L.A. Articles: "Double" Stores
"Double" Stores
There’s a doubling up of Los Angeles’s hottest boutiques, so here’s a guide to navigate the similarities and differences for your shopping pleasure:
FRED SEGAL:
Known for carrying and starting the hottest trends (remember the Hard Candy craze? The very first shade, baby blue, was sold at FS.)
SANTA MONICA: A roomier layout than its twin, the Santa Monica store has very distinct mini-stores for clothes, makeup, children’s wear, etc. The much-talked-about “Fun” is where you’ll find eclectic brands as well as staples like Splendid, Juicy Couture, Hard Tail. If you like sifting through racks of clothes and stacks of t-shirts, it’s a goldmine.
The store used to have a very casual, cafeteria-like eating area that was always packed and had the best pizza and grilled cheese. Now it’s an Italian restaurant, and it’s a little less crazy, but still delicious. Do try sandwich #7 – it’s really good.
There’s an entire second store across the street, with more merchandise and another café.
MELROSE: Less of a full-afternoon destination than its twin, much of the Melrose store is its Ron Herman section, plus kids and mens. When a celebrity is photographed leaving Fred Segal, 75% of the time they are leaving the Melrose store. (Though an often-printed photograph of Nicole Kidman and her daughter leaving FS shows them leaving the Santa Monica store.) More of a “stop in and see what’s new” place.
There is a restaurant that has a very health-conscious menu. Beware, there are no French fries. My advice: skip lunch and go straight for the desserts. They are incredible!
If you like the clothes in the Ron Herman section, there are also Ron Herman stores in Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Malibu.
LISA KLINE
Very hip, popular boutique with brands ranging from Theory to Generra, Splendid to,yes Juicy Couture.
ROBERTSON: The well-known, much visited store, they even have a black-out system for the windows so that celebrities can shop without being photographed. The store isn’t huge, but there’s tons of merchandise stuffed into the racks and folded on tables.
SOUTH BEVERLY: Fairly new, the self-proclaimed “higher end” Lisa Kline doesn’t have as much merchandise, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s as though someone took the best (and not necessarily most expensive) Lisa Kline items and put them in this store. A little less funky, a little more “staples” but great quality. South Beverly is not the hippest of streets, but here’s predicting a change… where Lisa Kline goes, other fashion follows?
PLANET BLUE
Funky fashions mixed with everyday pieces, a very hit-or-miss boutique that requires frequent visits to snag the cutest pieces.
MALIBU: There are two Planet Blues in Cross Creek, Malibu’s tiny outdoor shopping mart (believe the word “tiny” – the most common reaction is “this is it?” as it’s the center of town.) One is the clothing store, the other devoted to gift items. The gift store was a favorite haunt for makeup and beauty products until they redid it, taking away most of the fun. The clothing store didn’t go through the same transformation, and in fact Planet Blues everywhere tend to always seem similar. Hunt for the good finds.
SANTA MONICA (MONTANA STREET): If you prefer dresses to pants, this may be the better Planet Blue for you, but otherwise the only big differences are location. Montana Street used to be extremely popular and crowded – like Robertson Boulevard – but now, even with such hot spots as London Sole and Shabby Chic, it’s lost its “hot spot” label. However, it’s still worth a shopping trip, especially if you prefer a more low key atmosphere.
Happy shopping!
FRED SEGAL:
Known for carrying and starting the hottest trends (remember the Hard Candy craze? The very first shade, baby blue, was sold at FS.)
SANTA MONICA: A roomier layout than its twin, the Santa Monica store has very distinct mini-stores for clothes, makeup, children’s wear, etc. The much-talked-about “Fun” is where you’ll find eclectic brands as well as staples like Splendid, Juicy Couture, Hard Tail. If you like sifting through racks of clothes and stacks of t-shirts, it’s a goldmine.
The store used to have a very casual, cafeteria-like eating area that was always packed and had the best pizza and grilled cheese. Now it’s an Italian restaurant, and it’s a little less crazy, but still delicious. Do try sandwich #7 – it’s really good.
There’s an entire second store across the street, with more merchandise and another café.
MELROSE: Less of a full-afternoon destination than its twin, much of the Melrose store is its Ron Herman section, plus kids and mens. When a celebrity is photographed leaving Fred Segal, 75% of the time they are leaving the Melrose store. (Though an often-printed photograph of Nicole Kidman and her daughter leaving FS shows them leaving the Santa Monica store.) More of a “stop in and see what’s new” place.
There is a restaurant that has a very health-conscious menu. Beware, there are no French fries. My advice: skip lunch and go straight for the desserts. They are incredible!
If you like the clothes in the Ron Herman section, there are also Ron Herman stores in Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Malibu.
LISA KLINE
Very hip, popular boutique with brands ranging from Theory to Generra, Splendid to,yes Juicy Couture.
ROBERTSON: The well-known, much visited store, they even have a black-out system for the windows so that celebrities can shop without being photographed. The store isn’t huge, but there’s tons of merchandise stuffed into the racks and folded on tables.
SOUTH BEVERLY: Fairly new, the self-proclaimed “higher end” Lisa Kline doesn’t have as much merchandise, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s as though someone took the best (and not necessarily most expensive) Lisa Kline items and put them in this store. A little less funky, a little more “staples” but great quality. South Beverly is not the hippest of streets, but here’s predicting a change… where Lisa Kline goes, other fashion follows?
PLANET BLUE
Funky fashions mixed with everyday pieces, a very hit-or-miss boutique that requires frequent visits to snag the cutest pieces.
MALIBU: There are two Planet Blues in Cross Creek, Malibu’s tiny outdoor shopping mart (believe the word “tiny” – the most common reaction is “this is it?” as it’s the center of town.) One is the clothing store, the other devoted to gift items. The gift store was a favorite haunt for makeup and beauty products until they redid it, taking away most of the fun. The clothing store didn’t go through the same transformation, and in fact Planet Blues everywhere tend to always seem similar. Hunt for the good finds.
SANTA MONICA (MONTANA STREET): If you prefer dresses to pants, this may be the better Planet Blue for you, but otherwise the only big differences are location. Montana Street used to be extremely popular and crowded – like Robertson Boulevard – but now, even with such hot spots as London Sole and Shabby Chic, it’s lost its “hot spot” label. However, it’s still worth a shopping trip, especially if you prefer a more low key atmosphere.
Happy shopping!
January 2007 - Lulu Miche