Boutiques line West 3rd Street, each offering its own unique experience. These stores showcase some of the best of what Los Angeles fashion has to offer, from local cult favorites to international stars-to-be to large-house fashion iconoclasts. The shop owners here have typically spent years in the biz, are welcoming, and want you to have a good time. It’s all the L.A. style you need, without the attitude. Enjoy!
Designer Cynthia Vincent and her former publicist, Alisa Loftin, thrive on locally grown labels. Find favorites like Maxine Dillon, introduce yourself to fresh cuts from Octopi, and say hello to other collections brought to you by Margarita Splala and Violently Attractive. With an art gallery twist, the store's decor is as well-curated as the clothes, with jewelry displayed in frames, on antlers and on disfigured mannequins.
A two-part act, Polkadots and Moonbeams consists of a pair of stores, one vintage, the other chasing current trends. The decidedly more fun vintage half features Victorian-style dresses, flapper dresses, old-school purses and a bevy of hats; it's also outfitted in appropriately antique decor. The sister store is a more modern-day version and is a popular choice among Hollywood’s elite, housing designs from the likes of Rachel Pally, Ella Moss and Nightcap Clothing.
The old-time concept of the general store lives on with a modern twist. It is difficult to describe everything this store has to offer, as new products turn up each time one visits. To be sure, one can find a wide range of beautiful and unique gifts, from jewelry and fascinating books to gorgeous handmade pottery, vintage furniture, toys and photographs. The list of what you can find here is endless but thrilling, with new surprises at every turn.
For the GQ subscriber looking for the seriously high-end. The friendly staff will treat you like a Hollywood A-lister from the moment you step inside. Look for designs by British favorite Paul Smith, Comme des Garcons, former Hermes designer Martin Margiela and Sieze Sur Vingt dress shirts crafted in Italy.
The Madame of evening wear showcases her line of self-described “cocktail-length, bias-cut dresses with soft draping” in her Los Angeles showroom. Designed by architect and friend Richard Corsini, the storefront could pass as an art gallery, with a group of floating mannequins wearing Londgren pieces. The designer also carries accessories from up-and-coming jewelry designers that will complement your selection perfectly.
The eponymous store is the brainchild of London-native Miranda Morrison and Kari Sigerson, who was raised in Omaha. The pair met at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and found they share a similar vision of “simple, clean, modern and occasionally cheeky” footwear that combines Morrison’s British quirk with Sigerson’s Midwest pragmatism. Soon after its New York debut, the collection acquired a cult following. A handbag collection soon followed, as well as the designers’ Belle collection—a younger, edgier line of beautiful shoes and sexy boots at a slightly lower price.
Make travel fashionable and fun with bright luggage, high-end overnight bags and an extensive collection of travel guides. The futuristic store is modeled after a Boeing 747: Find bags in overhead compartments, and check out at the ticket counter. Pick the perfect gift for that jet-setting friend, or take home an in-flight game for yourself to ease midair boredom. You'll also find items for the landlocked, including umbrellas, handbags, beauty kits, cameras and watches.
We heart N.Y., and you will too after visiting this store. Rush hails from Manhattan and came to L.A. to pursue a marketing career with designer Lulu Guinness, who owned a shop on West 3rd. After five years, Rush took over the boutique and made it her own, showering us with her grounded Manhattan style. The Nili Lotan cotton tuxedo dress is perfect for night out at Koi (on either coast) and the J Brand collection takes you from work to weekend, whether in the Hamptons or Malibu. Other necessities include Syla vintage-inspired bikinis and Kenneth Jay Lane jumbo emerald-shaped cocktail rings. You'll also discover goodies from Charlotte Ronson, Monroe and Sunner.
Hailed for being a one-stop shop, Milk has been recognized for its collection of clothes, shoes, accessories, reading materials, home goods, beauty products and children’s items. Designers include local favorites, New York labels like Jill Stuart and European names like Derek Lam. Milk shoppers will also love the hard-to-find indie labels from Sretsis and former Miu Miu designer Giulia Piersanti. The shop owners are proud of their section of men’s clothes, featuring Loomstate organic denim and Trovata shirts. Other pleasant surprises come from lines such as Zac Posen, Mike & Chris, and Brian Reyes. The only vintage items in the store are the decorative milk bottles on the shelves.
The duo came from Philly to save L.A. style from hoochie shorts and oversized T-shirts. All items in the store boast a Rodan vs. Griffith tag and are made locally. The store hosts many events and performances by local indie bands, as well as exhibitions by local artists. Rodan and Griffith are making the Los Angeles image accessible and down-to-earth.
Check out the new and never-been-seen here. The store’s name is a testament to what lingers inside: a carefree spirit dressed up in luxury. The fashionably inclined might feel like a kid in a girly candy store amid a mixture of Lanvin, Balenciaga and Chloe, and cult labels Thakoon, Twenty8Twelve and 3.1 Phillip Lim. The owners are just as passionate about fashion as you are, making each style discovery in their store a memorable one.
Ryan Conder mans this refreshing home to such designer names as Raf Simons, Patrik Ervell and Band of Outsiders. With minimal decor, South Willard is the very essence of a menswear boutique—a comfortable space that is neither overstuffed nor pretentiously bare. Goods for purchase such as wallets, notebooks, stationery and DVDs lie sprawled on an antique wooden table in the middle of the floor.
Trina Turk is a world-renowned designer whose style is easily identified by bold colors and prints, and her eponymous line is one of the most successful to come out of SoCal in recent memory. Turk draws most of her inspiration from Palm Springs (where she lives and has another boutique), infusing her designs with an upbeat ‘60s disposition. Both store locations were designed by Kelly Wearstler, who is also responsible for the designs of the posh hotels Viceroy, Avalon and Maison 140. The L.A. boutique sells Trina handbags, sunglasses and menswear as well as vintage clothing and jewelry.
The store’s mission, as stated by owner and Eveline Morel, “Don’t wear boring clothes,” embraces individualism, passion and living life to the fullest. Don’t you think you should dress the part? Morel strives to “think global and act local,” and in doing so houses one of the world’s most interesting and inspirational collections, from France’s American Retro and Deadbirds & Lionheart from Finland to the Australian menswear line Chiodo. The store also sells Morel’s own EM Reconstruct collection and supports other in-house designers like Cyrus & Sonny, Seed, and Uriel Saenz. Lose yourself in one of the racks and emerge enlightened.
Scout
Owner Joseph Grana scours the globe for the best up-and-coming independent designers and prides himself on editing an exclusive collection of progressive labels and rare finds. Scout has introduced new designer Henrik Vibskov from Copenhagen and cult-phenom Jeremy Scott. New designers shack up alongside vintage timepieces from Alaia and Yves Saint Laurent. The store carries its own line, Scout, as well as others like threeASFOUR, Grey Ant and Society for Rational Dress.
