Back in the day, when convening in the drawing room was common practice, there was a social norm that has tapered off in recent times – that of the salon.  We’re not referring to a loud room with mirrors that smells perpetually of aerosol. We mean the popular seventeenth century locales that held arts exhibits and were cultural hubs for their urban surrounds.

As the trend began waning and the popularity of more casual meetings at bars or galleries became more prevalent, it seems we forgot how much fun it can be to say things like “yes, darling… meet me at the salon,” with an emphasis on the first syllable and a trace of a British accent.  Give it a whirl, it will make you happier to find that the trend is again gaining some momentum in LA.

Marine, in Santa Monica, is a by-appointment-only, private art salon that displays new and established artists together in a chic space you’ll wish you lived in.  On view from November 21 through the end of January, you will find works by artists including Cindy Cheng, Peter Lograsso, Tom Hunter, and M.B. Boissonnault.  Bring your white gloves and politesse with you, this is an art salon after all.

Over on Melrose Ave., we discovered a salon-style shop and believe us, it’s the kind of place we’d rather keep to ourselves.  Until recently, sifting through Zainab’s visionary selection of designer goods was by appointment only and was located slightly off the grid in Hollywood.  Lucky for all of us, she’s recently opened an eponymous shop in a more convenient West Hollywood location and is open to the inquiring public.  She’s kept a room in the back for appointment-only clients, but the salon feel of the shop is kept very well in tact.  You enter and are offered a glass of still or sparkling water as you salivate over goods by everyone from Azzedine Alaia to unfamiliar, edgy designers like Duro Olowu and local, emerging designers like Jeremy Laing. It’s quite like an art salon, actually – it’s just more about the art you wear than the art you stare at.

Via : Zainab, Marine Art Salon