Paul Smith Lands on Melrose
British designer seeks to make L.A. love the suit
Like any other apparel store, the Paul Smith boutique that opened in Los Angeles on Dec. 8 will be a place to buy a coat or a pair of jeans. But British designer Paul Smith also harbors special hopes for the self-named boutique. He wants it to be an outpost for his unique brand of creative madness.
In order to grab attention from passing motorists, he designed the 5,000-square-foot store on the corner of Melrose and Harper avenues as a bright, pink cube in hopes it would become a landmark, even on neon-lit Melrose. Inside, he divided the store into several different sets, in the style of a Hollywood studio.
The section of the store that houses Smith’s London collection is surrounded by walls taken from a swank 19th-century Parisian apartment. A room that once stood in a 17th-century French chateau provides the backdrop for the women’s collection. The store’s back wall was dubbed “Paul’s museum.” It’s sort of a bulletin board for all of Smith’s wide-ranging interests including snapshots of his family, a portrait of the rock band The Clash, serious art, plus a kitschy painting that originally served as the cover of a romance novel.
More than 70 percent of the garments are menswear, 20 percent women’s, with luggage and accessories available, as well. Price points range from a $15 toothbrush to a $6,000 ponyskin suit.
Smith said he opened the store to increase his market share in the United States. Well known to fashion followers, Smith has yet to achieve the popularity in the United States that he has in Europe and Japan—and that’s despite maintaining a New York store for 14 years. His biggest challenge may be teaching Los Angeles to stop giving its undivided attention to casual clothes and start loving the suit. “Just give them one half hour with me,” he smiled.
Smith already proved himself a hit with his neighbors. Smith’s store managers have shown interest in joining the neighborhood boutique-owners group Melrose Heights Merchants Association, said Gordon Morikawa, a member of the group. “He’s got a great name and great merchandise. A quality name like that just makes the neighborhood better,” Morikawa added. —Andrew Asch
