The three years that Mischa Barton spent playing Marissa Cooper on the hit US TV series The O.C. were not only a source of pure, unabashed teen entertainment. They were also three years of fashion inspiration to the rest of the world, who watched, hooked, as the willowly young girl showcased her California-chic wardrobe each week, along with the family drama and who-kissed-who intrigue.
Nearly a decade has now passed since the young Barton took the role that would make her famous, and in between there have been many of the young Hollywood pitfalls, including a hospitalisation for an "undisclosed medical condition" that saw her escorted by police, countless articles charting weight gain, weight loss and one newspaper's bizarre fixation with her cellulite. She says she doesn't read articles about herself — "if I do, they're usually not accurate" — and if we haven't seen her on-screen for a while, it's because she's been focusing on other creative outlets, such as the fashion label she is launching in Dubai today at Rivaage boutique in The Dubai Mall. (She last visited for the opening of Atlantis in 2009.)
"It seems like I have been in the public eye forever," said Barton by e-mail ahead of her visit. "I was only eight years old when I was on stage in New York. I have taken a few quieter years lately, which has allowed me to concentrate on other artistic ventures such as fashion design."
‘Things I'd love to wear'
The range, which Barton says she has been designing for a year, joins her already established handbag collection, which has been in stores for four years. Good news for anyone looking to recreate her look: the inspiration for the collection is straight from her style.
"[It's] just from the idea of things I'd love to wear," she said. "I have been around fashion since I was very young. I design for young women, anything from 15 to 35. It's inspired by my travels, and a mixture of influences. We have a little bit of everything in there: dresses, jackets, T-shirts, leggings, scarves, shirts."
The owner of Rivaage, Rohini Gehani, liked the brand for its versatility as well as its price point.
"As a boutique owner, I think it is a great brand in store as the clothes are great for both casual and evening wear. I also think the collection really represents Mischa's style, which is a beautiful boho chic, as well as this for what they are, the clothes are priced so reasonably [items start from Dh600]."
Barton's favourite designers are testament to that bohemian style: Matthew Williamson, Stella McCartney, Alice Temperley, Marc Jacobs.
An e-tail site, Mischasplace.com, was launched at the end of April, selling her clothes, accessories and cosmetics (she works with a Los Angeles-based company to create them). Barton enlisted the help of her Irish mother, Nuala. "It was an interesting perspective, a good collaboration," she said. "I love working with her!"
While she's been keeping a low profile on the big and small screen for the last few years, Barton created a buzz in Los Angeles last month, after being spotted on the street in her underwear. Was it a return to the days when she would fall out of clubs, worse for wear? Not quite. The 26-year-old was chosen to appear in a music video for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, the band the ex-Oasis singer-songwriter set up after the British band split. Filming was a lot of fun, said Barton.
"Noel's people just called and asked, and I think he's great. The video is a comedy sketch almost... I get my dress ripped off in a taxi door! It's a great track!"
So is she heeding the fashion world's siren call permanently, never to return to major acting roles?
"I will always be an actress, but I love creativity in general," she concludes. "I suppose that's why I've had such fun with this."
Mischa's picks
What are your favourite pieces in the collection, and how would you wear them?
I like the Swan dress teamed up with the Band jacket. The Michael jacket can be paired with almost anything.
What are your suggestionsfrom the collection for:
A power day at the office: "The Mary Jane jacket, a plain skirt and heels."
A hot date: "The Greta short or the Fleur beaded dress."
An afternoon at the mall: "Something casual, one of our graphic T-shirts and jeans."
Mischa's Los Angeles favourites
Mischa Barton isn't quite the California native her role in The O.C. may have lead you to believe. She's actually — gasp — British (her parents moved to the US when she was six, and she became a naturalised US citizen about 10 years later). "I like people to discern that I'm an English-Irish girl who grew up in New York," she has said.
However she's still familiar enough with LA to name plenty of her handbags after streets in the Sunshine State city. Here are some of her favourite spots.
Eating: "I love Sushi Kiwami [11920 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 9160, +18187633910]."
Shopping: "The shops on Sunset and Robertson."
Spa: "The Peninsula Spa [9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, +13105512888]."
Meet Mischa
Mischa Barton will be opening Rivaage, The Dubai Mall (2nd floor, next to Galeries Lafayette) from 6pm-9pm on Wednesday.
