Cult-Favorite Shop Capitol Brings Southern Belle Charm to Brentwood Country Mart

Here's one way to get a taste of the South Atlantic style scene without leaving the City of Angels. After dressing fashionable Southern belles for the last 20 years, Charlotte-based boutique Capitol has made its West Coast début at Brentwood Country Mart — and it's bringing L.A.-based fine jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth's second-ever store, too.

Founded by stylish entrepreneur Laura Vinroot Poole, the pioneering retailer's 2,500-square-foot space was designed by Perry Poole Architects (helmed by the founder's husband) and boasts French oak herringbone floors and playful touches like mid-century modern furniture in pastel upholstery and colorful floral rugs. On the racks, find Capitol's signature mix of luxury designers and cult-favorite labels fit for Southern cool-girls gone west, like Rosie Assoulin, Lisa Marie Fernandez, Ganni, Johanna Ortiz, Peter Pilotto, Dries Van Noten, The Vampire's Wife, and Valentino, to name just a few.

There are also exclusives ($165 to $995) like a colorful floral maxi dress by Gül Hürgel, a "Surf in Brentwood" sweatshirt by Cuisse de Grenouille, a floral fragrance by Perfumer H, and neon-hued sandals by Emme Parsons, and summer-ready dresses and jumpsuits by Sea New York alongside hats cool L.A. milliner Nick Fouquet and leather bags by Bienen-Davis and Wandler.

As far as Neuwirth's shop-in-shop (dreamed up by architectural designer Pam Shamshiri), the 300-square-foot corner showcases the star-faved designer's colorful and cheeky accoutrements inside a custom-made Wardian case alongside a curiosities-filled diorama by artist Clare Crespo, who's known for her fantastical creations.

In a statement, Poole explains that she selected the Westside shopping center for her first L.A. location because "Sometimes the stars align and an opportunity presents itself that you just can't refuse. [It] has history and a soul — and let's be honest, the store curation is the best. It's the first place I go after I land in L.A."

Neuwirth, who first met Poole 14 years ago when the stylish shopkeep was among the first to stock her kaleidoscopic designs, says in a release that "opening a shop with Laura is the dreamiest dream come true. Capitol is hands-down my most favorite place to shop — so naturally, when this opportunity presented itself, even though I already have a store in Los Angeles, there was absolutely no way I was passing it up. Laura is the most stylish, elegant, smart, hardworking, tasteful Southern belle and I'm the luckiest to be bringing this to life with her in my hometown."

Scroll through the gallery above to see more inside the charming boutique and see below for the address and store hours.

Capitol at Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th St., Suite 38A, Santa Monica, 90402; Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; (424) 268-4641