Planet Blue Is a Breath of Fresh Malibu Air in Soho

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Planet Blue is bringing its laid-back California approach to fashion to the East Coast with its first New York store. Now open at 191 Lafayette Street — formerly home to Calypso St. Barth — the shop aims to be a calming breath of fresh air in the crowded Soho scene, according to owner and founder Ling-Su Chinn, starting with the door handles in her signature neon green that beckon you to pull and come inside.

"I put a lot of effort into the store" design, said Chinn, who's building on the momentum brought on by Planet Blue's successful e-commerce business, a pop-up shop in the Hamptons, and word-of-mouth from its bi-coastal customers. "We're doing dreamcatcher dressing rooms, which is really authentic to our brand, and we commissioned someone to do a tie-dye wall."

Once inside, you'll find touches like Vanessa Mooney cow skulls available for purchase perched upon a case of jewelry, cowhide tie-dye poufs, and bean bag chairs that speak to Planet Blue's Malibu roots. (It's not the only West Coast shop to hit New York in recent months — Tags made its debut in April just a few blocks away.)

As for the clothing, the store features its full range of designers carried online, its in-house line Blue Life, and a fully stocked denim wall. On the lower level, you'll find swimsuits, intimates, and activewear, including a pair of moto-inspired leggings that Gigi Hadid is often photographed wearing — we totally expect those to fly off the shelves.