Although the vibe at Steinberg & Sons is decidedly indie-girl/crafty, the store actually sprung from the champagne-drenched loins of New York high society. Tatiana Von Furstenberg (niece of Diane) and her partner, actor Russell Steinberg, opened the original Steinberg & Sons in 1999 on Elizabeth Street in New York City. They relocated West in 2000 and settled in a former barbershop in Los Feliz where the store now resides. Francesca Gregorini (step-daughter of Ringo Starr) was a business partner as was a member of the Carolina Herrera clan (never before had the staff at the House of Pies next door witnessed such chic). But by 2001, Von Furstenberg had decided it was time to let the business go.
In stepped Suzie Kim, a self-confessed vintage freak and photographer who turned the space into the friendly hipster-girl heaven it is today. She remodeled the space, pulling out the barber’s sink and faux wood paneling and starting over with a clean palette. But she kept the name.
Having majored in photography at Art Center, she now festoons the walls with works by local artists (some framed Gay Ribisi photographs were up when we visited). And pretty young things will find themselves hypnotized by the feminine, vintage-inspired dresses. “I love girly dresses,” says Kim, whose frocks hover around the $100 mark. She carries largely independent designers — Lewis Cho, Built by Wendy and Anzevino & Florence — and occasionally her own line, Steinberg & Sons .
Shelves of brightly-colored yarn skeins line one of the walls — that’s The Little Knittery, which shares the space with Steinberg & Sons. Run by flame-haired drummer Julie Edwards of local art-rock duo The Pity Party, The Little Knittery sells fine alpaca yarns in too many gorgeous colors to mention. Edwards and her band mate Mark are both avid knitters who often wear their own creations on stage, and they host free knitting classes in the space, rock star touring schedules permitting.
Knitting rock stars, celebrity pedigree and some of the best frocks on the Eastside — what more could you ask for?
Caroline Ryder is Style editor-at-large for Metromix Los Angeles.