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Boutique Kao Pao Shu has opened on the north side of Beverly Boulevard, a bit west of La Brea. Named after a female director/producer/actress of Kung Fu cinema in the 1960s and 1970s, the shop and collection are the creation of Bosnian designer Naida Begeta, who has studied and lived everywhere from Sarajevo to Washington State, Milan to, now, LA.
The 1,100-square-foot flagship store—a high-ceilinged, lofty space with exposed brick—houses the designers Stripe Up Yourself and Dress Up Yourself collections. Per the release, the former is "made from ribbon and stripes includes dresses, jackets, pants, handbags, belts and more," while the latter consists of "shirts, dresses, tee shirts and pants are created from the highest quality jersey...printed with Naida's original black and white drawings." The designer's use of ribbon is abundant and unusual: "Naida redefines the use of ribbon by sewing together yards of ribbon, which ultimately become the fabric for her handmade creations." Prices range from $20-$1,200.