I’m Elise Loehnen, the editor-in-chief of Beso.com—and a relatively recent Los Angeles transplant.
So here’s my deal: I’m originally from Missoula, Montana, where I grew up with chickens, cats, dogs, horses, and my own “mountain.” These days, though, I seem to spend most of my time hunting around for things that are beautiful and useful, whether it’s at my favorite flea market in Connecticut (Elephant Trunk), my favorite dress-laden boutique in NYC’s West Village (Albertine), or at any number of awesome websites that I troll at all hours (more on all of these spots later). For the past decade or so, I’ve been an editor at Conde Nast in New York, primarily at Lucky Magazine, where as the Editor at Large (and ultimately Deputy Editor) I got to write guides about shopping the cities of the world, and a column about all the random (but I would maintain, covetable) things I found to buy online. Hand-beaded Navajo barrettes? Leather “Possibles” bags turned out by war re-enactors that are actually undeniably chic? Any takers?
I grew up in an editorial tradition where my job and sole duty was to canvas these cities that I wrote about as comprehensively as possible, so that readers would be armed with all of the info they could possibly need to make informed decisions about where they chose to spend their time shopping. If I missed a boutique worth writing about, that was a fail. How could anyone trust me? To that end, what was an otherwise pretty glamorous gig often turned into a deathmarch. When I wrote a guide on Paris, for example, I walked every conceivable, boutique-dotted street. And since I’m dorky enough to carry a Fitbit, I can tell you that that netted out to about 14 miles of walking per day. Easy justification for what became a two-croissant-a-day habit. When it comes to canvassing the web, what I can’t track in miles, I can track in hours: This office supply round-up that I did for Beso? It took me about 18 hours of clicking around, at a minimum. I know…martyr. 
But the point of this ramble? You can trust that all of us here at Beso—Diana, Kate, our deep bench of contributing editors (many of whom worked alongside me at Lucky over the years)—will be spending our days tirelessly looking for the best stuff online so that you simply don’t have to. Best stuff sounds pretty vague, right? Well, we’ll be looking for the best stuff that we like, but we need to hear what you like, too: So talk to us, because we’re here to serve you. You can email all three of us at: help@beso.com, you can tweet us @beso, or me directly at @eloehnen, or you can talk to us on Facebook by liking Beso and writing on our wall, and you can register for the site and start “favoriting” the finds you love, so we can add them to our stream.
Happy shopping!
Need your suggestions.
Things are changing so fast that I need to update myself.
I have been in the furniture business for the past 26 years. I am relocating and in the new place I am selling more than just furniture. I am planning a huge catalog order business thru books and catalogs at my store. If I decide to add comforters on the list and sell your line how can I do it successfuly?? If I have large TV screens and show your web site to my customers to select how can I convince them to buy from me rather than ordering from you direct? Showing catalogs of some other furniture suppliers may have the same concern. You are the first company I am asking for a solution. Your answers may open a way for me to deal with other dealers even in furniture.
Maybe the thing is to set up my own site. But I was trying to avoid the duplication of making the web site and all the upkeep, etc., etc. But most companies show prices and customers at the store could see all site locations and item numbers, etc., etc.
Maybe one solution would be if I can become a clearance center for your products?
I appreciate all your suggestions.
I like the idea of having my customers selecting what they want from the 4 huge TV screens which would be connected to computers. How I can do this that will work, I am not sure of.
Please advise,
David
What is your dress?!?
Hi Jackie! It’s Gary Graham: http://www.garygrahamnyc.com
It’s a few years old, but he seems to recut this dress with some frequency (I found an ivory version about a year ago). Regardless, his pieces are amazing—they look a bit wonky on the hanger, but are transportingly cool on.
Hi Elise,
You’re in a lot of the Lucky mag videos I have watched! Its so cool to see you as EIC at Beso, congrats. I love the leather jacket, what brand is it, and where can I get one?
Antoinette! So glad someone was watching! I had to have made 100s of those….
You’ve totally caught me out doing something I actually never do: The jacket is also Gary Graham. Sigh. And it was, hands down, I think the most expensive thing I’ve ever bought, but Kyung (from Albertine, the store I wrote about above) insisted that I would wear it all the time. And because I trust her through and through (I don’t think she’s ever let me buy something that has sat in my closet and taunted me…which is the true measure of a great boutique owner), I bought it. It’s part leather and part linen, and it’s cropped and exceedingly thin. It’s like a cardigan/blazer, and gives all of my drapier dresses shape.
Darn, I fancy that jacket I would totally buy it if I could find it. I perused Gary Grahams website and current collection, but only to find the leather vest. I am going to try to find a look-alike version to spruce up my fall and winter wardrobe. Good find, and good looking out on the part of Kyung–that jacket’s a keeper.
These aren’t quite the same, but similar in concept:
http://www.beso.com/2584300827/detail
http://www.beso.com/2676719624/detail
http://www.beso.com/1840429876/detail
http://www.beso.com/2659045868/detail
Actually, here are a bunch of returns:
http://www.beso.com/cropped-leather-jacket/search
Meanwhile, if you’re in New York, go to the Gary Graham store in Tribeca (or just give them a call): They might have backstock, and there’s tons there that never makes it onto their relatively sparse website.
Hi Elise, I’m so happy you landed here after your stint at Lucky. I always loved your shopping guides! I’m thinking of a career switch and your job definitely piques my interest. Can you give me some information on how to get “into the business” and any suggestions for getting my feet wet being an editor? What was your background and experience? Thanks!
Hi Elise, I just want to leave a note wishing you good luck in your new job and city, I know you will do great. I am from Monterrey, Mexico and been a Lucky reader for years, miss you a lot, your videos and your writing.Lucky is not the same without you and Andrea Linnet. So happy to found you!!!
Aww Dafne! THANK YOU—that seriously means so much! Stay in touch on the site! We should be doing videos at some point relatively soon…
And @Tracy: Glad you tracked me down – email me at eloehnen@shopzilla.com and I’ll see if I can give you some advice…
Hi Elise,
I’m also from Montana (Great Falls. but my sis lives in Msla) and I also live in So Cal (San Diego) and I also relocated here from New York about 10 years ago. I’ve always loved your stuff in Lucky. So happy to see you here! Good Luck with your new position at Beso. Montana girls rule!
Hi Margaret!
We don’t actually sell anything on Beso—you’ll have to click out to the merchant who is listed as selling the item to buy! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi,
My name is Gabriel and I am from Canada,
In two weeks is the birthday of my son and I would like to buy a watch for him. He is studend and he likes to be all the time in the mountains.The model is Suunto military black(Suunto Model SS014279010) but I am not sure if the watch is realy good.Of course in the last days I saw a lot of watches but I can not afford to buy something more than 300$.
Can you plese give me an advise?
Thank you.
Gabriel
No problem – we’ll email over some options!
Lovely smile and just a gorgeous young lady. Couldn’t help myself, just had to let you know.
<3:)<3
Howdy, This comment is for Elise. I’m a wrangler at Rancho De La Osa Guest ranch in Sasabe, Arizona. i ride 8 hrs a day on 18 of our horses. about 20 min. a horse. My job is to settle and control the bad habits these horses go through at a guest ranch. I’m telling you this because I read your bio and you grew up in Montana. I have been on and around horses in JH Wy. Sandpoint Idaho. Lyden, Washington, Evergreen, Colorado, Tombstone, Az.. and currently, Sasabe, Az..Since the early seventies I have a request to ask you. I want to put my art on shower curtains. Yup, shower curtains. So where do we go from here. First, you need to see my art. then we need to know how much is the cost to make and then how to sell them. I will pay for the cost. I want to sell them at book stores at college campus’s and then place an add In sky mall magizine . Could you help me get there? I can’t do it alone. Or maybe you can lead me in the right direction. You can check out my art work at Blue Canvas.com and search for dockdave.By the way, I think your very attractive. Please help me out here. Dallas