I Had No Idea I Was a Golf Girl Until I Discovered This Fashion-Insider Brand.

      I had never played golf before, but when I received an invitation for an overnight girls' trip in Santa Barbara to celebrate the launch of Malbon x HVN, I jumped at the chance. Since its founding in 2017, the golfwear and lifestyle brand Malbon has aimed to engage an audience more acquainted with art, culture, and fashion rather than just planning for retirement, all while promoting inclusivity and creating designs that go beyond the conventional whites and plaids of traditional golf attire. Following recent collaborations with Gap and Keith Haring, teaming up with DJ Harley Viera-Newton and her clothing line HVN, celebrated for its vintage-inspired designs and playful prints (with fans like Rihanna and Alexa Chung), felt like a logical step for the golf brand, according to co-founder and co-CCO Erica Malbon, who remarked, "I’ve always admired Harley's work and how she infuses a feminine yet edgy touch into her designs. They’re timeless but still enjoyable and fresh. For me, it was about figuring out how to incorporate that perspective into sportswear.” (It's worth noting that Viera-Newton and Malbon are friends.)

      Jess Hart on the golf course

      With that context, when I arrived at the newly remodeled Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara on Thursday afternoon, I suspected my fellow attendees wouldn’t be your typical ladies who lunch. Indeed, after checking in with the team, I encountered supermodel Jess Hart, W Magazine’s Skin Talk host Laura Love and her sister Nathalie, as well as model/artist Bree Colter in the lobby. Typical golf crowd? Not quite. However, this was intentional. Although we had an agenda, it was far from rigid, allowing me to head to my room and explore some of the collection. A blue gingham windbreaker and a matching tennis dress, along with a light white pleated skirt that made me yearn for a Seven Year Itch moment, caught my attention. While all items were made with performance in mind, Viera-Newton stated, “I wanted to provide timeless styles you can wear directly from the court to lunch with friends, or sometimes not to the court at all!” She references the iconic pink-and-blue tennis courts at the Madonna Inn as the inspiration for the collection’s pastel color scheme.

      Working on our golf swing

      After a quick lunch where I met a few more women, including model/makeup artist/chef Matisse Andrews, influencer Christie Tyler, and model Sadie Newman, and enjoyed a rejuvenating massage, I changed into my new golf outfit and joined most of the group by the pool. It’s impressive what can transpire when you gather a group of intriguing women. Despite some of us being strangers, our golden-hour golf lesson felt like the beginning of an extended sleepover. While mastering the fundamentals of a proper swing, we danced to popular music and shared amusing dating anecdotes that were not suitable for publication. I can’t believe it, but I actually enjoyed learning golf. It certainly helped that I felt cute in my white polo minidress adorned with HVN’s signature cherry design.

      Did I mention I’m six months pregnant? The rest of the evening unfolded flawlessly. We enjoyed sunset cocktails with ocean views, followed by an intimate candlelit dinner featuring some of the finest hotel cuisine I’ve ever tasted. Mid-meal, Sara Riff, Global Entertainment Director for Jimmy Choo and a close friend of Malbon, introduced a getting-to-know-you card game. My question was, “If you could be a man for a day, what’s the first thing you’d do?” Naturally, I replied, “Pee standing up and ask for a raise.” The next morning, we had a leisurely breakfast followed by a tennis lesson. Since I’m six months pregnant, I opted out of the lesson, but I watched from the sidelines as Laura Love dominated the court. Before I knew it, it was time to head home. I bid farewell to my new friends, and as I drove down Highway 1 back to Los Angeles, I reflected on the question, “Am I a golf girl now?” To my surprise, I think the answer is yes.

      Shop Malbon x HVN

      

      

      

      

      

      Malbon

      HVN Crosscourt Windbreaker

      

      Malbon

      HVN Valentina Skirt