Above, from top: Art Lewin with Daniel Simons. Interior at Art Lewin’s Santa Monica store. Eugenia Kuzmina. With Kelsey Scott. Patrika Darbo.

Whether you’re going for an audition or a job interview, the first impression is critical. With a guest list that included actors, attorneys, and LA power-brokers, nobody understands this better than Art Lewin. In mid-November, he opened his sixth store in Santa Monica, which like the other locales, is outfitted with everything needed for the perfect custom suit: an extensive library of world-class quality fabrics from internationally renowned mills in England, Italy, France, Switzerland, and Germany; and canvas that is hand-padded and artisan-stitched (as opposed to machine stitching).
   Lewin has long been a go-to tailor for Hollywood celebrities, including Jon Voight, Ernie Hudson, Jason Ritter, William Shatner, Lou Ferrigno, Esai Morales and Robert Wagner, to name a few. Art Lewin Bespoke is also preferred by a cadre of stylists. He also offers sleek suiting for women with the same attention to detail, and Sofia Milos is counted among the roster of loyal clients.
   The invitation-only red carpet opening was a mix of 100 loyal fans and new converts, including 2016 Primetime Emmy winner Patrika Darbo, Kelsey Scott (12 Years a Slave), and model–actress Eugenia Kuzmina. All guests parted with a Mario Masotti hand-made silk neck-tie to start the process of making a statement at their next court date, boardroom meeting, or audition.
   Co-sponsors BuyWine.com offered guests the best of the best including gourmet cuisine, scrumptious desserts with other treats including Napa Valley wines from Sparrow Hawk and Highway 12 vineyards, Hint Water and Rekorderlig Cider from Sweden.—Elyse Glickman, US West Coast Editor, Lucire