Sandra‘s Closet

As you already know, I spent the last two months in Los Angeles. I am in love with the Californian city and had like always a blast, met many interesting people, designers and celebrities. L.A. is huge and a great place to shop. But you have to know where to go.

Famous Rodeo Drive is an attraction point for tourists but L.A. people and stars do not shop there as you have no privacy.

With this, I would love to lead you away from the obvious areas and introduce you to the places where locals meet, eat and first and foremost shop!

All of the stores have webshops of which most ship internationally. So in case you do not  make it in the near future to L.A., goodies from the sunshine state can make their way to you…

If you like American malls, Beverly Center is the place to go. You will find high-end designers along with Victoria’s Secret, Sephora and more. Paparazzis are not allowed in the mall, therefore it is very likely that you will spot some famous people.

My favourite children’s store is there: Premier Kids carries a large variety of cool kids clothing, footwear and accessories.

Very close is West 3rd street where many small and edgy boutiques are located. This is one of my favourite areas. If you are there, visit the Little Door restaurant in the evening. Gorgeous! When I was there, I had a nice chat with Jim Carey.

This popular area is also the home of Satine Boutique. A hot spot for insiders that carries high-end designers like Azzedine Alaïa and Balmain next to lesser known, independent labels.

Let`s drive to 451, N La Cienega Blvd where Opening Ceremony is located since April 2007 in the former dance studio space of Hollywood icon, Charlie Chaplin. The 10,000 square foot boutique features many seperate rooms that each show a different shopping experience from a post-war Schiesser Revival atmosphere to a sleek Alexander Wang studio.

Opening Ceremony – definitely one of my favourite places to go in L.A.!

The Fred Segal area is an L.A. institution, designed like a collection of ultra-hip boutiques of which each has its very own vibe. Ron Herman offers since many years for women and men a wonderful selection of different brands in a wide price range. Next to it you can find Fred Segal feet, one of the best shoe stores in the city and Apothia, the place to find rare perfumes, scented candles and beauty products.

Melrose Avenue is very long and home to many nice restaurants and interesting stores. One of them is Maxfield with major star-spotting potential and an outstanding clothing and furniture stock that you will rarely find elsewhere. A little inside scoop for you: Tommy Perse, the father of designer James Perse, owns the store that is said to have the largest  vintage Hermès collection worldwide.

Maxfield specializes in unique and hard-to-find fashion for men and women and carries the best new season pieces of Chanel, Givenchy, Balmain, Stella McCartney among others, alongside an impressive collection of first-edition out-of-print art books. A must-go!

Another must when in L.A. is having lunch at the Ivy on Robertson, the place with celeb guarantee. After a signature bellini, you can indulge in a nice shopping spree. Intermix is just across the street. The boutique for trendsetters and glam fashionistas carries an exclusive mix of designers, styles and trends. Have a look at their webshop, absolutely gorgeous and they offer worldwide shipping!

On Robertson, I was photographed many times by trendhunters on the street. Here is one of the pictures they took for their L.A. style website.

I was wearing a white Gucci dress with a fringed suede vest by Roberto Cavalli and my Louis Vuitton Sunrise Denim (first picture to the left).

Enjoy some more of my very own impressions and start dreaming.

If you are in L.A., you will “just” need a car, a navigation system, sun block and a limitless credit card! To all California Gurls!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

What do you wear at a place like that? Missoni would be my answer, especially this S/S 2010 collection that is an hommage to the nomads. A sense of lightness is indispensable, layering the key to a comfortable and breezy look. I always love to pack my Missoni outfits for travelling as their signature knitwear doesn`t crinkle and you can dress it up or down. It works perfectly both ways. Missoni pieces have always been a good investment despite their high prices. They are seasonless and you can wear them for many years.

Many greetings from a very peaceful place!

LoL, Sandra