Where to shop in Los Angeles (retail edition)
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Where to shop in Los Angeles (retail edition)
A complete retail guide to finding the best clothing, home goods, and nick-nacks around Los Angeles.
Combat boots for the journey
In partnership with Marc Nolan—check ‘em out
Sprezza Shopping Guides
I’d love your feedback on these guides or any tips on places you would add to this list. I spend hours creating these guides and appreciate the love!
Guest guide by Leland Grossman, a dear friend of Sprezza
After eight glorious years in the fashion capital of America (NYC), I recently moved to calmer and sunnier Los Angeles. The move came warmer winter days and the realization that I would no longer need all the dope outerwear I had been stockpiling for those fun sub-30-degree months.
To be fair, Angelinos do wear parkas when it drops below 60, but that’s another story…
Style in New York is eclectic and creative—LA feels the opposite. A few weeks ago, I was in line for a furniture sale, and nearly everyone was wearing some shade of grey, beige, tan, or black. A bit cult-like.
But that’s LA in nutshell. There are folks with good style, but the vibe I’ve gotten here is more about blending in than standing out, which leads to a lot of athleisure and simple brand logos.
Let’s get into it. All stores are listed in random order.
Follow Leland on Instagram here, or email him if you wanna link up in California (leland.grossman@gmail.com)!
Retail
Departamento // Designer, On Trend, European/Japanese
Neighborhood(s): Downtown
Price: $$$
Featured Brands: Marni, Casey Casey, Loewe, Martine Rose, MAN-TLE
NOTES: Departamento is all about the discovery experience. Tucked in the back of Maru coffee’s downtown location, all you see is a Flavin-esque yellow light emanating from the back of the roastery. Follow the light down a mirrored hallway, and you enter a secret world with some of the most fashion-forward brands around.
The store is slightly pretentious with an “if you know, you know attitude,” but kill ‘em with kindness, and they’ll take care of you. They also have the Australian brand MAN-TLE which is one of my favorite brands no one has heard of. Just touch their product, and you’ll see what I’m talking about!
Mohawk General Store // contemporary, sportswear, Japanese
Clayton’s pick
Neighborhood(s): Silverlake
Price: $$$
Featured Brands: Auralee, Carhartt WIP, Mfpen, Our Legacy, Story MFG
NOTES: Mohawk trends towards higher price point items, just like some of the other multi-brand retailers on this list. But it’s the level of curation that truly sets MGS apart from the pack. Kevin, the owner, is a seasoned menswear buyer who understands how to assemble a shop from top to bottom, and in a world where we buy shit without thinking, that still means something.
Bodega // Sneakers, Streetwear
Neighborhood(s): Row DTLA
Price: $$
Featured Brands: Nike, Kaptial, Stone Island, Cav-Empt, Salomon, Human Made
NOTES: The Boston streetwear kings known for their east coast surreptitious vending machine entrance have taken their LA outpost to another level. This store is not easy to find on the outskirts of the Row shopping complex. And when you do find it, it looks like the entrance to a wholesale fruit operation with the plastic dangly things and all!
Fear not, though, because if you make it to the plastic dangly things, you’re in the right place: a three-story streetwear Mecca with an excellent balance of tried and true brands mixed with new and emerging ones. The Bodega team does a great job of merchandising clothing with objects, and while it is a bit of a mission to get to, it’s well worth the adventure.
Dover Street Market // Designer
Neighborhood(s): Arts District
Price: $$$
Featured Brands: Commes Des Garcon, Junya Watanabe, Jacquemus, Thom Browne, Noah, Palace, Gucci
NOTES: DSM used to be the be-all-end-all of multi-brand shopping. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still top tier, but something feels a bit lazy about the assortment the last few times I popped in. Outside of the CDG/Junya lane, which they dominate (because they own those brands), the rest of the assortment feels better suited for online or the individual brand’s own retail stores.
The exclusives with brands like Nike were uninspired, and the crowded shopping feels very touristy. Despite all this, DSM is still a classic and worth the visit if you find yourself in the Arts District.
Union // Contemporary, Japanese, Streetwear
Neighborhood(s): La Brea
Price: $$-$$$
Featured Brands: Union, Neighborhood, Visvim, Bode, Essentials
NOTES: Back in high school, Union would have been number 1 on this list. With all due respect to Chris Gibbs, because he is a true legend in this industry, the store has fallen off a bit in recent years.
Once at the intersection of discovery, most of what Union sells now is better purchased from the individual brands directly, except for some Japanese labels. They’ve doubled down on their in-house brand, which is smart, but I lack the excitement to shop here that once enchanted me.
American Rag // Contemporary, Vintage, Denim
Neighborhood(s): La Brea
Price: $$
Featured Brands: Les Tien, President’s, Alex Mill, Levis Vintage
NOTES: American Rag is the OG everything store in LA. There’s not many spots you can walk out with a $3 post card or a $3,000 jacket but American Rag truly has it all.