Chiara Ferragni On Her Favorite LA Hangs and Getting Festive at The Grove

The Beach Boys were right: everyone wants to be a California girl — even the world's most famous fashion blogger. Now an official Angeleno, Italian social media star Chiara Ferragni is showing her love for Los Angeles in the form of her first-ever U.S. pop-up shop, which officially opens at The Grove tomorrow.

Set to run through Monday, January 2nd, 2017, the two-month boutique offers Chiara Ferragni Collection's fall/winter range of Italian-made footwear alongside tees and sweaters, backpacks, iPhone cases, and more charming accessories ($56 to $1,113). Standouts include bandana print slip-ons ($310), beaded denim slip-ons, a David Bowie-inspired take on the blogger's signature flirting eyes ($326), and even snow boots ($326 to $395).

That's not all: the pop-up is giving LA shoppers first dibs on her spring/summer collection (available exclusively at The Grove before it lands in Europe next year), including event-ready star heels finished in glitter ($736 to $938).

Ahead of tomorrow's grand debut (which will include a meet-and-greet with the designer from 2 to 4pm), we met up with Ferragni to score a peek inside the pop-up and get to know the Milan-bred blogger. Below, read on to find out her favorite places for açaí bowls in LA, her top spots for impressing out-of-towners, and more.

What were your first LA experiences?

I was a kid and I used to come here with my parents; my dad loves windsurfing and we used to go to Maui and we used to stop here for a few days from when I was 9 to 11. I remember when I was a teenager I always wanted to be a California teenager; that was my dream to just move here — and so eventually I did it.

What inspired your major move to America?

I started coming back here when I was like 22, and then I started coming a lot for work when I was 25. I love the U.S. — I'm European; I feel very European in the U.S. but I've always loved New York so much.

But then I really started to come here [to LA] more often and I just love the lifestyle, everything is so much easier here. You can have a big house, there's so much to do, the weather is incredible, the light is so beautiful. So it's really cool.

How did you decide to bring your first pop-up to The Grove?

It's one of my favorites, if I had to pick a place to shop in LA, for people to come as a destination, it would be The Grove…I don't like department stores as much but The Grove is so interesting. My family always comes here for Christmas; it's a tradition now and this is going to be the third year.

I was telling [a friend], "Oh my god, if I have to open a pop-up store it would be amazing to do it at Christmas time at The Grove," and so we were starting to talk about it and starting to try to make it happen.

Where are some of your favorite spots to chill?

I love Malibu; I love El Matador Beach. I always bring my friends to see the sunset there. Now I love Soho House Malibu, so I always try to bring everybody there because it's so magical…to eat there by the sea and everything.

Otherwise when I'm here I just like going to flea markets, going horseback riding, going on hikes, [and getting] açaí bowls. We don't have so much of them in Europe but in Italy it's a new thing. [In LA,] I like Backyard Bowls [on Beverly Boulevard] or Liquid on Melrose.

How often do you visit family in Italy?

I usually spend two or three weeks here; and then I go back for one week to Milan and then I travel somewhere for work for about a week and then I'm back here. So it's really great because I've got my life here and my life in Europe.

I'm used to the flight but I'm not used to the jet lag. When I go back I sleep so well but when I come back I always wake up at 5am. I've been up since 5!

How does living in LA influence your designs?

A lot of my past collections were inspired by California weather and California rock stars. And we shoot all our campaigns here; we shot the last spring/summer one yesterday in Beverly Hills. The brand is made in Italy and it's 100% Italian but [there's] such an inspiration from LA and California.

The Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036