Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LA'S FASHION DISTRICT DEMYSTIFIED
Bargain hunters love this frantic, 90-block warren of fashion in southwestern downtown.
Deals can be amazing, but first-timers are often bewildered by the district's size and im-
mense selection. For orientation, check out www.fashiondistrict.org , where you can
download a free app and a map to the area.
Basically, the area is subdivided into several distinct retail areas:
Women - Los Angeles St between Olympic and Pico Blvds; 11th St between Los Angeles
and San Julian Sts
Children - Wall St between 12th St and Pico Blvd
Men and bridal - Los Angeles St between 7th and 9th Sts
Textiles - 9th St between Santee and Wall Sts
Jewelry and accessories - Santee St between Olympic Blvd and 13th St
Designer knockoffs - Santee Alley and New Alley (enter on 11th St between Maple and
Santee Aves)
Shops are generally open from 10am to 5pm daily, with Saturday being the busiest be-
cause that's when many wholesalers open up to the public. Cash is king and haggling
may get you 10% or 20% off, especially when buying multiple items. Refunds or ex-
changes are a no-no, so choose carefully and make sure items are in good condition.
Most stores don't have dressing rooms.
SAMPLE SALES
Every last Friday of the month, clued-in fashionistas descend upon the corner of 9th St
and Los Angeles St armed with cash and attitude to catfight it out for designer clothes
priced below wholesale. Their destination: the hip showrooms at the Gerry Building (
MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.gerrybuilding.com ; 910 S Los Angeles St), Cooper Design Space ( MAP
GOOGLE MAP ; 213-627-3754; www.cooperdesignspace.com ; 860 S Los Angeles St) and the New
Mart ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 213-627-0671; www.newmart.net ; 127 E 9th St). They each special-
ize in contemporary and young fashions - though the Cooper and the Gerry are con-
sidered the hippest of the bunch. The California Market Center ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ;
213-630-3600; www.californiamarketcenter.com ; 110 E 9th St) has a great fashion bookstore on
the ground floor, among make-up and fragrance retailers, and houses both clothing and
home-furnishing wholesalers. Open from 9am to 3pm, this is the only time the general
public is allowed in these trade-only buildings. Come early and leave your modesty at
home, as you'll either be trying things on in front of others or not at all. During Christmas
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