Q&A | Heidi Merrick

Heidi Merrick...where to start? OK, so, last October we hosted a wedding on our patio for friends and someone whispered to me, "that's Heidi Merrick." I looked over at this woman sitting, drinking champagne in an elegant flowing yellow dress topped with a razor sharp black tuxedo jacket. I had heard her name so many times and knew she was Al Merrick's (the iconic surfboard designer) daughter—but other than that she was just an ultra cool ghost to me, I would constantly hear about her, but never thought I'd ever meet her. Then I did, and she lived up to her reputation and then some: she's approachable, funny, smart, and a heavy user of surf lingo. As a designer, this same personality is palpable in her collections. Her clothing is fun, chic, very much itself, and there's always a hint of her beachy sensibility in there. She channels travel and personal experiences for inspiration, like her latest collection, which is based on a trip to Paris and Morocco last year.

I met her in her downtown studio that overlooks the new Ace Hotel and we talked about her work. The one thing I really held onto was that she said, "I'm OK with not trying to do everything." It's a simple idea, but so refreshing in a world where there's pressure to expand and co-brand and build-out and ramp-up; sometimes it's about doing something you're satisfied with and not worrying about always expanding or striving. It hit home for me at least. Below, Heidi's Q&A. And, how great is that Drake tee she's wearing up top?

If not in Los Angeles, I would live…in Carpinteria.

My dream vacation would be to…Morocco, down the coast with a whole caravan of friends and family.

    

My current obsessions are...oh this is tough, because I'm not, by nature, obsessed with things. I do, however, obsess with ideas.

Food: Quality over quantity, this is what I'm striving for in my relationship with food.

Music: I love José González.  

Fashion: I watch how my friends dress and change, I like to think about them sartorially—it keeps me from all sorts of other thoughts. Right now, the girl to watch is my dear friend Annina Mislin.

I channel my childhood self when I…am near the ocean. I like to stare at the horizon and let it change my perspective to something more like it was, more childlike, more true.

The fictional characters I most relate to is…Harry Potter, obviously. I don't relate to Frodo, I never have. I could have been Bilbo, for sure, he's the one that started that whole mess.

If I had to be outdoors all day I would…make sure to be wearing sunscreen and have invited my Carpinteria friends before I Instagram a picture of the waves.

My favorite quality in a man is…humility.

  

My favorite quality in a woman is…braveness.

I'm terrified of…real things. Mainly, love lost.

My dream car is a…vintage convertible hard top Mercedes with tan interior and navy exterior. This is what I drive, it was a gift from my mother in law. Note to everyone: Be nice to your mother in law.

My cocktail of choice is…champagne, sometimes with an ice cube. Une piscine!

My celebrity crush is…Tom Curren, always has been.

My beauty product of choice is…Chanel everything.

My friends and I like to…go on picnics.

I tend to splurge on…real estate. 

My love for the way men look...is what makes me have Tomboy Style.

All Heidi Merrick clothing is made in the USA (in downtown Los Angeles).