In a new series we’ve identified some of our favorite “OKP” — or our kind of people– to dish on what makes them tick and show us a bit about their style. Atlanta’s Morgan Henzlik is the owner of Morgan Kylee boutique, which has received accolades from Southern Living and InStlye magazine. Morgan’s sense of style in store has translated seamlessly into styling gigs, and she herself was named one of Atlanta’s 50 Most Beautiful. We think Morgan is “one to watch” and can’t get enough of her picks on Taigan. SHOP ALL
What is your go to “look” for a night out?
My go to “look” for a night out is pretty dependent on what it is that I’m doing, but my standard uniform is a pair of jeans…usually my boyfriend jeans, a t-shirt, blazer, and an awesome pair of shoes, mainly heels when I am headed out. I never plan on what I’m going to wear, it completely depends on my mood.
If you have a guest in Atlanta for one weekend, what are your must-do activities?
I usually, and by usually I mean always, plan at least one dinner at Umi, which is my FAVORITE restaurant in Atlanta. It is a great place to set the tone and start the evening. Plus, I think that it is such a treasure unique to Atlanta that it is a great place to experience no matter who the guest may be. I have also recently fallen in love with the belt-line development that runs through out some of the coolest parts of Atlanta. I would probably take them to brunch at the Parrish market, and then hop on the belt line right there and just stroll. There are so many cool things that have opened up along the trail, so we could walk, check out the shops, art, markets, skate park, stop for a mimosa, and carry on. I think the coolest part about traveling to other cities is experiencing the unique culture of each metropolis. I want to go to hole-in-the wall places that I can only take in while I’m there, so I would try and do the same for anyone that came to Atlanta.
Describe your design aesthetic.
I always think that I sound like such a contradiction when I describe my personal style, but here it goes: strategic, effortless, eccentric, bohemian, tomboy, classic, minimalist, edgy. I like the dichotomy between something classic and something funky. It sounds insane, but being the architecture major and math person that I am I think about style and design as an equation. There are all of these wonderful variables out there, but mixing them must be balanced and I think that’s the difference between trendy and ever lasting. There is a way to respect the old and make it current and give it your own twist. That’s what I like to do.
Who are your biggest career influences?
My biggest career influences would probably be my parents. They are both extremely hard working and talented entrepreneurs and growing up in a house where we were taught to work hard, make the right decision even if it wasn’t the easy or fun decision, and most of all encouraged to seek out what made us happy and dive with both feet in was the best influence I could have asked for. Those personality traits were instilled in me early.
What is always in your fridge?
This makes me laugh, because I hate going to the grocery store. I’m not a big foodie at all and cooking has never been of any interest to me. Can I cook? Yes, I am not kitchen illiterate, it just doesn’t get me going like a lot of people. Growing up with an iron man as your father keeps you pretty clean and disciplined when it comes to what you keep in the house. I always have La Croix sparkling water-I LOVE sparkling water. I really don’t drink soft drinks, but certain foods I have to have something carbonated with. I always have FAGE’s pineapple Fruyo, and have recently discovered/fallen in love with Perfect bars that stay in your fridge.
About Morgan: Self-trained and with a natural eye for interesting visual aesthetics, Morgan Henzlik is one of the South’s rising style stars. Henzlik burst onto the Atlanta scene in 2011 as the owner and mastermind (rather a prodigy, since she was just 26 at the time) behind her stunning boutique, Morgan Kylee. The boutique stocks brands (such as Rick Owens, Robert Clergerie and Rachel Comey) rarely found elsewhere in the city, distinguishing itself as a destination where fashion reigns. With multiple annual buying trips to New York, along with constant research to uncover just the right mix of cutting-edge pieces and classics that will stand the test of time, her eponymous store has a clientele that ranges from youth to established women. It’s clear that the charming, chic store in the posh Buckhead neighborhood is the embodiment of her lifelong dream and passion, but it also serves as a small window into the innate creative that she is.
Beyond fashion, Henzlik’s eye for style and design runs deep. Growing up around beautiful interiors (mom, Andrea, is a nationally sought-after interior designer), she has a point of view that she brings to decor pieces, home furnishings, accessories and art, all of which are also available for purchase at Morgan Kylee. She has become a true pioneer for style and fashion in Atlanta, as well as tastemaker and curator of culture in the South.