Lucky Gene's Karma

In 1996 Montesano made another move, escaping the wild side of the Hollywood Hills for the beauty of Montecito, a well-heeled suburb of Santa Barbara. "I had children and I figured if I can do this and I don't, it's not good for my karma." Obviously it's been very good for his karma. Since making the move, 85 percent of Lucky Brand has been acquired by Liz Claiborne, and within the last year he and his partner have formed the Red Tiger Holding Co., an umbrella organization for their latest ventures: Capital Tailors (a high-end tailored denim collection worn by Cameron Diaz, Katie Holmes and Charlize Theron); Ever (a high-end men's surfer-inspired line) and Mijo (a women's collection from former Mademoiselle editor Michelle Jonas).

"And then Barry and I started what we hope to be a cult jean brand called Jean Shop," says Montesano in his usual offhand manner. "The first store opened recently on 14th Street in NYC and sells $240 jeans and leather wear. It looks like an adult bookstore with a small white neon sign that says 'Jean Shop' and another one that flashes 'Open' or 'Closed.' And it's kinda cool, which is important because making a lot of money was never the primary issue with Barry and me. It was all about fun and being creative and doing something different. And, you know, it still is."

After success as a restaurateur with Farfalle in L.A., Aspen and Miami, you'd think his plate was full enough, but in the past few years, he's become the kingpin on the restaurant scene in the Santa Barbara area. Lucky's, his hip Montecito eatery, is the hottest ticket in town. "Up here, it's like taking someone to the Ivy on Robertson. If you are looking to see someone here, I would think that Lucky's would be the only place in town. But it's relaxed and not pretentious. It's a fun place and it's kinda like everyone's club house." And that club includes locals like Michael Keaton, Dennis Miller, Rob Lowe, Ivan Reitman, Kirk Douglas, Oprah Winfrey and repeat visitors like Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Hanks and Mike Myers.

"There are only 25 tables and the walls are lined with all those old Hollywood pictures, but I didn't want the place to just be about Hollywood. I wanted it to be everybody's place. So we did a thing that's sort of one from the heart, where if you came in and had a nice bottle of wine on some special occasion, we'd take off the label, you'd sign it, we'd frame it and put it up on the wall."

It works for Carol Burnett, whose wine label reads, "Here's to our favorite table, at our favorite restaurant with our favorite people. Love, Carol and Brian [Miller, her husband]."

In addition to Lucky's, Montesano's other restaurants include Tre Lune, Ca' Dario, Bucatini, Enoteca Primo, D'Angelo, Joe's Cafe and the soon-to-open Cafe Luck. "What can I say? I'm Italian and we Italians like to feed people. Although when I think about it, opening nine restaurants in a town with less than 125,000 people makes me wonder if I'm crazy."

Yeah, crazy like a fox, and a generous one at that. Having established the Lucky Brand Foundation seven years ago, Montesano and his partner have given millions of dollars to disadvantaged and disabled children's causes. "We've been very lucky, my partner and I, personally and in business. Our kids are healthy and we have great lives. When I saw the pain reflected in the eyes of parents whose kids had Down syndrome, I decided that the first thing we would raise money for was the Association for Children with Down Syndrome."

To help support the over 20 charitable organizations that the Lucky Brand Foundation funds directly, they host a blowout party once a year featuring musical talent like Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and other headliners. The next one is being held on November 12 in Beverly Hills.

So what keeps Montesano going and keeps him inspired? "Everything. I live in a visual world. Barry is much more about organization; I'm still a guy who doesn't do a business plan. We work so well together. He's the present. I'm the future. I have to be a treetop flyer, because if you are passionate about something you soar."

FADE OUT. Not likely.

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