You never forget your first, as they say. But it had been a while since Nicky and Simone Zimmermann had dropped into Los Angeles, where they opened their first-ever Stateside boutique back in 2011. (There are now some 92 standalone stores scattered across the globe.) Arriving to some very un-SoCal-like rain and flash flood warnings, the intense weather didn’t dampen the sisters’ perennially upbeat Aussie nature. Indeed, the bizarre conditions made for even more of a surreal and cinematic night at the fabled Chateau Marmont to celebrate the Twisted Romance-themed Cruise 2026 collection.
Although rainwater was practically ricocheting off the neon sign erected poolside as a step-and-repeat photo moment, it didn’t deter guests from pulling their best blue steel poses, showing off their outfits for awaiting DJ-turned-photographer Myles Hendrik. As such, the best accessory of the evening proved to be a personal umbrella-wielding gentleman, ensuring no one slid right off the soaking wet tree-lined pathways.
Once dried off indoors, attendees warmed up in glow of the Chateau’s candlelit bungalow over dirty martinis, glasses of Champagne, and deep belly laughter. Model Abby Champion, who has walked countless Zimmermann runways and recently wore a custom dress by Nicky Zimmermann during her wedding weekend, reunited with the Sydney-based designer. Longtime friends Emma Roberts, Dakota Fanning, and Zoey Deutch giggled together in a corner, while Jurnee Smollett introduced Halle Bailey to her older sister, Jazz.
A long and languorous dinner unfolded at ethereal tables that nodded to the Twisted Romance mood. Ivory linens were laden with candelabras, deep burgundy-hued calla lilies, old silver coins, strings of pearls, and vintage glassware: an aesthetically-pleasing backdrop for crowd-favorite dishes like spicy tuna tartare, beetroot salad, Mediterranean branzino, and roasted chicken.
“Tonight is about reconnecting with you all,” Nicky said, fresh from Paris where she splits her time to oversee the design atelier. “We haven’t been going through LA as much as we used to, and we’re lucky we get to see a lot of you around the world. Our first store in the US was on Robertson, which, like many things in our lives, came to us by chance and luck. We’ve now been in business nearly 35 years—which feels like a miracle! There’s a lot of stylists here, and we want you to know that your support is so meaningful and it has contributed a huge amount. We have always found LA, in particular, to be so supportive of us.”
As anyone who owns a Zimmermann frock will tell you, they’re not pieces made for just sitting idle in. Before the last dinner fork had even hit the scallop-edged plate, guests were starting to make their way through the hotel to Penthouse 64 where the promise of dancing awaited. A corseted and ruffle-adorned Kitty Cash was already manning the DJ decks, and antique silver trays of espresso martinis were easily finding their way into outstretched hands.
Actress Maria Bakalova was so relaxed, she was yapping cross-legged on the floor beside the fireplace, while the terrace became the place to grab both a chocolate madeline and a Vogue cigarette. With the rain pelting down on Sunset Boulevard and the wide open possibility of a Friday night ahead, there was simply no good reason to leave. Word travels fast too, as certain A listers who had been staying at the hotel for the GQ Men of the Year bash the night previous, caught wind and stopped by to hangout until well after 2 a.m. “I had no idea the Zimmermanns were this fun,” Rita Ora could be heard remarking. “It makes me love the clothes even more now.”
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