line focuses on comfy staples for men and women – the soft T-shirt you’re going to put on and never want to take off, so you buy it in all colours. There’s also a handful of vintage goods up for grabs. T-shirts from AED 360; 001-323-404 2093, highestform.com

MITCHELLS “Going to Studio 54 on a Saturday night having shopped earlier that day at Fiorucci” is how Mitchells’ owner Mitchel Karp describes the vibe of his groovy shop, which sells the clothes your parents made look good back in the day. “The store is sexy and sleek,” he says. “You won’t find pillbox hats

or poodle skirts here.” While many of the labels on the rails are high fashion – Paco Rabanne, Pucci, Alaïa, Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier – Karp’s only criteria for what he stocks is that it be relentlessly chic. Which means there are floaty chiffon dresses for women and sharp blazers for men. 001-760-864 1515, mitchellsps.com

ONE-STOP FIX THE SHOPS AT THIRTEEN FORTY FIVE This is the kind of place in which you can lose an entire day. Fourteen gorgeous stores all hidden inside an E Stewart Williams building. Come here for graphic printed tops from Daydreamer (from AED 250), far-out scarves by Candice Held (from AED 730) and pillows and clutches made from Moroccan textiles at Soukie Modern (from AED 1,380). There are also some excellent antique outlets specialising in everything from 19th-century Americana to Italian imports.theshopsat1345.com

PALM SPRINGS VINTAGE MARKET If you can, time your trip so you’ll be in town on the first Sunday of the month. That’s when this extravaganza explodes in the car park of Camelot Theatre, drawing browsers, buyers and buffs with carefully curated objects sold for a song (if you’re prepared to dig). It’s a playground of coveted furniture, impossibly cool art and vintage jewellery, with the occasional Airstream to drive home. Entry from AED 20; 001-760-534 7968, palmspringsvintagemarket.com

SOUVENIRSDESTINATION PSP This sleek, almost futuristic take on your run-of-the-mill souvenir shop is stocked with swag you’ll use – not the kind doomed to live in the back of your cupboard. It’s a marketplace for home accessories in bright patterns reminiscent of the city’s palette and mini shops dedicated to memorabilia. Pick up a set of Desert Modernists Devotional Candles with the faces of six Mid-Century architects, including Donald Wexler. Candles from AED 92; 001-760-354 9154, destinationpsp.com

STAYING OVER ARRIVE PALM SPRINGS Come to this new kid on the block in the hip Uptown Design District for the extras: the lengthy, cabana-surrounded pool, the big hot tub, the bocce-ball court and the charming ice-cream parlour/gift shop. The cool décor mixes Mid-Century Modern with slick, locally made custom furniture. Doubles from AED 695; 001-760-507 1650, arrivehotels.com

Clockwise from left: Retro furniture

at Hedge; Moroccan cushions at Soukie

Modern; the slick Arrive Palm Springs; colourful tableware

at Destination PSP; retro style

at Mitchells; a handbag made

of textiles at Soukie Modern