Yael Aflalo of Reformation Reveals Her Fave Shop in Culver City

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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.

Image via Yelp

Yael Aflalo is the woman behind Reformation, a vertically-integrated company that repurposes vintage and surplus materials to create coveted one-of-a-kind garments and accessories. Handcrafted in both New York and Los Angeles, Aflalo uses over 80% reclaimed materials, wind energy and other green solutions to minimize the environmental impact of her business. Here, she fills us in on her favorite shopping destination in Culver City.

"I've been shopping at Govinda's International Imports for over 10 years. It's a secret store on the second floor of the Hare Krishna Center in Culver City and it is packed with the most beautiful treasures from India including exquisite printed silk sarongs, cotton embroidered blouses and more. They have the softest cashmere scarves that I wear all winter, plus ginger candies, prayer beads, candles and other apothecary items from India, too. The first pieces I designed in my early 20's were made from silk sarongs I found here and the very first skirt I ever made was made of cashmere I bought here in 1997! Plus, they play Hare Krishna music and have a vegan cafeteria (that I've never had the courage to try)."

· Govinda's International Imports [Official Site]
· Reformation [Official Site]
· Reformation's Yael Aflalo Loves Mondays and Frank Ocean [Racked]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked LA]

Govinda's International Imports

3764 Watseka Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034