New Designers in Play at Arcade Boutique
Despite a weak economy, the Melrose Place district of Los Angeles continues to attract designer fashion stores. Novice retailer Rochelle Gores chose the fashionable neighborhood as the site of her first fashion boutique, Arcade Boutique by Rochelle Gores, located at 8473 Melrose Ave. The 1,700-square-foot boutique’s mission is to bring new designers to Los Angeles, and like the tastes of denizens of the relatively affluent area, the fashions at Arcade can be complex and eclectic.
The store opened on Sept. 5. Among Arcade’s top-selling items are dark-gold leggings designed by Dior alumna Alexis Mabille. The spandex/cotton leggings retail for $404. Dresses are important at Arcade, and one of the most popular dresses is a stylish, open-back knit cocktail-style dress from Yigal Azroueuml;l New York. The backless dress was part of the designer’s 2008 Fall collection, and price points for Azroueuml;l’s dresses range from $600 to $1,800 at the store.
New Jersey–based denim line Blue Notch has been one of the top-selling brands in Arcade’s array of jeans. These jeans emphasize intricate details on denim manufactured in Japan. Blue Notch price points range from $185 to $205.
Gores said her store is intended for women aged 20 and up. She said she believes their devotion to beauty will not change, no matter the health of the stock market. “You still want to look beautiful even if we are in an economic crisis,” Gores said. —Andrew Asch
