Echo Parkers certainly aren’t letting the depression, I mean recession, get them down. In fact, it seems like every time I’m knocking around the neighborhood, some new store’s popped up. It’s nice to know that fashion continues to flourish in our little hipster hamlet, even in an economic downturn.
Here are a couple of my fave new hangs, plus the skinny on one to watch out for:
IKO IKO
Busy Bee Kristin Dickson, who already helms the Rowena Sartin collection, unveiled her latest venture Iko Iko, on a sunny patch of Sunset this summer, and the boutique/art space is still going strong — no doubt due to Dickson’s clever curating (the concept and installations in the space rotate every twelve weeks).
In addition to fashion wares from the Sartin line, Dickson’s picks also include vintage books, records and gads of objets d’art. With oft-held workshops, happenings, and art parties Iko Iko, which means “Listen Up” in Gambian, is pretty much a party inside four walls.
Iko Iko, 1298 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026 323.719.1079, www.ikoikospace.com
TAVIN
Though east side stylistas mourned the loss of beloved boutique Show Pony, new tenant Tavin has moved in to assuage their grief. Shoppers are greeted outside the boutique by an artful tableau straight out of a scene from the Marais in the 60s, including a vintage bicycle and treasure trunk brimming with $10-20 dollar finds.
The boutique itself boasts reworked and over-dyed vintage pieces with a French colonial feel. Other selections by owner Erin Tavin include jewelry by local designer Miss KK and cool sandals from India. Of course, now that east-siders have grown up a little and traded their black eyeliner for bassinets, baby clothes crafted by both local designers and from deadstock vintage collections can also be found in the mix.
Tavin, 1543 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90026 213.482.5832, www.lifebytavin.com
MNWKA
There’s a deficit of men’s retailers all over L.A. Thankfully, MNWKA intends to fill that gap. The New York-based clothing company is planning to open up shop on Echo Park Avenue in a matter of weeks. Last weekend, MNWKA opened doors on its soon-to-be-built-out space for a sample sale. Apparently, skaters and scenesters flocked to the space from as far away as the Inland Empire and lined up each morning before the sale to get their mitts on MNWKA’s graphic printed tees, plaid button-downs, chic coats and hoodies, MNWKA’s eyeball logo-ed baseball caps — plus, I think I spied printed leggings for ladies.
MNWKA, 1547 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90026, www.mishkanyc.com
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