Remembering Lauri

Some people have an extraordinary gift for making the world feel more beautiful. Lauri Carleton was one of them.

Her career in fashion began as a teenager, working in the family business at Fred Segal Feet in Los Angeles while attending Art Center College of Design. She later managed one of the nation's most celebrated fashion shoe departments at Joseph Magnin in Century City before joining Kenneth Cole almost from its inception. Over the next fifteen years, she helped build the company as an executive, collaborating with factories and design teams throughout Italy and Spain while traveling more than 200 days each year.

Those experiences shaped more than a successful career—they nurtured a lifelong belief that beauty is found in thoughtful details and spaces created with intention. Whether she was breathing new life into a historic Lake Arrowhead cabin or carefully selecting pieces for Mag.Pi, Lauri found joy in creating places that felt welcoming, lived-in, and full of character.

Together with her husband, Lauri raised identical twin daughters, whom they adopted at birth, while building a life centered around creativity, adventure, and hospitality. Their homes—both in Studio City and in Lake Arrowhead—became welcoming places where family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers were welcomed with warmth and generosity.

Mag.Pi grew naturally from that philosophy. It was never simply a store. It was an extension of Lauri herself—a thoughtfully curated collection of home, clothing, gifts, and vintage finds chosen with intention and meant to inspire a slower, more meaningful way of living.

On August 18, 2023, Lauri's life was tragically taken while standing up for kindness, inclusion, and the simple belief that every person deserves dignity and respect. Her courage in that moment reflected the same compassion that had guided her throughout her life.

While her absence is felt every day, her spirit continues to shape everything Mag.Pi represents. Every collection, every carefully chosen object, and every welcoming conversation carries forward her love of beauty, generosity, and community.