Highlighting women-owned businesses we love
March is Women’s History Month! And to get in the spirit, we’re thinking about all the local businesses we love that are owned and operated by and for bad-ass entrepreneurial ladies. From clothes, to skincare, to food, to home decor, the offerings on this list prove exceptional within their various genres, and give prospective clients the opportunity to invest in women’s empowerment while treating themselves to something really special. Let’s dive in.
Kennedy Contemporary
Victoria Kennedy founded the Kennedy Contemporary gallery on the vision of creating a more informed and intimate art-collecting experience for passionate clientele. Representing 14 artists at varying stages within their careers, Victoria and consultant Laura Sonnek work with designers and private collectors alike to enrich both the display space and the lives of their clientele with unique modern artworks.
AEF Interiors
Ali Faulkner and her all-women team take a personal approach to interior design, yielding results that “you won’t believe [are] real.” With extraordinary communication, expertise, and attention to detail, AEF Interiors is committed to making the process of creating and finalizing your design project as enjoyable as the end product itself.
Olivo Amigo Olive Oil
Gloria Molist wants consumers of her truly inspiring edible ingredients to be able to taste the love and joy that has gone into producing Spark, Vitality, and Elevate – balsamic vinegar, EVOO, and a Mediterranean spice mixture, respectively. And she makes it happen! Olivo Amigo should be a staple in every foodie’s pantry.
Backhouse Fragrances
Legacy creatrix Danielle Whisenand is inviting clients to elevate their scented candle game when they invest in Backhouse products. The artisanal candles represent a modern and elegant design aesthetic which is also reflected in the delicious and cultivated aromas within. Each is hand poured by Danielle and her team.
Thomas Grove Skincare
Jennifer Hill is bringing efficacious simplicity to the world of skincare with divine products that do what they say on the tin with far, far less than what you find in many contemporary skincare solutions. Simple, natural ingredients like rosehip and neroli deliver a clean, potent, and luxurious experience which is becoming synonymous with the Thomas Grove name.
Argaux
United by a mutual love of food, wine, and each other, best friends Arden Gilfillan and Margaux Reaume created Argaux as a way to both share delicious, artisanal wines with their discerning clientele, as well as sing the praises of the small-batch winemakers pouring out incredible bottles using sustainable methodologies. The Argaux collection is hand-curated by the company’s all-expert, all-woman team in Southern California.
Ciao Pappy
Francesca Pittaluga was inspired by her very Italian, very food-enthused father, “Pappy,” to create a line of culinary products honoring the family’s relationship to identity and culture. Simplicity, creativity, and a whole lot of love lies at the heart of each of their classic yet totally unique Marinara recipes. Ciao Pappy makes for a welcome condiment at weeknight suppers and elevated dinner parties alike.
Atelier Saucier
Another story of entrepreneurial genius founded by fast friendship, Atelier Saucier founders Nikki Reed and Staci Inspektor have made table linens the focus of your next dinner party with creative, vibrant, attractive, and (best of all) totally sustainable napkins, placemats, runners, and more. Order ready-mades or customs for the home, the restaurant, or your very well-equipped picnic basket.
Rose West
Rose West Studio offers a curated selection of skin, bath, and home-care products made intentionally to bring a sense of storyful immersion into each experience. Bath salts, facial steams, candles and soaps are all sourced locally, or otherwise from other creators centering sustainability at the heart of their process.
Meredith Kahn
Meredith Kahn’s infamous jewelry business began when those around her started taking interest in the unique and intimate pieces she was creating for her own enjoyment. Inspired by numerous culture-specific visual traditions with no small splash of her own aesthetic, Meredith’s jewelry, robes and gifts offer an unusual but nonetheless wondrous way to adorn oneself.
Garden Studio
Chris Fenmore heads the design team for Garden Studio’s contemporary landscaping services. The company promises to marry function and aesthetic in all their designs, making outdoors spaces for residence, commercial, or public projects great to look at as well as spend time in. They also have a shop!
The Fullest
Nikki Bostwick delves into her Iranian heritage to source recipes for skincare and physical and mental health facilitated by a better relationship with nutrition and healing plants. Offering ancient and time-tested remedies for internal and external health, wellness, and beauty, The Fullest wants “to help you thrive”.
Layered by Paige Elise
Interior designer Paige Cogorno provides a means for accessible, elevated home decor with her high-end and highly curated collection in Layered. A restrained aesthetic defines the oeuvre of her offerings, but the minimalist objects are by no means boring, and range from rustic to highly polished – but always unique and beautiful.
Mama Bijoux
Katherine Miller brilliantly weaves both the chaos and beauty of maternity into her inspired wearables. At once classic, timeless, and playfully put together, each piece from Mama Bijoux – for moms and littles alike – is an expression of the love and complexity inherent in each parent/child relationship.
Au Soleil
California kids know their market inside and out. Beach goers from all coasts will feel well-supported by these sleek and unique muslin sarongs and beach cover ups from Au Soleil.
Beek Shoes
How about some sustainably made handcrafted leather sandals to go with your new sarong? Birgit and Kenna met during their tenure at Quiksilver before venturing out on their own to found the Beek Shoes company built on values like quality, comfort, and a long-lasting product that’s actually made to carry you through life.
Parrish LA
Lauren Parrish Walker wants you to feel at home in her capsule knitwear collection – the sensation of safety, comfort, familiarity, and love woven in with every stitch, and imbued with Lauren’s own love for her mother, Dale. In honor of her late mom’s passing from breast cancer, Parrish LA partners with BCRF to help fund cancer research with each purchase.
Elia Parfum
Founder Amanda Meyer has angled Elia Parfum for two purposes: to tantalize the senses and invoke the wearer’s best self, and to support victims of sex trafficking by contributing a portion of all purchase proceeds to The A21 Campaign. Clientele will know with each spritz that when they step into their favorite version of self through scent that they are also contributing to the liberation of another.
May Martin
Timeless elegance with a splash of 90’s charm aesthetic and new-generation creativity are all promised through the May Martin collection. These pieces are playful, precious, and warm – like the solid gold from which they are made.
Robin & Lisa Interiors
Dynamic design duo Robin Weller and Lisa Heil are here to help you design your dream home, blending classic minimalism with unexpected contemporary flares which combine to create something unique, beautiful, and totally your own.
Other offerings from Argaux
For an extra taste of what the women of the world have to offer, check out our Women in Wine Tasting Set from the Argaux collection.
Featuring 2 bottles from dynamic women winemakers, this kit offers delicious insight into the viticultural excellence produced by women around the world who are using their craft to empower other women. Order it here: Women in Wine Tasting Set.
