DIGS is the premiere luxury real estate lifestyle magazine serving the most affluent neighborhoods in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles, California.
Issue link: https://www.southbaydiggs.com/i/1174044
48 DIGS.NET | 10.4.2019 A R C H I T E C T U R E + D E S I G N P R O F I L E | A LT F O R L I V I N G FOLLOWING THE LAUNCH OF THE ORIGINAL ALT FOR LIVING SHOWROOM IN NEW YORK CITY (COMPLETE WITH A PARISIAN-INSPIRED CAFE), BRAND FOUNDER ANALISSE TAFT-GERSTEN HAS OPENED A SECOND SHOWROOM IN LOS ANGELES. PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF ALT FOR LIVING Exquisitely curated collections−and a shrewdly shared showroom−make for a one-stop trade/retail concept in Los Angeles. W R I T T E N B Y J E N N T H O R N T O N T R A D I N G U P A nalisse Taft-Gersten is, if not a Jill of all trades, then certainly of the one with which she interacts as the founder of ALT For Living, a brand that was born with a flagship showroom in New York City. Since then, the tastemaker has returned to Los Angeles, and in truly spectacular fashion, with a second outpost. Located in the heart of the Design District, ALT LA is an extension of what Taft-Gersten started in NYC, bringing its curated lifestyle experience to a crowded design landscape. "We have been working with clients in LA since ALT For Living was founded," says Taft-Gersten, a world-traveler who has never met a beautiful design she didn't absolutely love (or possibly try to procure for her own purposes, a passion that only benefits her brand). "As the company grew, we realized there was a missing concept in Los Angeles." So she filled it, with a supremely eclectic array of hand-selected luxury goods, from vintage furnishings, to artisan textiles and rugs, to a small parade of smart accessories. "At the same time," Taft-Gersten notes, "we share a showroom with Remains Lighting that has the same type of synergy by offering custom high-end lighting." ere it is, the edge: e shared showroom is a highlight in a competitive district that distinguishes ALT LA from other such outposts. It also offers convenience−there is but one shop to scour in order to fulfill all of one's design needs. Even in minimalist- inclined Los Angeles, this is rare treat for the trade (the showroom occasionally sells retail, as well) and at the same time taps into the experiential retail trade. In this sense ALT LA speaks to Taft- Gersten's knack for turning a traditional concept on its head. e ALT For Living showroom in NYC is a case in point. e flagship also includes A Little Taste Café, a petite, Parisian-influenced coffee bar. Inspired to create a "speakeasy experience" after her husband James opened his eatery La Esquina in SoHo, Taft-Gersten brought a dose of café-society appeal to the place. "It has always been my desire to offer an exceptional and different experience for my consumers," says Taft-Gersten of one that is both "visual and tactile" with elements of "taste and aroma." e "taste" in ALT LA is Taft-Gersten's own, and it is her clear and robust sensitivity to the modern aesthetic that animates the boutique space and its