INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST MUSE
LAUREL PANTIN
I first met Laurel at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards in Los Angeles in 2024, the night I received the
Accessories Award and she has been a genuine champion of this brand ever since. That kind of early belief means everything to a founder.
A writer, stylist, and the voice behind a beloved newsletter with a devoted following, Laurel recently opened
Earl IRL in Beverly Hills- a small gem of a boutique quickly becoming a destination for those in the know.
What I love most about Laurel is that she carries no pretense. Her style is expressive, her taste deeply considered yet never rigid, and she has an instinct for making women feel confident in who they are, not who they think they should be.
When Laurel chose to carry Esha Soni at Earl IRL, it felt like a true endorsement, the kind that comes not from a campaign, but from genuine belief in the work. She is exactly the kind of woman I design for- creative, multi-hyphenate, moving through the world with intention and a little bit of beautiful chaos.
I’m so proud to welcome her as our newest E.S. Muse.
xx Esha
IN CONVERSATION WITH LAUREL
NEW YORK OR L.A?
That's a hard one! I still identify as a New York person despite having lived in LA now for five years. I love LA, and feel very in the LA groove, but my thought patterns, the way I speak, the way I just am still feels more New York than LA. But maybe I'm being delusional! Once I "got" LA I really really "got" it and have leaned in so hard. There's so much to love about this city, but one thing I love in particular is that as a creative who isn't in film and television, there's not any kind of competitive attitude. Nobody here is looking over your shoulder or tracking what you've got going on in the same way it feels people do in New York. It lets you let your guard down a little bit and really swim in your own little pond and do your own thing. There's a freedom here to try things out that I didn't feel as much of in New York.
FAVORITE GO-TO SPOTS IN L.A?
I just honestly love Beverly Hills. My store in in BH (which is definitely one of my go-to's!), but other than that I love Turpan in the Country Mart, that's probably my favorite store in LA besides my own, and Noodle Stories. I love going to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater with my kids, and we go to the California Science Center a lot. It's an amazing free museum that has a little bit of an aquarium, a little bit of space exploration, a little bit of urban planning, a little bit of weather, it's just incredible.
For food, we love Saffy's, even though it's on the other side of town from us. Also Gjusta for breakfast on the weekend is amazing, and Republique for pastries. The restaurant at Hauser + Wirth is incredible, Manuela, and we always visit the chickens there and then go to the gallery. They have an amazing book store too. I love Des Pair as well for books. We go to Golden Bull a ton after going to the beach, and also Locanda Portofino in Santa Monica is very sweet. I have to say that I struggle a little with food in LA. I do miss NY restaurants.
WHAT HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FASHION BEEN LIKE?
I've always loved, LOVED clothes and style. As a little girl I was obsessed with clothing, I loved sparkle, loved glamour, my favorite movie growing up was To Wong Fu, Thanks For Everything (I don't know why I watched it when I was so young, but I had it on repeat) and I just love the fantasy and transformative aspect of fashion. I've had to work on my shyness as I've gotten older but I think I used clothes as a way to help combat that. To help express something about myself I didn't feel like I could say out loud because I can be pretty shy if you catch me at the wrong time. When I was younger I tried everything, i was so experimental, and it felt great then viscerally, and now as a real adult it has allowed me to recognize the things that really work and make me the most me. I feel like everything gets better and better every year style and confidence wise.
YOUR LATEST CHAPTER IS OPENING YOUR FIRST STORE IN L.A. WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND EARL IRL?
I've always, always, always dreamed of having a store. it is the ultimate fantasy for me to A) have my own space to go to and B) have everything I really love there. I couldn't work out how I would make it make sense, and what the thing about it would be because I really believe that people need a reason to shop in person besides just wanting to feel the clothes, and I also needed to figure out what I could personally bring to retail. LA has great stores, I didn't want another store for the sake of a store.
So IRL evolved basically out of the newsletter, helping bring style intel and practical advice to people, and also out of my work doing private styling. It's a lot of my favorite brands, and a lot about the way I get dressed (a $40 tee with a $700 pant with a vintage Dries jacket, for example). I have a great mix of brands and a tiny assortment of designer vintage and resale.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SPACE? WHAT MAKES EARL IRL DISTINCTLY YOURS?
It's very personal, I designed it really quickly and I asked for my friends' input and opinions, but I also threw out a lot of advice I was given. I ran off vibes alone and so it feels very me. It feels super LA to me. A mix of classic Beverly Hills Grandma and post-modern design.
WHAT DREW YOU TO INCLUDE ESHA SONI IN THE CURATION AT EARL IRL?
I have been such a fan since Esha Soni launched. I love the unusual colors, the materials are so beautiful, and the shapes are unique and special. i think it's very hard for a luxury bag brand that isn't part of a fashion house to "make it" and Esha Soni really deserves a spotlight and to be part of the conversation about accessories as a whole. I carry a small number of bag brands in the store but Esha Soni has really gained a lot of attention and quite a few of the bags have found new homes!
WHEN YOU’RE BUILDING A LOOK, DO YOU START WITH A HERO PIECE OR MORE WITH A MOOD?
I start with the weather and what I have going on that day. If it's raining and I have to run errands, I go with that. If I'm going to be in the shop all day in the AC, I go with that. I usually pick a pair of pants or a skirt first, and then dress around that. I don't really have a process per se, except ensuring that what I'm wearing is appropriate for what my day will entail, but when I'm done getting dressed I look at proportions and make sure the ratios feel good to me, then I start to noodle in with a weird belt, or the right shoe, and then I choose a bag last, and that's usually also based more off proportion than color. I never think about which colors will go or which will clash, I think color + color is always good, but what I don't love is a full neutral outfit and then one thing that's bright. I think that looks contrived, unless it's a full neutral outfit and a bright matte red lip, which is HEAVEN ON EARTH.
WHAT DRAWS YOU TO ESHA SONI?
I love the shapes, the colors, but most of all the feeling of the materials! Everything is just so beautiful and lush and tactile.
AND FINALLY, WHAT’S ON YOUR ESHA SONI WISHLIST?
Literally everything. How could I choose! My favorite is the
Arc 2.0 on Ultramarine, but I equally love the
Arc in Saddle French Calf. It's the most beautiful go-everywhere tote, and a shape I never see anywhere else. It's a dream bag!
Laurel Pantin is a Los Angeles–based writer, stylist, and retailer, known for her influential newsletter EARL EARL, her work as a fashion editor and creative director, and most recently as the founder of Earl IRL, her Beverly Hills boutique celebrating thoughtful, expressive dressing.
