“Oh my gosh, put something on her so she is not standing naked!” Kirsten Prosser directs her staff in Danish-accented English, waving toward a glass-mosaic mannequin glittering au natural in the window of OnQueStyle, the designer resale boutique and styling agency in Corona del Mar, where fashionistas flock in search of anything from an $18 bauble to a $100,000 handbag.
Ever since she was a 4-year-old making clothes to dress up her Barbies in her small town of Tarm, Denmark, Prosser has been very concerned with putting just the right things on women. She grew up to become a fashion designer in Marbella, Spain, then moved to the States where she worked as a runway specialist for Donna Karan New York for a number of years before going freelance as a stylist to the rich and famous. It was that experience of working directly with fashion clients that led Prosser and her husband, Eddie, to lease a small corner shop on Coast Highway in 2009, the height of the Great Recession.
“I was scared to sign the lease,” she admits, standing in what is now a store that covers most of the block – and that’s not counting the online presence of OnQueStyle. So successful has her idea been, in fact, that Prosser is opening an outlet store and eyeing a location in Beverly Hills. But for Prosser, the most surprising reward has been getting to know the people of OC so intimately. Says Prosser: “For someone to let you into their closet is really personal, so you learn a lot about that person.”
My neighborhood: I live in Newport Coast. I actually did live in Cameray Shores for years, but we sold that and got a townhouse. We had lots of land and a pool, but never used the pool or the space because we are here [in the store] all the time. Now we bought a lovely townhouse on Newport Coast. I don’t like it – I love it. I am in heaven. It is so easy – I come home and don’t have all these must-do things. Outside we have a canyon view, so it’s really pretty in the evening when the sun goes down. We are building a barbecue, and we have a fireplace because we like entertaining outside. We have a dining space where we can seat 12 people. It’s beautiful. It’s like apartment living but you have the outside. I can’t tell you – I am so happy there.
Why I live here: The climate. I come from cold climates. OC is really easy to live in; you have everything around you. It’s just easy living here. But I’m getting a place in Sweden because I have a grandchild now. Actually I have three: Eddie has two and now I have one.
The only restaurant I can’t live without: I really like R+D Kitchen. I love the salads; they’re always fresh. Their ahi is really good. I have to say too, I have really started liking Babette’s, up on Crystal Cove. They have like this truffle mousse and sweet potato pie.
My perfect day: I have breakfast with my husband – I usually do a green smoothie with kale, celery and cucumbers and a little banana, and grapefruit juice, and some protein powder. And my coffee, of course. Then, we get ready and get into work.
Alternative getaway? Copenhagen and Stockholm are my favorite places. I like to go to Stockholm to see my girlfriends. It is so beautiful. Between the two cities, Copenhagen can be more fun. People are out the whole night. There are walking streets, and even if you are out at 4 in the morning you can eat ice cream, and the restaurants and bars are open. It is just a really happy life there. Another thing is that it doesn’t matter how long you are gone for, it still stays the same. The restaurants that were popular are still popular; it’s not like here where everything changes the whole time. There is this consistency.
My sanctuary: That is definitely my home. I love the patio. I am having a big Buddha in there and a waterfall. When I sit there I can read my book or I can do Instagram and Facebook – I’m addicted to that. I can sit there for hours.
Favorite late-night haunt: I love to go to clubs. My husband and I love dancing salsa. I love having fun. Here there is no place, so what’s fun is going to someone’s house for a party, or if you are a whole big group and go to a restaurant and just have fun.
Favorite place to shop that’s not a chain: Red Fox is a tiny little boutique down in Laguna Beach, and they are actually opening a shop up here. One of my friends owns it, and he is really good at contemporary clothes. So when I need contemporary clothes,
I go there.
Dodgers or Angels? The Angels are the ones in Anaheim, right?
Red or white? I have to say red.
My pet peeve: Just one? I am a big believer in karma and I always try to live up to that. I am not perfect but I think what you do will come back to you. You always have to try to think positive.
My favorite quote: You can never be too skinny, too rich, or have too big diamonds.
Fashion icon? Coco Chanel. I love her clothes, but I also loved the way she was. She didn’t care what people thought of her. She did exactly what she wanted to do.
