Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
After more than a year of anticipation, Rebecca Minkoff has finally unveiled her LA flagship, located in Ed Hardy General Store's old space at 8335 Melrose Avenue. In addition to being the Cali-bred designer's largest store ever, the 4,600-square-foot shop also features tons of technology advancements that are sure to inspire other retailers to step up their game in a major way.
Upon entering the store, to your left you will encounter a large touchscreen where you can order a beverage that will be brought to you and/or select items to place in your dressing room. (You'll be notified via text when your room is ready.) We found this technology super-easy to use and rather addictive, giving us Minority Report realness as we excitedly swiped left to right for our requests. (The screen also doubles as a mirror for that all-important store selfie.)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4004914/swoszowski_RM-Interior-007.0.jpg)
Another game-changing feature of this store are the dressing rooms, which include interactive touchscreens that allow you to request different sizes or complete your look with additional pieces. This genius perk eliminates the need to step out of your dressing room half-naked as you try to flag down a sales associate. There's also four environmental lighting options, allowing you to see what your outfit will look like in both day and night settings, as well as a save option in case you prefer to buy a specific item later. And since the store doesn't have a cash wrap, you can also swipe to instantly purchase your items, aka say goodbye to waiting in long, annoying checkout lines.
Although the store is a dream for VIPs and introverts as it eliminates the need for excessive human interaction, the Rebecca Minkoff Melrose is also a welcoming environment for all, offering beautiful displays of the designer's rising ready-to-wear and bestselling accessories that in-store stylists are glad to walk you through and answer any questions. There's also an athleisure space filled with fitness gear you'll want to wear outside of the gym, a connecting 300-square-foot Uri Minkoff shop for stylish men's items (there's an optional separate entrance on Melrose), and even an event space in the back that will feature rotating art and fitness collabs, like the current Y7 yoga pop-up.
Rebecca Minkoff Melrose is open daily from 11am to 7pm.