We all have those fashionable dreams of wanting to shop in a stylish person’s closet, a closet in which we would wear absolutely everything and never go out of style. This was Nilou Ghodsi’s vision for the creation of her store, Heist, with the closet being her very own! And why not? When looking at this contemporary boutique located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California, we want just about one of everything in it. Its minimalist look revolves around open spaces and brick wall details highlighting the clothes and accessories within it beautifully. Created in the summer of 2004, Nilou aspired to share her own fashion savvy talent with other modern women balancing a successful career and loving family. Her eye for handpicking quality items that will last for years in our wardrobes expanded Heist to launch into the cyber world on shopheist.com. This is exciting news for all of us East Coast gals who can now shop online for all of these stunning items! Read on for our exclusive interview with Nilou Ghodsi, who shared more information on the Heist boutique and the must-haves we all need in our closets.
Cliché: The clothes sold at Heist are absolutely chic and gorgeous! What type of woman do you believe you are dressing with your products?
Nilou Ghodsi: We dress the social, savvy, and modern woman who doesn’t follow trends. The Heist woman has a closet of versatile staples with stand-out pieces intermixed. Her style is effortless, sophisticated, and most importantly, her own!
If you were to name three must-have items from Heist to have this season, what would they be?
Anything by Nili Lotan. Her pieces are timeless and she offers a beautiful selection of winter whites. The cashmere sweaters by Avant Toi are truly one of a kind. They’re vibrant and cozy—a winning combination as the weather cools down. Designer Raquel Allegra is always a Heist favorite. Her pieces are relaxed and undeniably cool… she always gets it right.
How do you go about choosing products for your store? Is there a certain theme or style you look for?
Simply put, Heist is a bigger version of my own closet! I personally handpick each and every piece, using my own personal style as my guide during buying trips. I look for high quality and flattering cuts in interesting textures and prints… I love prints!
What makes Heist unique?
Heist is a very personalized experience. Our clients have access to a thoughtful curation of pieces not widely found in other stores. Also, we tend to style things in our own way which celebrates individuality. We’ve quietly garnered what some may call a cult following, but we prefer to think of Heist as an inclusive community of stylish women who love beautiful clothes!
What are your future plans?
If we opened more brick and mortars, Heist would lose that very element of personalization that has made us unique. For that reason, instead I’ve focused our growth efforts into e-commerce at shopheist.com, which just in the past year has grown into a formidable online presence. There are a few other upcoming projects that are still “hush hush.” What I can tell you is I’ll be sharing my creativity in new and exciting ways… so stay tuned!
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Photo credit to Heist
