THE VILLA Known For Exposing Locals To New Brands
Sara Villarreal (2nd left) of THE VILLA with Bex and Mo of Adornia (R)
One of the leading high-end multi-brand boutiques in Shanghai, since its launch in 2009 THE VILLA has stood on the cutting edge of the burgeoning local fashion scene. As the only point of sale in mainland China for many designer labels, the boutique remains one of a kind even as retailers stocking niche brands proliferate in the cosmopolitan city.
Over the past several years, THE VILLA has made a name for itself in Shanghai by holding several private, low-key events aimed at providing local fashionistas with a platform to learn about (and interact with) new designers and labels, becoming far more than your average store.
Recently, THE VILLA built on its already impressive roster of brands with the addition of Adornia Fine Jewelry, which launched at the boutique with a special trunk show attended by Jing Daily as well as plenty of Shanghai’s budding fashion enthusiasts. Adornia founders Becca (Bex) Aronson and Moran (Mo) Amir were also on the scene to introduce their brand.
For the private event, Bex and Mo — who met in business school while pursuing their MBAs at Wharton — brought several jewelry collections, among them the Shanghai-inspired “Shanghai Can Wait,” with materials including gold, silver and precious stones. Though brand-savvy Shanghainese are notoriously hard to impress, judging by the reaction of attendees it looks like Adornia is already off to a strong start in the city.
Bex and Mo of Adornia (Image: Erica Ji for Jing Daily)
Adornia collections at THE VILLA (Image: Erica Ji for Jing Daily)
Jing Daily Shanghai Correspondent Erica Ji is the writer and photographer behind the popular Chinese fashion blog Fossilized Seed, which focuses on emerging designers the world over.