For discerning travelers interested in fashion and style, Los Angeles offers unparalleled shopping opportunities. From established luxury brands to trendsetting young designers, the range of retail experiences here is vast—and distinctive. Here is our curated list of Los Angeles’s top neighborhoods for shopping.
Celebrate Indie Design in Venice Beach
In the 1970s, Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach teemed with surfers and skaters who wanted nothing more than to shred. Today the vibe of the one-mile-long stretch is less alternative and more upscale. Topping the shopping list is Toms, the shoe and apparel company that with every sale donates a pair of shoes to children in need. Eyewear brand Warby Parker is here, as is Ilan Dei Venice, which sells outdoor modern furniture, all designed in California. On the first Friday of every month, Venice Beach heats up for the First Fridays public art event.
Casual Beach Style in Santa Monica
“Eclectic” is the name of the shopping game in Santa Monica. Travelers can find everything from custom surfboards at Bay Street Boards on one side of town to casual but refined women’s apparel at Margaret O’Leary and Morgan Le Fay on Montana Avenue. Most shoppers gravitate toward the stores and boutiques lining the pedestrian-friendly Third Street Promenade downtown; others head over to Santa Monica Place, a more traditional mall with such shops as AllSaints, Coach, and more.
Shop with the Stars in Beverly Hills
For travelers who seek out classic luxury brands, several blocks on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills are a must-visit destination. Legendary fashion houses are represented, including Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, and Dior. Other newer brands are here too, including Tory Burch and Jimmy Choo. Shoe-lovers, take note: Shutz, located a block off Rodeo, is Brazilian designer Alexandre Birman’s first West Coast flagship, and features a staggering selection of heels. When you need a break from shopping, head to Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant that still remains one of the city’s most see-and-be-seen spots.
Spago
Amanda Friedman/AFAR Media
The Newcomer: DTLA Downtown LA, also known as DTLA, is one of the city’s hippest districts. Start at ROW DTLA, a sprawling complex spread over six buildings and featuring more than 100 unique stores, restaurants, and workspaces. Don’t miss Poketo (they also have another location at the Platform in Culver City), Oak NYC, and Erica Tanov. From there, head for the Fashion District at the intersection of Broadway and Ninth, where you’ll find such shops as Acne, APC, Tanner Goods, Aesop, Heidi Merrick, and BNKR, the West Coast flagship for this famous Australian brand.
Poketo at the Platform
Lisa Corson/AFAR Media
Other Great Shopping Districts In West Hollywood, California lifestyle and women’s apparel is represented at Jenni Kayne. The pioneering brand Opening Ceremony is here, too, as is the new Fred Segal complex on the Sunset Strip. In Century City the Westfield Century City Mall, which re-opened in early 2018 after a two-year, $1-billion-dollar renovation, has more than 200 shops and restaurants, including the West Coast’s first Eataly food complex. The mall also offers shoppers private suites, which include a private lounge, personal shoppers, nanny-oriented daycare, and more.
