Left House Champions Local Designers on Abbot Kinney

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• L to R: Nick Fouquet of Westbrook Maker, Maor Cohen of M. Cohen, Tini Courtney of H.O.W.L. and friend. [Photo via Billy Farrell Agency]

With the recent influx of big-name stores like Lucky Brand making their way onto Venice's historically indie Abbot Kinney Blvd, there's been some heated talk that the neighborhood is losing its quirky, homegrown charm. The partners behind avant-garde West Hollywood retailer H. Lorenzo, however, are bucking the chain store trend with their new, multi-brand venture Left House.

The shop, which opened this past Saturday, provides a platform to showcase the talents of emerging local artisan designers. Offerings include felt and leather toppers from milliner Westbrook Maker, ethereal boho jewelry by H.O.W.L, beaded leather bracelets by M. Cohen and colorful casualwear from Japanese-bred denim brand Kapital. Each line occupies its own "brand atelier" in the four-room space at 1629 Abbot Kinney.

"I've always been a huge fan of H.Lorenzo, so naturally I was extremely excited to be asked to be a part of his concept store," H.O.W.L. designer Tini Courtney tells us. "[The other Left House designers] and I have been friends for a while now; collaborating on this project has made us into a family." Left House might not singlehandedly turn back the corporate tide in this seaside neighborhood, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air.—Ashley Heaton
· H.O.W.L. [Official Site]
· M. Cohen [Official Site]
· Venetian: Abbot Kinney Chain Stores are Destroying Venice [Curbed]
· Scotch & Soda Opens Its First SoCal Store on Abbot Kinney [Racked]
·Lucky Brand Continues the Commercialization of Abbot Kinney [Racked]