Four must-visit Los Angeles boutiques
Hammer and Spear’s mélange of modern pieces draws actors, former presidents and legions of locals, says Christina Ohly Evans
Hot shopping spots for fine jewels, high fashion and furniture
Hammer and Spear
“We hunt, curate, and ferret out timeless design,” says Kristan Cunningham of the shop she opened in downtown LA’s Arts District in 2013 with her husband and design partner, Scott Jarrell. The industrial-cool space has a distinctive SoCal-meets-Memphis vibe, showcasing an eclectic mélange of interiors pieces – from Vancouver studio Hinterland’s hand-etched Oxbow mirror ($3,200) to a pair of cocktail tables resting a meteorite cross-section on brass or copper legs ($5,000 each), made in LA by Christopher Kreiling. Smaller purchases, meanwhile, include, textural hand towels by Japanese maker Kontex (from $12) and restorative skincare products by Australia’s all-organic Grown Alchemist. “The fact that our space is quite hidden gives us a certain cachet,” says Cunningham – although Bill Clinton and Jennifer Aniston have found their way here as well. 255 S Santa Fe Ave, CA 90012 (hammerandspear.com). CHRISTINA OHLY EVANS
From top: Irene Neuwirth turquoise, pavé diamond and gold ring, $6,930, and opal, turquoise and gold earrings, $3,260 | Image: Amanda Friedman
Irene Neuwirth
“The high jewellery stores that line Rodeo Drive always felt a bit intimidating and I wanted to create the antithesis of that,” says LA-based jeweller Irene Neuwirth, who opened her light-filled boutique on nearby Melrose Place in 2014. “This is a place where people can relax and even have lunch while browsing, and everything is meant to be touched.” Behind the ivy-covered façade, white plaster walls, gently curving archways and marble floors are the backdrop for the colourful, whimsical pieces she designs for clients including Ruth Negga and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Her style is a vibrant mix of rare, semiprecious and precious stones, brought together in pear-shaped Cutout Drop earrings ($2,490); an eye-catching rose-gold necklace adorned with “charms” of pink Australian opal, moonstone, tourmaline, beryl, Mexican fire opal and full-cut diamonds ($67,960); and a carved turquoise and pavé diamond ring ($6,930). 8458 Melrose Place, CA 90069 (ireneneuwirth.com). CHRISTINA OHLY EVANS
LA designer Greg Chait of The Elder Statesman | Image: Steve Schofield
Just One Eye, the LA concept store co-founded by Paola Russo
The Elder Statesman
The cashmere label founded in 2007 by LA designer Greg Chait takes its name from 18th-century British parliamentarian William Pitt. “I was inspired by his no-nonsense approach,” says Chait, whose spare and striking shop in a 1950s West Hollywood bungalow is an extension of this design standpoint. The zen, copper-roofed structure –complete with a desert garden – is a blank canvas for Chait to focus on exquisitely fine yarn – made in Italy and Scotland, hand‑spun in Mongolia, and loomed, knitted and embellished in nearby Culver City. The Baja pullover ($2,140) is the brand’s signature sweater, a slightly oversized hoodie ranging from muted beige to vibrant, dip-dyed indigo; the Favorite Tee ($445), with its relaxed silhouette, is another year-round classic. “My clients range from 20 to 80 years old. They are attracted to products with soul.” 607 Huntley Drive, CA 90069 (elder-statesman.com). CHRISTINA OHLY EVANS
Just One Eye
In a storied art-deco building – once home to Howard Hughes’s film empire – you’ll find Just One Eye, a concept store co-founded in 2012 by fashion veteran Paola Russo. A favourite among style insiders, the 5,000sq ft (soon to be 13,000sq ft) emporium is a mine of unexpected brands and innovative artistic collaborations. Russo brings a serious fashion CV to the boutique and her picks pay homage to the quirky, the elegant and street-chic. Clothing from Prada, Chloé and Church’s is interspersed with pieces from more cutting-edge designers, including Lisa Marie Fernandez and Leisure Society. A curatorial eye is also behind the shop’s artwork, which has included Alexander Calder wall hangings and edgy prints by NYC-based Marilyn Minter. Meanwhile, cool collaborations include limited-edition Converse trainers ($25,000) co-created with contemporary artist Nate Lowman. 7,000 Romaine St, CA 90038; from end of October, 915 N Sycamore Avenue, CA 90038 (justoneeye.com). CHRISTINA OHLY EVANS