\n\tIn an industry where one jaw-dropping look can help catapult you into fashion royalty and the wrong one into meme infamy, stepping out is a high-stakes business.<\/p>\n
\n\tThat\u2019s where Catherine Bloom comes in. In her capacity as the longtime go-to personal shopper at Neiman Marcus, she became the style whisperer to the industry elite, her influence visible at most major red carpets. \u201cCatherine Bloom is a staple name in Hollywood,\u201d says stylist Linda Medvene, whose clients include Denzel Washington, Annette Bening and Geena Davis. \u201cShe always has pieces you can\u2019t find anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tGiven Bloom\u2019s decades-long tenure at Neiman Marcus, it caused a stir in L.A. fashion circles this year when she took her talents to rival Nordstrom, which hired her as its first director of luxury styling. In late October, she opened her own store under the retailer\u2019s auspices: Catherine Bloom for Nordstrom. \u201cWe want to invite you into our home,\u201d Bloom tells THR about the expansive new studio. \u201cIt\u2019s very warm, beautiful and chic, with a more interesting assortment than you\u2019re traditionally used to seeing in most stores.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tInterior designer Brigette Romanek, whose clients include Beyonc\u00e9 and Gwyneth Paltrow, was hired to overhaul the space. \u201cWhat made this project truly special was the synergy with Catherine,\u201d says Romanek. \u201cThis wasn\u2019t just about designing a space \u2014 it was about creating a mood, a moment, an experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tPerched on the corner of Melrose Place and Orlando Avenue, complete with valet and a discreet side entrance, the by-appointment-only studio is drenched in neutrals: cream floors, a plush chocolate brown sofa, suede wall coverings and an array of vintage seating vignettes. And lining the walls are the stars of the show \u2014 meticulously curated racks of color-coordinated confections courtesy of such designers as Georges Hobeika, Gabriela Hearst and Valentino, along with McQueen and vintage John Galliano for Dior.<\/p>\n
\n\tBloom\u2019s industry clientele would expect nothing less. \u201cCatherine is the ultimate curator,\u201d says Blair Rich, CMO and CCO of Legendary Entertainment. \u201cIt\u2019s more than just searching the Paris collections for the perfect dress and matching it with a shoe you never thought of but makes the look. She understands lifestyle; what you need not just to look your best but also feel your best, from the office to a black-tie event to a casual weekend away.\u201d<\/p>\n