California Apparel News

Big new crowds were anticipated to drive to the 7500 block of Los Angeles’ Beverly Boulevard when denim label Earnest Sewn announced it would open a flagship store there. But plans changed.

The denim label bowed out of the deal earlier this year. Instead, garden emporium Rolling Greens Nursery will move into Earnest Sewn’s 6,000-square-foot space at Beverly and North Gardner Street.

But any business that can attract a lot of people to the street is considered a step in the right direction, according to the owners of the handful of fashion boutiques on the street. They expect the nursery’s customers will shop at their businesses, too. Antique hunters are expected to drop by the street when a new antiques store, Brenda Antin, debuts soon on the 7400 block of Beverly. With more feet on the street, perhaps more businesses will want to open stores on Beverly Boulevard, said Diane Merrick, owner of the Diane Merrick fashion boutique, which opened at 7407 Beverly Blvd. in 2005.

“It’s a terrific destination and it’s got good parking. We just need more stores,” she said.

Like every other retail street in Los Angeles, Beverly has been hit by vacancies. There are an estimated four commercial vacancies on the 7400 block. But other stores have provided a strong draw for the street. Fashion designer Lloyd Klein runs a self-named store and a design studio at 7415 Beverly Blvd. in a Gothic, castle-like building that was constructed in 1928.

Knit aficionados make pilgrimages to Suss Design, which has been selling cashmeres and other knit garments since 1992. The label’s creative director and owner, Suss Cousins, still maintains a boutique at the label’s design studio, located at 7352 Beverly Blvd.

Suss Design’s top-selling item is the “Blanket” cardigan sweater, which retails for $358. Another popular garment at the store is the cashmere shawl, which retails for $219.

Down the street, the top-selling item at contemporary boutique Beige is the horizontal-striped T-shirt designed by New York–based Proenza Schouler. Its fabric is reportedly as sheer as a tissue, and it retails for $300.

Coats have also been popular at Beige. Leather jackets from Los Angeles–based label Grai have sold well, and its prices range from $895 to $1,200.

“Project Runway” alum Jillian Lewis designed a trench coat from her Jillian Lewis label, which sells well at the boutique. It retails for $1,400.

At the Diane Merrick boutique, fashions are mostly casual. More than one-third of the 2,800-square-foot space is devoted to the shop’s self-named private label. Top sellers are the V-neck T-shirt with a burnout treatment, which retails for $22. Also popular is the Diane Merrick bomber jacket, which retails for $120.

Merrick’s boutique has been long famous for selling cashmere sweaters and shawls. A cashmere sweater from label Splendid retails for $174. T-shirts and jeans from other labels are a specialty too.

New York–based label Zoa makes a T-back T-shirt, which retails for $25. A racer-back tunic with sequins retails for $152. Also popular is a white shirt dress from Zoa, which is inspired from men’s shirting. It costs $108.