SANTA YNEZ — Mary Beth Larkin is a self-proclaimed dreamer, doer and creator. And her latest creation will have visitors and locals of Santa Ynez thinking of more than wine when they visit downtown.
Larkin, a contemporary fashion designer and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, has opened (IN)LARKIN at 3568 Sagunto St., Suite D, in Santa Ynez as an extension of her exclusive e-commerce site inlarkin.com.
(IN)LARKIN has revolutionized the athleisure industry by offering a fashion brand that ends the fashion-conscious woman’s relentless search for comfortable, versatile clothing that redefines comfort and style with everyday casual glamour.
Larkin’s customers can be described as adventurous, confident, ever-changing, fabulous, and illuminating. They don’t want to choose between comfort and glamour — and with (IN)LARKIN, they don’t have to anymore.
“She is confident, successful, sophisticated. She is an urbanista but won’t suffer a dress that won’t let her sit. Or pants too painful to put on. Or fitted outfits that look good but never feel good,” according to (IN)LARKIN’s brand story.
Its clients are looking for comfort, versatility, timeless design, luxurious fabrics, and glamorous vibes, which Larkin delivers with a new vertical she created and coined “athglamourâ,” described as the fashionable cousin of athleisure, where glamour and comfort coexist.
This everyday casual glamour is uniquely redefining comfort and style and has been a long desire of women unfulfilled by popular athleisure brands.
Larkin has been described as a “visionary designer with an eye for major movements in fashion.”
“Since I was very young, I always knew I wanted to be a fashion designer,” she said.
A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Larkin was hired out of college by Giorgio Armani, where she worked as a fashion designer for close to 10 years.
“That is where it helped me refine my sensibilities as a designer incorporating a tailored edge to my designs and ultimately comfort with a tailored edge.,” she said.
After making glamour practical as a designer for Armani Exchange, she went on to pioneer the ease and comfort of athleisure with her first fashion brand, eMBe. Now she is drawing inspiration from her customers with (IN)LARKIN’s athglamourâ.
“It’s one thing to do what you love, but it’s a whole other thing when people love what you do,” Larkin said about her success. Experiencing her customers falling in love with her designs has been the most significant high of her career.
By weaving in the comfort of athleisure to the tailored cuts of high fashion, this new category delivers versatility — the ability to wear sneakers or stilettos with every timeless design and look equally as elegant.
“My 20 years of experience in the fashion industry as a fashion designer, both in the corporate sector as well as a small-business entrepreneur, gives me the industry knowledge from a diverse perspective,” Larkin said. “At Armani, I experienced the customer from afar with a global perspective and as an entrepreneur, I was able to interact with my customers directly, gaining valuable one-on-one insight. Both perspectives were instrumental in guiding me to where I am at today.”
Jill Rushing, a Director at Samsun Clinic, puts it simply: “Mary Beth’s training under Giorgio Armani shines through in the sleek design aesthetic of (IN)LARKIN. Her brand embodies flawless craftmanship and elegant fabrics that are designed to be comfortable all day. I have all my favorite pieces in constant rotation. I’m so excited that her seamless online experience is now available in her own boutique.”
Masha Keating, an artist and business owner of the Masha Keating Gallery, states: “I have been a big fan of (IN)LARKIN brand since it’s launch. I always wait for the new season to see what fun and lovely things Mary Beth has come up with. Everything I have purchased I have been wearing on repeat. I feel comfortable and beautiful in her clothes.
Larkin’s fashion house is nestled among local artisans’ shops — apparel, antiques, jewelry, fine art, leather goods, ironworks, — and other treasures in downtown Santa Ynez. Her staff are fashion experts who are on trend, hold deep product knowledge, and deliver renowned and authentic service that creates a modern luxury customer experience.
If Larkin’s name and brand sound familiar, it’s because she’s no stranger to the Santa Barbara Community. In November 2020, she helped launch the Locals’ Collective in downtown Santa Barbara where her collections were a smashing success. The pop-up, located at 931 State St., featured several local small businesses.
The Women’s Economic Ventures, WEV, based in Santa Barbara, supported her start-up venture with business planning and mentorship. Larkin is also featured among the “Success Stories” on the Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s website. The center is a hub for entrepreneurial development at Santa Barbara City College.
In the article, she offered advice and encouragement to entrepreneurs during the pandemic.
“I would say, ‘Look at things from the perspective that the glass is half-full and you’re going to do all that you can to fill it up the rest of the way,” she said. “My advice is not mired in — nor focused on — the doom and gloom of the whole event, but rather on finding ways to learn from it all, to build a better community, and to grow from the many lessons that we all will be and have been subjected to.”
And that’s exactly what she’s doing with the launch of (IN)LARKIN at its Santa Ynez brick-and-mortar store. Visit her new store between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Sunday for a styling experience to remember or go to inlarkin.com to shop her latest collections, the Urbanista and Aliferous. Larkin is available for personal styling or schedule a personal shopping appointment. Curbside pickup is available, as well as shipping from the store and complimentary gift wrapping. You can also meet her at the store’s upcoming ribbon cutting event with reception following, on Saturday, September 24, from 4-6pm at the new flagship location.