High-end British fashion brand Paul Smith is planning to open a new Downtown LA store near the posh Ace Hotel at 9th and Broadway (Photo: Brigham Yen)
With so many exciting retailers setting up shop along Broadway lately — from the recently opened Theory store at the Eastern Columbia, to the brand new West Elm across from Ace Hotel, to the forthcoming Apple and Vans flagship stores opening soon at 8th and Broadway — the retail momentum continues to get stronger year after year. So much so that we’re now starting to see even more exclusive high-end designers take notice — something I thought would’ve been impossible just a few years ago. That’s why I am so excited to learn that British fashion designer Paul Smith is planning to open his first Downtown LA store near the corner of 9th and Broadway!
Located next to the historic 1926 Orpheum Theatre, Paul Smith — with a presence in over 70 countries worldwide sold in both standalone and high-end department stores — is set to open in a vacant 1,345 square foot retail space once occupied by an optometry office, which was then supposed to become a new A.L.C. store announced back in July 2017. For unknown reasons, A.L.C., a DTLA-based fashion company selling upscale clothing for women, decided to back out of the space (even though their corporate office is just up the street at 818 S Broadway). Will they eventually find another opportunity to open a store in Downtown LA?
Paul Smith, carrying both men’s and women’s collections, is known for his colorful designs and trademark stripes. With only four standalone stores in the entire country (New York, LA’s Melrose flagship, San Francisco, and Las Vegas), it’s amazing to see Downtown LA finally become established enough to attract a store as exclusive as Paul Smith.
According to Paul Smith store associates I spoke to, the company is aiming to open the new Downtown LA store by the end of this year.
Paul Smith plans to open a second Los Angeles store next door to the historic 1926 Orpheum Theatre near 9th and Broadway (Photo: Brigham Yen)
At 1,345 square feet, Paul Smith will join a growing list of high-end retailers clustering around Broadway including Acne Studios, MYKITA, Aesop, A.P.C., Theory, and Gentle Monster (Photo: Brigham Yen)
Paul Smith’s famous LA flagship store, the “bright pink box” on Melrose, has been a favorite Instagram hotspot for many years (Photo: Richard Moross/CC BY 2.0)
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Source: DTLA Rising with Brigham Yen