“Glynn Connolly grew up in Northern California. She studied Art History at Georgetown, before moving to Los Angeles, where she’s lived for the past 12 years. She runs the accessories brand Essex LA. When she’s not working, she is usually running, cooking, or road-tripping around California.
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on her morning routine
I start most days with a run. I run marathons so if I am training I’ll have to do a long run once a week. Otherwise I usually just run five miles or so. I’m definitely a morning workout person but I spend a few minutes in bed scrolling through Instagram and checking emails and orders before I head out. Two days a week I go to Pilates Platinum in Hollywood. I’ve been going for a few years now and I am better than when I started but it’s still insanely hard. I always have breakfast so post workout I make a smoothie or eggs and a latte. Then I shower and head downtown to drop off and pick up orders.
on her home
I just moved a few months ago and got mostly new stuff for the new place. I built the house so I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted before I moved in. The house itself is very clean and neutral – basically everything is black, white, or gray. For the furniture I like a mix of textures and old and new. I wouldn’t say my house is very girly overall but since I am living by myself for the first time in years it was fun to pick some sorta girly things like my bright pink coffee table.
on her favorite records
I just got my turntable when I moved so I don’t have too many records yet. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time so I’m hoping to stumble on that somewhere. I found this Beach Boys record at a cool antique store in Los Alamos and I thought it was a good start to my Beach Boys vinyl collection.
“Make sure you are really passionate about whatever it is that you are doing. It is so amazing to work for yourself, but there will still be occasional days when you’re not super motivated, and there is no one else to do the work for you on those days.”
on her skincare routine
I started going to Sonya Dakar for facials a few years ago and have been sucked in to using all her products. They are all very light so you can layer them on. The Retinu feels so good going on you feel like it MUST be doing something good for your face. The Flash Facial is the best quick exfoliating trick too. Always good if you’re feeling like you don’t look quite so glowy and fresh. I just try to wash my face every night. I’ve gotten very into all the sheet masks too. Sephora’s Pearl brightening one is great and Peter Thomas Roth’s cucumber gel eye patches are so great. They actually stick on and don’t slide around.
on her beauty routine
I don’t wear too much make up – basically just NARS bronzer (Laguna) and blush (Deep Throat), and Tarte’s Gifted Clay Mascara. Right now I absolutely love Glossier’s Haloscope highlight. So good!
on her personal style
I alternate between thinking I shouldn’t spend so much money on clothes – wanting to buy everything from Zara and Forever 21 – and wanting to get rid of all the crap and buy one really nice thing every few months. So my closet is very much a mix of high and low. Right now I just want perfect basics so I’m obsessed with vintage Levi’s, leather jackets and finding the perfect t-shirt.
Top: Equipment, Jeans: Vintage Levi's from Gotta Have It, Clutch:Essex
“You really just have to go out and do it. Maybe someone at your leather vendor will recommend an embosser and then they’ll tell you the best place to get rivets. You just keep doing this until you think you have the best of everything you need for your product.”
on moving to la
I moved to LA right after college and worked in entertainment PR for a few years. It was a great first job to have in LA because there were always fun events to work and I got to know the city and entertainment industry pretty quickly. I realized going to photo shoots and working with stylists were my favorite parts of the job so I decided to go back to go to FIDM for a year while I transitioned to more fashion-y things. I worked at Armani doing PR while I was at FIDM and started doing some freelance fashion writing.I had been helping out a friend who was working on a crazy leather jacket company. I knew that was never going to be a long-term thing but it was awesome to learn about the production side of fashion; I had never made anything before.
on making the perfect clutch
When the leather jacket thing finished up I decided to make something that I wanted. I’ve always loved clutches so I decided to make my perfect clutch and just see how it went. I thought the customization aspect was a cool twist and a way to make sure our customers also felt like they were getting the perfect clutch for them.
on the beautiful fall
If you have even a little interest in fashion (or Paris), ‘The Beautiful Fall’ is a must. It’s about Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent in Paris in the 70s and it is all wonderfully glamorous.
glynn's favorite books
Everything I Want to Eat by Jessica Koslow, Small Victories by Julia Turshen, Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple, August People by Ralph Graves, The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake, The Elements of Style by Strunk, White & Kalman
glynn's favorite movies
Troop Beverly Hills, Priceless, Can't Buy Me Love, Rad
glynn's favorite places in los angeles
Gracias Madre for happy hour on the patio.
Bar Stella in Silverlake for meeting up with friends.
Sunset Tower for a nightcap.
I love Beaming for juices and smoothies. I’m obsessed with the Antioxidant elixir for after a long run (or when hungover) and the Sexy Mayan is my favorite smoothie.
I usually run next door to Alfred in the Alley for a giant cold brew and maybe a bagel from Yeastie Boys. ‘The Alfred’ is my go-to.
My fave spot or breakfast is Ed’s Coffee Shop on Robertson. It’s been there forever and is run by the nicest people in town.
For lunch, Sycamore Kitchen on La Brea for giant salads or Potato Chips Deli for perfect sandwiches.
For an easy dinner in the neighborhood, Night + Market is always a good idea.
LA has so many good home stores – my faves are Lawson Fenning, Consort and Nickey Kehoe.
jeans: madewell, boots: loeffler randall, clutch: essex la, top: aritzia, jacket: topshop
Photography by Maika Lindsay