Downtown!

Gotta Love it!





The wedding magazine, The Knot Southern California, recently asked me to give them some info regarding LA's fashion district. They wanted to know how people who are in the middle of planning their wedding could benefit from shopping downtown. I thought I'd share with you wonderful blog readers what I shared with them.

Los Angeles has the second largest fashion district in the U.S. It is home to an enormous amount of designers, fabric warehouses, pattern makers, drafters, cutters, sewers, notions, & trims. It is understandable one would be intimidated to shop, let alone visit Los Angeles’ fashion district. It would be so much easier to resort to a safer, more generic & expensive craft store near home.

There are a couple of benefits to shopping downtown:

1. Nostalgia, you may not, but I get a sense of wow, I am in the heart of it all.

2. Prices, competition is stiff from door to door. Plus, the prices are unbeatable to chain stores in town. Here is where the chain stores obtain their merchandise & jack up the prices to pay for their lighting, employees, marketing, etc…

3. Variety- It would take weeks to explore every nook & cranny. Your selection is limitless; it’s a little unsettling for me to think that because I like to see all my options before making a purchase, lol.

4. It really is a small community. During my second visit, most store owners & employees remembered my face. That is astonishing; I’m not a huge spender either. Now I bring my daughter with me & they all know her. Fabric, notions, what not, this industry is these peoples’ lives. They are not a kid forced to be at their after school job. At first, a few may be a little brash because they want a big sale. Just open up & ask a question & 99% of the workers will be incredibly helpful, resourceful, insightful & even send you to a competitor to help you find what you are in search for.

Tips:

Parking: I never pay for parking. Yes, there are a zillion lots & sometimes you’re lucky to find a meter (if you have the change) or a friendly homeless person who will trigger the meter for you with his paper clip. The best place to park is on the east side of San Julian St. There are no meters & no limit on the number of hours to park there! It is a great location because it’s at the bottom of the district (East) of 9th st. so you can walk up & then down & you are back at your car. Its’ centrally located between 9^th and 10^th & just a block south of the flower mart, too.

Negotiate!: Don’t ever settle on the first price a merchant quotes you. Tell him what you want to pay (within reason). If he says no, walk out. 9 times out of 10 he/she will follow you & agree on your price. They most likely want your business more than you want that item.

Restrooms: It never fails, I park my car, begin my trek (usually with my child in tow) & I realize I must find a restroom. Let’s be real, the bathrooms at these shops are old & scary. Here is what to do- Go to the California Mart. It is impossible to miss. The mart is takes up a block from 9^th to Olympic & Los Angeles St. to Main St. Besides having the cleanest & uncrowded public restrooms, it is just a fabulous place to visit. It would be a waste to stop by the fashion district & not check out the California Mart. You can also make it a rest area & pick up cash from the ATM, coffee, or lunch while there. Just roam the floors; you get real insight as to what goes on in the real fashion world. This is the same for the Cooper building on Los Angeles St. but now I’m getting side tracked.

Bring a list: This sounds juvenile but I’m telling you, it is so easy to get side tracked. There is so much to look at. New ideas constantly pop into your mind. “I know I can find a use for this!” will play repeat in your head.

Over view:

When referring to shopping in the district, most people mention Michael Levine’s. These people are not really in the know. Michael Levine is, by far, the most popular store. I mean, it has everything but it’s also the most expensive place. It is basically a Joanne’s times 10. I visit there as a last resort.

The fashion District is a rectangle: 9^th & Olympic make up the long sides & Main & San Julian being the short sides. Besides, 9^th & Olympic, the only cross streets you need, for material & notion shopping, are Wall & Maple. All the other streets are either for apparel shopping, furniture fabric, or people in the fashion design & production industry. Actually, the district is more of a square. Be sure to visit the cross streets North, past 9^th for trims & to make your way to the flower mart.

For wedding purposes, Olympic Blvd. is where you will find all your flower girl & ring bearer needs. These shops carry adorable dresses & suits along with the essentials like pillows, flower baskets, parasols. You name it. One store particularly stands out, La Bella by Carmen Creation. The styles featured here Victorian inspired. The apparel & accessories are just darling, very one of a kind. Also along 10^th, you can find amazing deals on bird cages, cake sets, stands, champagne flutes, & other misc. items.

Trims, trims, ....& more trims!!9^th Street carries the bulk of the apparel fabric. You will see many signs for $1 fabric. These places are great for material you don’t mind being on the “cheaper” side, perhaps, tulle or poly chiffon for major draping of your tent or chairs & decorating your favors. You will easily find nice tulle (for veils even) for $1 or less, per yard, at 120” wide. It is effortless to snag poly-gabardine for table linens or sashes at $1.50/yd., in any color.

Most stores will special order any color you need if you are ordering a significant amount. My favorite fabric shops for higher end goods are Tex Carmel & Fabrics & Fabrics. At Carmel, the owner is the nicest man around. They offer luxurious silk taffeta's, organza's, shantung, & dupioni. The owner of Fabrics & Fabrics has a cold initial demeanor but eventually comes around & will share his witty sense of humor & friendly charm. You can find the best deals on amazing silk chiffon's, cotton voile's, & silk linings. Along with the most attractive fabrics, these two possess the nicest staff.

As for trims & notions, most of those merchants are located on Wall St. & Maple St. There are a few exceptions. Top Trims is located on 9^th, as is, Kashcool, inc. These places are worth mentioning because they are easy to browse in, nice & spacious. Top Trims has a nice variety of angel wings for flower girls. They also have a decent selection of rhinestones & offer lots of peacock feathers! My favorite place to go to for trims is Levy’s! Mary & Nick are always willing to lend a helping hand & offer referrals. If you visit their store without an exact idea of what you are looking for, Mary is amazing at suggesting creative ideas for your event or craft. Levy’s has an excellent selection of rhinestones for your bouquets, garlands for trees, floral arrangements, cakes & lace for Mantilla veils. Their selection of appliqués out shines the rest. Plus, you just can’t beat the service & prices.

Three doors down from Levy’s, is L.A. Linen Lacey’s Fabrics. This is the place to go to for table linens, chair covers, sashes, overlays, table runners, table skirts & napkins! Any style you imagine & any color you crave, they have it & with a very nice price tag. Lacey’s has embroidered or beaded organza, crepe back or shiny satins, pin tucked or pin cushioned taffeta's, the list goes on! It’s a great “go-to” place. I love their slogan, “yes, everything is possible. The impossible just takes a bit longer and cost more to make”.

I believe this is a good start for the Los Angeles area “DIY” brides journey to the fashion district.

List of Merchants mentioned:

Fabrics & Fabrics – 403 E. 9^th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213)-488-0681

Kashcool, inc. – 416-418 E. 9^th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213)489-3010

L.A. Linen Lacey’s Fabrics – 903 S. Wall St., Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213)624-1099

La Bella by Carmen Creation – 321 ½ E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213)841-6162

Levy’s Trimming Co. – 903 S. Wall St., Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213)489-7669

Tex Carmel – 432 E. 9^th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213)629-5255

BTW, this article will be in the upcoming Spring/Summer 2010 issue. I'm not sure what (if any) info they will use of mine, but I'm excited because I think one of the weddings I coordinated will be featured!