With so many considerations going into holiday gifting this year – supply chain issues notwithstanding – why not be intentional with your dollars and narrow down your choices by supporting Women Owned Businesses! Here are some of our favorites.
OOMBRA
Dr. Cara Natterson, a well-respected Westside pediatrician and best-selling author, added two new skills during the pandemic — she started a podcast about her favorite topic (puberty!) and created a soft, easy-to-wear bra for girls. OOMBRA is a great holiday gift for all girls (and their moms). They’re made in all sizes, and come in a multitude of colors and prints.
OOMBRA‘s slogan “Your First Bra, Your Favorite Bra” says it all. If you have a daughter, you remember the awkward phase where wearing shirts without something underneath becomes a problem but talking about it with your girl is even trickier. OOMBRA’s sports-bra shape doesn’t look suspicious under a tee shirt; the fabric is thin and non-binding, each piece is reversible, and contains a patented inner-lining of padding that keeps changing bodies smoothed out and protected. Plus, the fabric is odor-resistant. Order online with ease – here are easy instructions for how to measure and size. Products are made here in LA and ready for the holidays. Use the code OOMLOVE for 10% off your first order.
MORE: Dr. Natterson’s podcast about puberty, The Puberty Podcast is co-hosted with Vanessa Kroll Bennett and the two friends dig into every conceivable topic about bodies during the transition to adulthood. Also hosted on the OOMBRA site is a “The Puberty Portal” where content FOR kids is created BY teens so the messaging is spot on.
COCO and OM
COCO & OM – a new jewelry brand started by sisters Cyd and Amy – features a whimsical and wearable set of bracelets, rings and earrings inspired by Fences. Crafted from gold, silver, diamonds and colored enamel, these gorgeous pieces are shaped as all manner of fences and are cleverly named Manor, Cottage, Field, Picket or after the company’s elegant Logo. The sisters, who grew up against the background of old Hollywood, were inspired by their mothers’ sense of glamour as well as her appreciation for craftsmanship. The pieces all have the heft and feel of a permanent piece of your wardrobe, and feel great against the skin, especially the wonderful chain link ring and bracelet. Coco & Om offers full customization and includes designs in a wide price range, including cufflinks, single studs for the ear, and coming soon – belt buckles. Currently the sisters are offering 20% off your purchase.
THE LITTLE MARKET
The Little Market, created by and owned by Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla, is a mission-driven nonprofit that supports women around the world. The successful brand hired a former Women’s Rights officer for Human Rights Watch to insure the supply chain of the artisans supported in other countries is completely free from abuse or slavery. The high standards of this organization are impressive- it’s not easy to vet every link in the chain between overseas production of goods and the package that arrives on your doorstep. The organization recently crossed a milestone of delivering over 1 Million hours of “dignified work” (in other words, offering a living wage for all their producers).
The organization’s signature gift bags (often seen at fundraisers) are made by Homeboy Industries, an example of Skvarla and Conrad’s ongoing support for other nonprofits in LA. The Little Market keeps innovating and finding new artisans to support: I turn here for gifts such as their sugar scrubs and market baskets, check out a gorgeous new line of glassware from Guatemala, and note recent forays into coffee and liquor. Here is their holiday guide.
NARRATIVE PROVISIONS
I always pay attention to what Narrative Provisions is doing, because this B-Corp’s founder, Jennifer Piette, constantly innovates with new strategies to bring high-quality, locally produced produce and products into your home. She does farm boxes in the traditional manner, but her speciality is introducing a chef and sending the recipe and ingredients so you can master a new dish. For this holiday season, she has a Women Made, Women Run box, as well as many other wonderful gift options, like the Hello (California) Sunshine box that supports Farmlink (a wonderful non profit with a mission to eliminate food waste that was started by a group of young Angelenos during lockdown).
JEWELS BY GRACE
I love vintage jewelry, and recently discovered a new source downtown – Jewels by Grace. Owner Grace Lavarro has excellent taste, both in curated older items and with new design. Navarro followed her bliss away from tech and entertainment, learning about gemology and collecting special pieces. She finally made the leap to own her own business in 2005, and has seen an uptick in younger customers who want vintage pieces. Jewels by Grace also manufactures jewelry here in LA. Customer service is terrific and the selection is really wonderful. This lady knows her diamonds and specializes in engagement and wedding jewels – here is a section of the site called “the library” that outlines all the various cuts.
YA LIVING
Ya Living founder Lisa Bittan specializes in hand blocked fabric, and has spent years traveling back to India where she oversees the creation of unique handmade items – from caftans and pjs to bedding and including the most amazing tablecloths and napkins. The Ya Living website is full of new items and the ordering process is simple. If you live near the beach, drop by Lisa’s house and shop in person.
VICTORIA MORRIS POTTERY
Victoria Morris Pottery is best in class – although somewhat pricey, Morris is an artist, and a beloved LA treasure.
STUDIO FORD
A young designer, Josie Ford has branched into the hand blocked textile arena with a fresh eye and novel color sensibility. The work is designed in LA and printed in Jaipur, and Studio Ford gives 5% of proceeds back to the Indian community where the work is produced. The quilts and table linens and pillows are sumptuous and luxe.
OTHER FAVORITE ONLINE OPTIONS
Ann Mashburn has a smart, preppy vibe and constantly has new inventory (as well as great sales). Rungolee is a brand out of the midwest that sources in Mumbai, and owner/designer Anjali Kamra’s lightweight clothing is chic and original. Agnes Baddoo makes lovely handbags and other leather goods in LA. Pippa Small is an exquisite jeweler who sources ethically-vetted stones and has shops in London and the Brentwood Country Mart. Block Shop Textiles is run by two sisters and based in LA – the small shop produces lovely scarves and prints and bedding and the weekly email round-up of treasures is worth a sign-up. Calleen Cordero makes incredible leather belts, handbags and shoes in LA. Sofi Newmyer’s line of shoes for women is called Ma’am – the designer got her start with Tom’s Shoes and her line is produced locally and has a sustainable supply chain; many of her products benefit women’s causes (such as Baby 2 Baby). I love that the shoes are comfortable as well as stylish.