Scouting boardwalk-friendly styles on LA’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard
WHAT'S CHECKING
The Venice Retail Scene
As a tourist hot spot and local hangout, Abbot Kinney in Los Angeles’ Venice Beach neighborhood is the central retail destination for eclectic finds and true laid-back Southern California style. The mile-long stretch boasts a multitude of apparel, swim, footwear, accessories and home items, many of which are locally sourced.
Zingara
1507 Abbot Kinney
Situated in a bungalow, Zingara has been on Abbot Kinney for six years and focuses on merchandise that is from local designers and imported fair trade. Vintage-inspired dresses are popular among its customers, such as the Ulf Andersson floral dress ($229), which is sourced locally and made in the Venice area. Another popular line is from Rico Adair, who upcycled T-shirts, blankets and sweaters to make one-of-a-kind garments.
Zingara’s No. 1 sellers are its Sven Swedish Clogs, which are completely customizable. They are all handmade and range from $159 to $199. “Customers love the customization,” said Donna Humphrey, owner of Zingara. “Metallics and patent leathers have been big hits.”
Flannel
1223 Abbot Kinney
Based out of Australia, Flannel’s only U.S. store is on Abbot Kinney. The store has been in its location for 1½ years and has been thriving due to “similar demographics and weather as Australia,” said store manager Kristen Garth. Customers have been stocking up on their shorts, caftans, cotton summer dresses, and crochet and embroidered pieces for Summer ’14.
Margaret O’Leary
1410 Abbot Kinney
Hailing from Ireland and based out of San Francisco, Margaret O’Leary is known for her high-quality knitwear that boasts as much timeless style as it does comfort. Although the store has been on Abbot Kinney less than one year, many of its customers travel and seek out her designs no matter the city.
“Our lightweight Italian cotton and linens are extremely popular this time of year,” said Rachel Jacot, area sales manager. “Our customers find value in her high-quality designs, and many have and still love and wear pieces they bought over 10 years ago.”
Their “Socal” ($198) and “Amsterdam” ($216) skirts have been top sellers in the Abbot Kinney store, across all hues.
Skylark
1356 Abbot Kinney
Located mid-boulevard, Skylark has been on Abbot Kinney for seven years. Basics, tanks, rompers, crop tops and floral prints are the best sellers, according to Romain Goudinox, buyer for Skylark. Its best-selling tanks are by Rehab ($28) and come in solids and stripes. Lace hem tanks by UNIQ ($32) have been selling out for more than a month now and are popularly paired with Rehab’s floral-print maxi skirt with a slit ($44). Although the store’s focus is not swimwear, due to much demand from their customers, they have introduced edgy bikinis to the mix of merchandise.
Guild
1335½ Abbot Kinney
Guild is one of the more upscale clothing stores in the area, with fashion-forward pieces for men and women. It has resided on Abbot Kinney for 4½ years and is shopped heavily by tourists. R13 Denim is its top-selling women’s denim brand ($325), specifically the relaxed skinny, which has a boyfriend cut, and boy skinny, which has an ’80s tapered cut. Plaid shirts by Band of Outsiders ($325) are also popular, as are RTA leather leggings and Aloha Rag Collection camo joggers.
For men, LA–based designer Fear of God jackets ($995) and shorts ($325) are constantly selling out, along with John Elliot T-shirts ($68–$120) and hoodies ($190).
