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As Is Designer Ayumi Shibata. Photo by Felix Salzman/LookBookLA.

The Slow boutique has been doing business for what may be an eternity on Los Angeles’ Melrose Avenue; more than 16-years. But the shop’s Japanese-expat co-owner Ayumi Shibata found a new wrinkle in a relatively old business.

On June 10, she opened the 900-square-foot As Is boutique in the Slow boutique’s former office space on the corner of Melrose Avenue and North Gardner Street.

L.A.'s Fashion Neighborhoods Get A Makeover

Downtown Los Angeles' Fashion District changes looks more often than Madonna. Strolling the bustling neighborhood recently, we spotted a few new creative endeavors in random spots, including a slick Andre the Giant mural on a garage door around the corner from the California Market Center and curiously close to an Obey Giant mural on Olympic.

Bright pink sign of Melrose Avenue's Vivienne Westwood boutique

Call us impatient.

More than one year ago, January 2010 to be exact, fashion icon Vivienne Westwood confirmed she would debut a boutique at 8320 Melrose Ave at the corner of Flores Street in Los Angeles. Then nothing happened. No building construction. Barely a sign of life.

Faith Connexion USA's Yoyo Yeung takes a meeting with models wearing her brand's styles.

French headquartered brand Faith Connexion produced a gala grand opening party Nov. 30 for its first U.S. boutique, located at 8420 Melrose Ave., in West Hollywood.

The location alone is festive for a new store. The spot is located across the street from prominent designer stores of Diane von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs.

Vera Wang at 8445 Melrose. The boutique's sales clerks said a store sign would be installed soon.

A once high-flying section of West Hollywood’s Melrose Avenue might get another chance to become a thriving retail street now that a fashion star opened a boutique there recently.



Vigil at Alexander McQueen boutique on Feb. 11

News of the death of fashion designer Alexander McQueen on Feb. 11 stunned and saddened many of the fashion retailers on Los Angeles’ Melrose Avenue. One boutique, Madison, paid tribute to the provocative, young English designer with a mournful scene in its store window at 8115 Melrose Ave.