Des Kohan Finds Fashion on the Miracle Mile
Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile district is best known as the address for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and it’s a magnet for people looking for a painting by Rembrandt. People searching for the next designs by Marc Jacobs or Paul Smith often shop at Los Angeles’ better-known retail areas—Melrose Avenue, West Third Street and Robertson Boulevard—all of which are a five minute drive away.
Yet in March, the Des Kohan fashion boutique opened in the museum district. Owner Desiree Kohan said she attracts the style-conscious to her neighborhood by stocking a selection of art-driven designers.
Her 1,000-square-foot gallery-style store sells simple yet sophisticated pieces by designers such as Giulia Piersanti, Hussein Chalayan and Jasmin Shokrian. She said the most popular items in her store are from her label, Des Kohan, which is sold exclusively at her shop. One top seller is the “Hem Dress” ($329), which features a hem that rises slightly on the garment like a gently curling wave. Also popular is a jersey and wool top with an attachable vest ($339).
Kohan, who previously worked as a trend forecaster for Miu Miu and Gucci, opened her boutique behind her family’s business, Wilshire Beauty Supply. She said the neighborhood should become a good location for fashion boutiques. “All of the artists live around here. It has a bit of a New York feel,” she said.
Real estate executive Chuck Dembo, partner of Dembo & Associates, said the area is growing. “The Wilshire/La Brea area always has been a mixed bag. It has been going through improvements,” he said.
Several mixed-use developments have been proposed for the area, including condominiums at the former Desmond’s department store building, located at 5500 Wilshire Blvd. These developments will mix retail and hundreds of apartments, according to Steve Kramer, founder and president of the Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce. —Andrew Asch
