For as long as we can remember, editors of fashion magazines have served as inspirations for our daily wardrobes, and Marlien Rentmeester, the West Coast Editor of Lucky magazine is no exception. Marlien seamlessly fuses high end pieces with inexpensive everyday finds, and even started a blog, LE CATCH, based on that high-low ideal. We love how she exudes confidence and poise through her personal style, and couldn’t wait to visit her Los Angeles home. With beautiful details and impeccably paired pieces, Marlien’s home is a visual treat, much like her own style.
Photography: Jessie Webster
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You’re the West Coast Editor of Lucky Magazine but you recently started a blog, LE CATCH, which has really taken off. What prompted you to launch LE CATCH and what is it?
I live in LA, but I am originally from New York City. For many years my friends on both coasts, enamored with my penchant for mixing Zara and Marni, Topshop and vintage designer, had been trying to get me to do a website of some type—even just for their personal benefit. Then, at a cocktail party in LA, Phillip Lim (one of my favorite designers) came up to me to compliment my necklace. He gushed over it, exclaiming how chic it was, and asked, “Is it vintage Dries Van Noten?” I laughed and said, “No, Forever 21.” He looked stunned. I felt proud. That was the moment I realized I needed to launch LE CATCH.LE CATCH is my personal fashion blog and the premise is that we live in the Golden Age of shopping and should take advantage of it! There is a goldmine of fashion on the web (new must-have pieces appearing hourly, things you can’t find in stores, etc.) and many of these legitimately amazing items—that not only can be easily paired with designer but also easily mistaken for designer—are available at unbelievably low prices. The choices are seemingly infinite, which is exciting, but that also makes it hard to know where to start. That’s where LE CATCH comes in. LE CATCH scours the internet’s best fashion sites every day to source the newest, most desirable, bound-to-sell-out items that are often also ridiculously affordable. My goal is to find at least one amazing item every day that is so good it would be crazy NOT to buy it.
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How did you get into journalism? What is your background?My father was a photojournalist who shot for Sports Illustrated, Life Magazine, etc. so I grew up in a magazine-centric household. I majored in English in college, and discovered I loved to write. I got an internship with People during my senior year and then worked there for a few years after graduating. I then worked as an editor for Seventeen, Conde Nast Sports for Women, and finally Lucky, and along the way I’ve also written for Vogue, Elle, and New York Magazine among others. (Interesting factoid: I have an identical twin, Coliena, who went the magazine route as well, but as a fashion photographer.)“My living room is filled with vintage store finds from Palm Beach and Silverlake, along with a modern print by Calder and brass chairs from Jansen.” -
What advice do you have for women who want to work for a fashion magazine?
Start a blog and write about some aspect of fashion that interests you. There is no better way to hone your voice and develop a compelling point of view, and you will be showcasing your talents for prospective employers. Networking to obtain internships is a good idea as well. Working at a magazine will help you understand how the business works and help validate for you that it will be a career you enjoy.“I have accumulated a lot of books over the years, so it’s nice to have somewhere to display them. I love the mash-up of framed photos, beach shells and hand-painted mementos on the shelves. The effect is very lived-in and personal.”
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Best moment in your career so far?This moment. I get to work from home—a.k.a. Lucky’s West Coast Bureau and LE CATCH headquarters—and I love all that, I do. -
You have amazing personal style. How would you describe it? It’s a mix of high, low, and vintage, with sequins, beads, and stripes thrown in.
“The eggplant purple and burnt orange color scheme in my den was inspired by a beloved Marni dress. Anchoring the picture collage is a 1960′s surfing photo by Leroy Grannis—a favorite of my surf-loving husband.”
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Do you have any favorite fashion items in your closet?
A black quilted Chanel bag and a super-fancy Cartier watch—both gifts from my husband, plus a few vintage lace blouses that my mother gave me.“I love having fresh flowers all over the house, which I should add is not as frequent as I would like! But it’s such a luxury when they are around. I collect vases and pitchers—even small ones can be high impact. I’m wearing J. Crew leopard print pants (get a similar pair here), a vintage denim jacket, an old t-shirt I picked up at Fred Segal years ago and yes, my Louboutins.”
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Is your personal style similar to your interior design style? How would you describe your interior decorating style?
My house, like my wardrobe, features a mix of high-end statement pieces and thrift store finds, vintage and modern, and unexpected color combinations. -
Do you have local + online stores you go to for home decor?
My good friend Hillary Thomas owns a store called Chic Shop in LA, which is an amazing source of refurbished vintage finds and mantel defining knick knacks. I also love mining the Rose Bowl and other local flea markets. Online, I head to One King’s Lane and Circa Who. -
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“My husband and I make a point of sitting down with our kids for breakfast and dinner. Otherwise, we’d all be like ships passing in the night! Not surprisingly, my two young sons have claimed the two big Chippendale chairs as their permanent seats.”
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Favorite room in your house?
I love my closet—surprise, surprise! It’s filled with lots of carefully chosen, long term and newly loved things—and they’re all mine! It’s also the one room in my house that no one wants to be in as much as me. -
“Even though I work from home, I still dress up for work—it helps to shift me into professional mode. My home office combines old-school chintz window treatments with modern photography and my children’s art. At my desk, I am wearing red Zara pants, a new Myne jacket, and Christian Louboutin pumps.”
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What items in your home do you splurge on? Save?
I definitely splurged on fabrics, since they import so much power. They dictate the vibe of spaces. I also invested in some good art, rugs, chairs, bed linens, and frames (a good frame can be art in and of itself). That being said, a huge percentage of the furnishings in my home was snapped up at flea markets and vintage stores, from the brass etageres in my office to my dining room chandelier.“My bedroom is so airy and peaceful. Sometimes we leave the balcony doors open, and the heady aroma of night blooming jasmine fills the air. It lulls me to sleep like nothing else.”
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“I’m looking dressed up—in an H&M skirt, a gem-studded H&M sweater and Christian Louboutin heels—but feeling laid-back in our guest room. Initially when we first moved into the house, I hated the leopard carpeting in the guest room, but my friend and designer extraordinaire Ruthie Sommers convinced me it was the chicest thing ever—and now, of course, I love it.”
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“I picked up this minty blue bedside table at a vintage store in Palm Beach called Circa Who. The color is repeated throughout my bedroom in the ikat bedskirt and upholstered headboard. It’s a very serene, calming hue—and appropriately beachy. There is always a stack of magazines on my bedside table, just waiting to be read. If only I had more time!”
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How do you sparkle?
By spending time with my kids, going out on weekly dates with my husband, running every morning, drinking good wine, and, of course, shopping a lot! I have also really loved the process of creating and writing LE CATCH. It’s been a new avenue of expression for me, and the positive feedback and letters I get from the women who read it are often highlights of my day.“I’m sitting on a vintage wicker chair in my family’s favorite hang-out spot: our canopy covered sit-back-and-relax patio, which overlooks the pool. I have my favorite H&M leather leggings on, along with an H&M striped top and Christian Louboutin heels.”
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