California Apparel News

COVID-19 restrictions on in-person businesses continue, with indoor malls recently ordered closed in a number of California counties. However, standalone boutiques on retail streets have been open for business. The Los Angeles County Department of Health has allowed street-level retail to open for business, provided that they follow health-department restrictions, such as limiting the number of people shopping in a store. Downtown Los Angeles has been part of this story. A hub of stores in downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District have reopened.

In mid-July, the Vans flagship reopened on 808 S. Broadway after a COVID-19 hiatus. The downtown Los Angeles Urban Outfitters emporium, located a couple of storefronts down from the Vans store, reopened earlier the month.

Making a debut in the past week was the long-anticipated Paul Smith store on 844 S. Broadway. It was first scheduled to open in March before non-essential businesses shut down to blunt the spread of COVID-19. The new store is located adjacent to the ornate, 94-year-old Art Deco movie palace the Orpheum Theatre.

The 1,250-square-foot Paul Smith location doesn’t have the extensive suiting selection, or the Instagram-ready pink walls of Paul Smith’s 14-year-old flagship in West Hollywood, Calif. The pink cube-shaped West Hollywood Paul Smith shop gained the distinction of being a must-visit site for people looking to take selfies.

However, the Downtown Los Angeles Paul Smith will devote wall space to artists. The first artist is London-based John Booth who is well known for his brightly colored fashion print design. Booth has worked for fashion companies such as Zandra Rhodes and Fendi.