Alternate title: Who to follow in Instagram ASAP.
JEANNETTE LEE
Fun fact: this Instagram star on the rise is actually a full-time third grade teacher. You’ll also find her at General Store in Venice on Sundays. Saturdays, we expect, are saved for her sanity. But we’re pretty happy that photography is something she does for fun. “People think I’m crazy for working so much, but it allows me to feed the creative part of me,” she explains. “That’s what’s so special about LA. There’s so much creative energy around me, and I feel lucky to know and be close to makers and creatives doing amazing work out here. It motivates me to create for myself when I can.” Jeannette was born in Los Angeles but raised in Chicago. She moved back two years ago on a whim and hasn’t looked back. While she usually shoots casually, she’s also worked with some of our favorite people like Ilana Kohn, Valerie Quant of LOQ and Haley Boyd of Marais USA. Keep an eye on this feed, she’s just getting started. Follow her @jeannettehlee.
KAITLYNN LUCAS
An interdisciplinary artist and photographer who has worked with some of our favorite LA brands (her work for Objects Without Meaning can be seen currently in our LA Ladies Sale), Kaitlyn has a knack for making everything from fashion to market fruit to corners of carpeted stairs inspiring. She’s still finishing up her degree in studio art at UCLA but has already done art direction and content creation for some of the most exciting emerging labels on the west coast. Her feed captures a mood and light is pretty much a direct representation of the creative movement in Los Angeles we’re so excited about. Follow her @bouquetofparentheses.
Photo by David Lopez.
ANNIE NGUYEN
With minimalist vibes, high contrast and a sharp bob, this art director and designer took to Instagram to explore a photography. Born and raised in Honolulu, HI, Annie settled in Los Angeles to begin her career. “I breath minimalism, clean design, black/white with a hint of Klein blue,” she says. “I like things precise, from the slant of a shadow to the angle of my haircut.” Her feed captures a cross-section of the creative world with architecture, interior design, nature featuring prominently alongside the sleek angles of a Maryam Nassir Zadeh slide or a Building Block bag. We’re big fans of the playful side of her work, never taking herself, or the art of minimalism, too seriously. Follow her @annienguyen.
MELISSA SONICO
Her style is just as supportive of indie boutiques and emerging designers as we are, so it’s no surprise that you’ll find this multi-hyphenate wearing a ton of mutual friends. We love to see how she styles Ace & Jig, First Rite, Calder Blake, REIFhaus, Olderbrother, 7115 by Szeki, and more in the California sunshine. Melissa received her MFA in Fiction from California State and is now a short story and freelance writer, English professor, fashion/lifestyle blogger and first-time mother to her adorable son Harrison. Oh and she also makes jewelry and sells her handcrafted necklaces online and boutiques across the country. As if we needed any more reason to love her: “My inspirations are Joan Didion and Solange.” Follow her @melissasonico.
Have we got you California dreaming yet? Be sure to check out our city guide to Los Angeles for the latest and greatest in the city.
And our LA Ladies Sale is still going strong! Ends June 30 at midnight, so don’t miss out.