Allora Celebrates Five Years

This weekend, Allora by Laura, the women’s clothing boutique on Coast Village Road, will celebrate five years in business with an anniversary sale to thank loyal customers. “It’s truly been our great passion,” said owner Laura Dinning, who runs the store with the help of her daughter, TJ Breidenstein, and their employees. 

The mother and daughter duo, who have shared a love of fashion and merchandising for decades, tell us the last five years have been a journey of finding the right flow to the store, building a loyal clientele, and creating a niche boutique unlike any other in Montecito or Santa Barbara. “We love to source the latest designers, but also stay true to the names we know our customers love and will keep coming back for,” Breidenstein said. “We’ve always stayed true to our concept: captivating modern luxury.” 

Dinning opened the shop in 2013, after holding the creative designer position at Antoinette for many years. She has worked in the industry since her teens and instilled the same love of style to her daughter, who graduated from FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) prior to the shop’s debut. The pair takes bi-annual trips to New York, Paris, and beyond, to scout out the latest designs and meet designers, as well as research what’s fresh and exciting. 

The store, located at 1269 Coast Village Road, carries exclusive items that are typically not found in department stores. “Our goal is to inspire people with special, carefully curated pieces from relevant designers,” Dinning said, adding that the style can be described as fine European clothing with a soulful California attitude.  Some of the shop’s designers include Peter Cohen, Amina Rubinacci, Norma Kamali, Sally LaPointe, Clergèrie, and Kai Linz, whose delicate jewelry line has become a big hit at the store. The ladies host several trunk shows each year to showcase certain designers and offer incentives for customers.

The anniversary celebration is especially poignant this year, as the store, which sustained minor mud intrusion, continues to recover from the January mudslides. “We are still recovering from losing essentially two months of business,” Breidenstein said. “But we see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we want to celebrate five years and our loyal customer base.” 

Allora by Laura is located at 1269 Coast Village Road. For more information, visit www.allorabylaura.com.