As it wiggles its way southeastward from Hollywood to downtown L.A. (DTLA, as it’s now known here), Sunset Boulevard is a shambolic stretch of strip malls, fast food joints, auto repair shops and some of the best indie and local label shopping in the city. As store rents skyrocket in more established, expensive districts, and a youth quake of American urban emigrants swarm to Silver Lake and Echo Park, the area has seen the arrival of several international luxury brands in what was once a funky homegrown retail scene.
In a single block, there is now an outpost of the Australian body care company Aesop, a Shinola store, a nowhere-near-the-ocean branch of the high-end Mollusk Surf Shop, and an architecturally sleek APC store (pictured above) featuring a curated selection of the French denim company’s men’s and women’s clothing. Earlier this month, the Milanese eyewear company Retrosuperfuture opened its second U.S. retail shop (pictured below) next to APC, where it will launch Carhartt WIP, a collaboration with the famed work wear company.
The influx of these bigger brands seems to signal a change in the neighborhood landscape—even Ludo LeFebvre is opening a counter service restaurant in the strip mall across the street—which, for better or worse, will likely draw more locals and visitors to the area. Along with these newbies, here are some classic Sunset Blvd. highlights worth checking out.
