The Desert Design District gathered Nov. 20 at Roche Bobois on El Paseo in Palm Desert for an evening exploring the interplay of design, fashion, and architecture — and to celebrate the U.S. debut of the showroom’s Pedro Almodóvar Cromatica Collection. The program featured fashion designer Trina Turk, Fashion Week El Paseo director Susan Stein, and architect Lance O’Donnell, while Eight4Nine Catering & Events passed hors d’oeuvres and District members modeled looks from Turk’s holiday line.
Turk, a devoted modernist and PS ModCom board member, shared progress images from her latest architectural venture: a 1963 hillside home in The Mesa she’s renovating in time for Modernism Week. Stein spoke about the long-standing conversation between couture and the built environment, highlighting how each field borrows ideas from the other in both form and expression.
O’Donnell closed the evening with reflections on his desert upbringing and the midcentury sensibilities that continue to inform his work — from the sculptural forms of the terrain to the distinct character of desert light.
Desert Design District is a regional collective that connects interior designers, showrooms, artisans, and trade professionals across the Coachella Valley. Members benefit from a referral network, business-promotion tools, educational opportunities, and regular mixers — all designed to strengthen the area’s design community and promote collaboration.
Trenton Doling, Charissa Farley, Carolyn Chesnut, and Gabriel Rivera.
Alex Fernandez, Phil York, Kim Bradley, Bella Golden, and Jeff Wilcox.
Casey Jones, Fina Meraz, Alex Fernandez, Lilly Gibbs, and Jeff Wilcox.
Kim Bradley, Philippe Chansel, Stephanie Meyer, and Susan Stein.
Liz Utley, Anna Kula, Lisa Marie Hart, Susan Stein, and Emily Chavous Foster.
Logan McPeak, Lucia Balbini, Alex Fernandez, Kelly Zimmerman, and David Dunn.
Lucien Wolff, Steven Reed Love, Liz Utley, and Sergio Arenas.
Desert Design District board of directors Alfredo Gandara, Fina Meraz, and Steven Reed Love.
Rick Royale, Lucien Wolff, Trina Turk, Joe Gyori, and Bill Stewart.
Kim Bradley and Lucien Wolff.
Guests enjoying the presentation.
Trina Turk (far left) and Desert Design District members wearing her holiday collection.
