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These streets are made for shopping

Most people in the US do their shopping in malls or outlet centres. This is very convenient as these huge covered shopping centres are home to every major brand and label you could wish for. However, they often lack personality and originality. Fortunately, Los Angeles also boasts many fun streets packed with small boutiques, hip vintage shops and beautiful designer stores. Stylish shopaholics will surely leave with full shopping bags.

In Paris or Milan it often seems inappropriate to enter a chic shop without a fat wallet. In LA things are quite different. Sales people know that you can never tell who may just spend thousands of dollars, so everyone is made to feel welcome. It is fun to enter some of these fancy high-end shops, if only to have a look around. Because that is what shopping in these small streets is all about: browsing the wares.

Shopping in LA: luxurious, chic and stylish
Shopping in LA: luxurious, chic and stylish

Los Angeles

Down and out in Beverly Hills

Rodeo Drive is one of the best known shopping streets in LA; these 3 blocks of extravagantly luxurious boutiques and designer shops make regular appearances in movies and television shows. However, a much more interesting street in Beverly Hills is Robertson Boulevard. In this fashion Mecca, where 75% of the shops sell clothing, fashionistas put together their latest outfits in trendy boutiques such as Lisa Kline, Intermix and Kitson. This latter destination unites dozens of designers under one roof and is popular with dedicated shopaholics. On Robertson Boulevard you will also find regular top labels such as Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren.
Another great shopping street is Melrose Avenue. Here you will encounter well-known labels such as Marc Jacobs, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen and Diane von Fürstenberg, mixed in with vintage stores and affordable boutiques. In addition to fashion, Melrose Avenue also offers a number of (luxury) drug stores, gift and lingerie shops, home decorating stores and bookshops.
Paris Hilton also shops on Robertson Boulevard

For insiders only

Venice Beach is the place where old hippies sell souvenirs, street vendors sell hot dogs and tattooists practice their art. Connoisseurs will head a few blocks beyond this touristy beach boulevard to Abbot Kinney Boulevard, a street that well-known GQ magazine named 'The coolest block in America'. A fascinating mixture of boutiques, art galleries, bookshops, surf shops, interior decorating shops, gift shops and design stores make this the most diverse shopping street in town. Strange Invisible Perfumes will create a customised scent to suit your style and Firefly stocks cute baby gifts and hip office supplies.

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