Sophisticated with a dash of swagger—these North Shore trendsetters prove that style is indeed a state of mind.
Owner/master instructor, BIRD barre + cycle
Fitness has always been a particular passion for Rebecca Asfour, who grew up dancing classical ballet and ran the Boston Marathon during college. No surprise, then, that after kickstarting her career in marketing and business, the Lake Forest resident has pivoted back to the fitness realm as the owner and master instructor at the recently relaunched Lake Forest studio BIRD barre + cycle. Here, Asfour—a lover of Ted Lasso, Ben & Jerry’s and “anything Monet”—shares with NS a few more of her favorites in fashion and beyond.
WAKE-UP TIME: 6 a.m.
MORNING SKINCARE: Vitamin C serum, moisturizer and sunscreen
BEAUTY ESSENTIAL: Curling iron—without it, my hair is wild!
SIGNATURE SCENT: Le Labo Santal 33
MY AESTHETIC IN 3 WORDS: Classic, feminine and comfortable
GO-TO FASHION BRAND: La Ligne NYC
UNIFORM: Workout gear during the morning and a sundress in the afternoon
SHOES: Hoka BAG: Raleigh Bird
JEWELRY: Cartier
FASHION ICON: Kate Middleton
FAVORITE HOTEL: The Four Seasons in Whistler, BC
WORKOUT: BIRD barre + cycle
MOVIE: Something's Goff a Give
TV SHOW: Ted Lasso
MANTRA: Work hard and be kind.
ESCAPE: My garden
WEAKNESS: Ben & Jerry's ice cream
MENTOR: My parents
BEST ADVICE: You can do hard things.
PHILANTHROPY: Woman's Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
APP: Instagram
SOULMATE: Charlie Asfour
BEDTIME: 10 p.m.
BOOK AT BEDSIDE: Something nonfiction— currently Breathe by JamesNestor and In Praise of Walking by Shane O'Mara
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: “Divenire" by Ludovico Einaudi
FAVORITE WORK OF ART: Anything Monet
LOCAL HAUNT: Hometown Coffee & Juice
3 DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: My husband, my children and my dog
ZODIAC: Leo
Founder, MERINDA Studio
Winnetka resident Mindy Turitz built a successful career in the corporate world, earning an MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School and focusing on business development and brand strategy for the likes of Chanel, Ralph Lauran and Crate & Barrel. Now the Wichita, Kan. native is building her own brand with MERINDA Studio, which designs and sells chic textiles, wallcoverings and art for the home. Founded in 2019, Merinda is already making waves in the industry, having recently been featured in HGTV Magazine. Now, the ever-stylish business owner, wife and mother of three gives us the scoop on some of her personal passions and fashion tips.
WAKE-UP TIME: It's supposed to be 6:30, but let's just say “around 7."
MORNING SKINCARE: Drunk Elephant
BEAUTY ESSENTIAL: Concealer
SIGNATURE SCENT: Acqua di Parma Arancia di Capri
MY AESTHETIC IN 3-ISH WORDS: Kansas meets NYC
GO TO FASHION BRAND: Ulla Johnson
UNIFORM: Ulla Johnson top, jeans and a leather jacket
SHOES: Loving my Onitsuka Tigers
BAG: Chanel timeless clutch— it's the most versatile evening bag ever.
FASHION NEMESIS: Whoever brought back crop tops
FAVORITE HOTEL: Nayara Tented Camp, Costa Rica
WORKOUT: Barre pilates or nonsweaty yoga
MOVIE: Pride & Prejudice—any version except the zombie one
TV SHOW: Shrinking, Never Have I Ever, Outlander
MANTRA: Creativity keeps it interesting.
ESCAPE: The garden
BEST ADVICE: Use it or lose it.
PHILANTHROPY: The Woman's Board of Rush University Medical Center, particularly women's cancer initiatives. The new Rubschlager Building is stunning and sets a new standard for cancer care.
BEDTIME: As early as possible, unless there is dancing
WALK-UP SONG FOR BASEBALL (IT IS ALMOST THE PLAYOFFS, AFTER ALL): “Milkshake" by Kelis
FAVORITE WORK OF ART: “Deep" from MERINDA Studio. It's a moody imageof the Pacific Ocean at night, shot by my friend and business partner, Erin McCarthy.
LOCAL HAUNT: ARCH for vintage finds and good conversation; Buck Russell's for the North Shore club
3 DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: A hammock, a flare gun and a spicy margarita
YESTERDAY: Carpools, cooking, sending memes
TOMORROW: Photo shoot for work, mahjong, sending memes
ZODIAC: Virgo
Owner, Bunny & Babe
North Shore style setter Peyton Merrill’s discerning eye served her well in her work in visual merchandising for A-list brands Ann Taylor, J. Crew and Thomas Pink. These days, the Winnetka resident’s attention is laser-focused on Bunny & Babe, her recently expanded Winnetka boutique, one of the area’s must-shop destinations for clothing, accessories and home goods. A wife and mother of three, the Greenwich, Conn. native gives NS the scoop on what keeps her looking good and feeling inspired.
WAKE-UP TIME: 6:30 a.m.
MORNING SKINCARE: Dr. Barbara Sturm eye cream, Vitamin C serum, anti-aging serum, Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
BEAUTY ESSENTIAL: Lashes from 60's Beauty Lash
SIGNATURE SCENT: Narciso Rodriguez
MY AESTHETIC IN 3 WORDS: Classic, modern, feminine
GO-TO FASHION BRAND: Cara Cara
UNIFORM: Dressy blouse, denim and fun shoes
SHOES: Chanel flats, K.Jacques sandals, Paris Texas boots
BAG: Chanel tote, Themoire clutch
JEWELRY: Asha by Ashley McCormick, Graff
FASHION ICON: Lauren Santo Domingo
FASHION NEMESIS: Don't have one!
FAVORITE HOTEL: Crosby Hotel in NYC
WORKOUT: Daily walks & Shred 415
MOVIE: Annie Hall and any John Hughes movie
TV SHOW: Dateline or any crime series
MANTRA: Just do it.
ESCAPE: Lake Geneva and St. Barths
WEAKNESS: French fries
MENTOR: My husband
BEST ADVICE: Work smarter, not harder.
PHILANTHROPY: Rush University Hospital, Mulitple Sclerosis Society
APP: Pinterest
BEDTIME: 10:30 p.m.
BOOK AT BEDSIDE: The Magnificent Marjorie Merriwether Post and The Four Agreements
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: “Minute by Minute" by the Doobie Brothers
FAVORITE WORK OF ART: Anything in Mary McCartney's photography collection
LOCAL HAUNT: EJ's Place
3 DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: Lashes, lip gloss, sunblock
ZODIAC: Scorpio
Photography by: FROM TOP: PHOTO BY JENN MARIE CREATIVE; PHOTO BY ERIN MCCARTHY; PHOTO BY MARIA PONCE
