Even at the low, low price of $69,950, locals insisted no one would ever live way out in Summerlin. Commercials promising bliss in the spacious back yards of inexpensive tract homes and a 15-minute cruise-control commute convinced only newbies from La La Land. Today, Summerlin is the master-planned community replete with soccer fields, Starbucks and traffic like California's. Boca Park is arguably the best thing to come of our suburban sprawl, as is its newest tenant, C Level.
Finding that Juicy Couture track suit in powder-pink velour is easy; scoring something everyone else doesn't already have is the hard part. Edith Cascillo's C Level houses her handpicked collection of trend-conscious pieces by designers you won't find at Neiman's or Saks. One glimpse of Le Stilla stilettos posed casually inside a rustic armoire and Bridget Shuster bags slouching in a Stark Ghost chair, and it's clear that C Level is not just another faux vintage jeans and T-shirt shop.
Most striking is the commitment to fashion-forward ladies who know when to put the midriff/micro-mini combo to rest. Nikka jacquard coats in muted tones and Rachel Roy lightweight tweeds bespeak mature sensibility, while the selection of flirty Geren Ford and Antik Batik tops keep you this side of French maid—not old maid. It has jeans and T-shirts, but not the typical stock of bland Humanity and boring BCBG. Instead, it offers denim deviants Tag, Sacred and 575, paired with Jake's Dry Goods tees and Rebecca Beeson thermals.
C Level takes full advantage of its nightclub-esque decor Wednesdays with DJs, champagne, strawberries and a pool table upstairs to keep the boys entertained. Edith isn't keen on pushing product, and her trusted employee, Carissa Smith, has an inviting approach to retail without even a hint of posh shop snobbery.
Opened in September, C Level already has a roster of loyal locals who know a pilgrimage to the Strip is no longer the 15-minute drive advertised back in 1990. But for this city girl, it's worth a trek into the 'burbs, for a little Swarovski encrusted E.vil and a visit to the Cheesecake Factory.
C Level Las Vegas, Boca Park, 750 South Rampart, Suite 15. 933-6867.
www.clevel-lv.com
Jennifer Henry's got the goods on what to get & where. E-mail her:
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