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Los Angeles has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around LA that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.
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Image via Hypebeast
Previously a buyer at Ron Herman, Nina Garduno launched Free City, a line of super-comfortable tees, sweatpants, hoodies and tanks embossed with messages like "Life Nature Love," "Artists Wanted" and "Let's Go," more than a decade ago. Now that her line has grown, she also runs The Supershop, her store on North Highland Avenue. When she isn't designing, she makes sure to check out RTH, a boutique on La Cienega that carries her favorite hand-made leather bags.
"My friend Rene, who I've always been a fan of, has done many things in fashion throughout his career. One of my favorites was his custom bags, which I always bought from him, and now he's opened his own store called RTH. Every time I go inside, I feel inspired by the way he mixes ideas and creates one-of-a-kind pieces, whether it's jewelry, bags or clothing. RTH on La Cienega is one of my favorite destinations for handcrafted finds and creative inspirational designs. It's an inventive shop that houses tons of vintage as well as new and deadstock items, creating quite the eclectic mix. Plus, they have some of the best leather and ornamental accessories."
· Free City [Official Site]
· RTH [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked LA]