WUNDERKIND, Montecito’s newest women’s luxury boutique, is the brainchild of fashion industry veteran Philip Manghisi. He says he’s motivated by “the joy I get from helping customers of all ages find that fabulous item that makes them feel good.”
WUNDERKIND, Montecito’s newest women’s luxury boutique, is the brainchild of fashion industry veteran Philip Manghisi. He says he’s motivated by “the joy I get from helping customers of all ages find that fabulous item that makes them feel good.” Credit: Judy Foreman / Noozhawk photo

When the sun finally came out after weeks of cold, gloomy rain, I felt that itch that many of us get when spring is just teasing us to get out of the house and go shopping.

While rocking Aviator Nation sweats and workout gear for around-town errands, I still love beautiful clothes and accessories — sometimes to look and sometimes to add.

My first stop on a recent Friday was to check out WUNDERKIND, Montecito’s newest women’s boutique at 525 San Ysidro Road, in the former home of interior designer Birgit Klein and neighbor to Hogue & Co.

Owner and fashion veteran Philip Manghisi greeted me and gave me a first-class tour of his inviting new space in San Ysidro Village.

Manghisi grew up in New York and studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He honed his fashion chops at Jeffrey’s New York, whose founder, Jeffrey Kalinsky, even gave him the nickname “wunderkind” (child prodigy in German) as a nod to his stellar buying skills.

He moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to work for luxury retailer Elyse Walker as her designer/buyer for women’s merchandise and curator of luxury goods.

  • WUNDERKIND, in Montecito’s San Ysidro Village at 525 San Ysidro Road, features designer ready-to-wear contemporary collections, luxury shoes, collectible handbags, eyewear, jewelry and home accents.
    WUNDERKIND, in Montecito’s San Ysidro Village at 525 San Ysidro Road, features designer ready-to-wear contemporary collections, luxury shoes, collectible handbags, eyewear, jewelry and home accents. Credit: Judy Foreman / Noozhawk photo
  • WUNDERKIND, Montecito’s newest women’s luxury boutique, is the brainchild of fashion industry veteran Philip Manghisi. He says he’s motivated by “the joy I get from helping customers of all ages find that fabulous item that makes them feel good.”
    WUNDERKIND, Montecito’s newest women’s luxury boutique, is the brainchild of fashion industry veteran Philip Manghisi. He says he’s motivated by “the joy I get from helping customers of all ages find that fabulous item that makes them feel good.” Credit: Judy Foreman / Noozhawk photo
  • Philip Manghisi says his focus is providing unserved clientele with uncomplicated luxury and hard-to-find brands.
    Philip Manghisi says his focus is providing unserved clientele with uncomplicated luxury and hard-to-find brands. Credit: Judy Foreman / Noozhawk photo
  • WUNDERKIND’s carefully curated merchandise changes daily.
    WUNDERKIND’s carefully curated merchandise changes daily. Credit: Judy Foreman / Noozhawk photo
  • Montecito is Philip Manghisi’s second WUNDERKIND location. He opened his first store in Scottsdale in 2021.
    Montecito is Philip Manghisi’s second WUNDERKIND location. He opened his first store in Scottsdale in 2021. Credit: Judy Foreman / Noozhawk photo

In 2021, Manghisi relocated to Paradise Valley, Arizona, a favorite vacation destination since childhood. He couldn’t help but notice a market opportunity with the COVID-19 pandemic and the earlier closure of a local Barneys department store in 2016.

The next year, he opened his first WUNDERKIND in neighboring Scottsdale.

While the Montecito shop is smaller, the carefully curated boutique is gorgeous. I felt my endorphins kicking in as I browsed designer ready-to-wear contemporary collections, luxury shoes and collectible handbags, eyewear, home accents and jewelry that, Manghisi said, “women want to buy for themselves.”

Although new merchandise is arriving every day, Manghisi’s own personal style is classic and collectable.

“I love both the actual product and also the buying experience of fashion,” he told Noozhawk.

“I picked every single thing in the store, so I really love everything that’s here and the joy I get from helping customers of all ages find that fabulous item that makes them feel good.”

Manghisi noted that his Montecito store is different from Scottsdale “in a nod to our lower key lifestyle.”

“You will not find true cocktail or evening wear in the Santa Barbara location,” he said.

Both shops are light, pretty and luxurious, but not too fancy because Manghisi says he doesn’t like walking into a store that feels like a museum.

As in Scottsdale, he’s focused on unserved clientele and providing them with uncomplicated luxury and hard-to-find brands.

I did try on many items just to get a feel for how the store worked and how Manghisi works with new customers. It might be his first time as a two-boutique owner but his years as the force behind the scenes is out front now!

WUNDERKIND is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Judy Foreman is a Noozhawk columnist and longtime local writer and lifestyles observer. She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. The opinions expressed are her own.