Abbot Kinney Welcomes Another Flagship Boutique

A new clothing boutique called Nightcap opened their first store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard this month. The Nightcap clothing line is designer Carisa Brambles' answer to comfortable and sexy loungewear that can be worn out of the house and dressed up or down according to the occasion. 

“The whole line is supposed to be pieces you can wear from the moment you wake up in the morning, all day long, until you go out at night for a nightcap,” said store manager Laura Genevieve.  “We’re known for all of our yummy loungewear basics, but then we also have some really fun, sexy little pieces you can wear out at night.”

And Brambles, it seems, has effortlessly captured that essence in her brand. 

Everything about the boutique space and the Nightcap clothing line speaks to Brambles’ ethereal aesthetic.  The space makes use of rustic wooden accent furniture, and Brambles' own photos of horses adorn the walls.  Everything is nature-loving, woodsy and girly at the same time.

Her clothing includes color palettes in muted earthy hues with names like nude, ash and stone, and fabric textures are rich and refined and soft to the touch. 

Brambles’ standout pieces include a black-and-gold Parisian lace mini-dress, cotton leggings with a fold-over top and Nightcap’s staple: a cotton hooded wrap jacket. 

“We do [the hoody jacket] every season in a million different colors. It’s a nicer version of a basic sweatshirt,” Genevieve said. “Our fold-over leggings are amazing. Most of our pants have a little fold-over top on them so if you’re not wearing a long top…they cover your bum.  Which is nice.”

Brambles also has a men’s line designed by her husband Chris, called Nightcap Homme, and she is starting a baby line called Little Nightcap. 

Nightcap was successfully selling to retailers across the United States and internationally over the past six years, and Brambles felt it was finally time to open the first boutique. Abbot Kinney was the perfect spot.

“I think Abbot Kinney is just very Carissa,” said Genevieve. “I think this street is just a little more bohemian, edgy, you know, a little funkier.”

Nightcap’s boho-chic clothing looks right at home on Abbot Kinney.

And although the store has only been open for two weeks, Genevieve said they’ve gotten a fair amount of interest.

“It’s been busy,” said Genevieve. “There’s been a lot of foot traffic and a lot of people curious about the space and just commenting on the photos.

The equine photos speak to the fact that Brambles isn’t only a talented designer with a good eye for aesthetics, she has a heart. 

Nightcap’s website reads that Brambles has largely been inspired by her equestrian background. Her experience riding horses has percolated into her clothing line, which is evident in designs like the riding leggings, the jewelry that Brambles and her aunt, jewelry designer Cynthia Dugan, made from vintage riding medals and the photos of horses adorning the walls of the boutique. 

Brambles photographed the horses in residence on her ranch, and her husband Chris fashioned picture frames from reclaimed wood on their property, with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the artwork benefiting the Foundation for the Preservation of America’s Wild Horses, Madeleine Pickens foundation to preserve free-roaming mustangs in the U.S.  

“I have grown up on the back of a horse and been fortunate enough to experience the connection between horse and rider,” Brambles wrote in a flyer publicizing the artwork. “The bond… is among the most powerful sensations the world has to offer."

In the statement, she said she hoped the photos would be a reminder of horses and the effort to protect wild mustangs.

Nightcap clothing has already been wildly popular with retail stores across the U.S., which is how Genevieve came to work for Brambles in this flagship boutique. Genevieve used to be a buyer of Nightcap clothing for a store in Seattle before she offered the position to head up Brambles’ boutique here. 

The reception has already been great on Abbot Kinney, Genevieve said. And the Nightcap team hopes the success of the line will continue to grow with the expansion of its men’s line and baby apparel.