We know the Fashion District can be a little overwhelming at times, with 100-blocks of retail and wholesale vendors it's a huge area to cover in one day of shopping. In an effort to make your summer shopping trips to the district a little easier (and less time consuming!), we’re giving you the insider breakdown of our map, which you can download here.
We’ll start at the top of the map and work our way down, from one labeled area to the next:
Housewares, Textiles, & Electronics: This area stays true to its designation in that it offers a mix of products. You will find a mix of shops and vendors selling everything from cell phone covers to women’s fashion and perfume.
Men’s Wear: In the area on Los Angeles Street designated as Men’s Wear you will find stores selling mostly men’s suits and tuxedos. The most popular of these is probably Roger Stuart, but there are a couple hidden gems for the ladies including The Cooper Store where you can find discounted designer duds, and upscale-boutique Style Gallery.
Flowers: The LA Flower District is actually part of the Fashion District and home of the LA Flower Mart and the California Flower Mall, along with numerous specialty flower and floral accessories vendors. They are open to the public! Click on the respective links for hours and general info.
Textiles: Adjacent to the Flower District you will find the Fabric District, where DIY-ers and designers alike come to source fabrics for their latest designs. If you’ve never visited before, we highly suggest starting your trip at Michael Levine. They have incredible fabrics and the friendliest staff!
Women’s Wear: This is where it starts to get tricky. Over half of the Fashion District focuses on women’s fashions and accessories, but not all of it is open to the public. 70-80% of the district is wholesale, meaning it is only open to those looking to buy in large quantities for resale. But that doesn’t mean you can’t shop retail. There a plenty of retail shopping options in the Fashion District.
If you’re looking to shop retail (meaning you don’t own a store and just want to shop for yourself) we recommend sticking to the RETAIL CORE. The retail core is the area in and around Santee Alley, from Los Angeles Street to Maple Avenue, spanning the entire length of the district. Unlike the rest of the district, this area tends to be open 7 days a week including holidays. Here you will find women’s, men’s and kid’s fashion and accessories, and some of the best bargain hunting in town.
If you’re looking for prom and special evening gowns, visit Santee Street between Olympic Boulevard and 15th Street. This is where the majority of our prom and special evening gown vendors (retail and wholesale) are located.
The Women’s Wear area along Wall, San Julian, and San Pedro Streets to Stanford Street and Griffith Avenue (from 9th Street all the way to the 10 freeway) is where the concentration of women’s wholesale is located. In this area you will find the San Pedro Wholesale Mart and the LA Fashion Mart. These vendors are strictly for the trade and rarely open to the public.
Accessories: This is the area to visit for jewelry, handbags, and sunglasses. We’ve also seen beauty supply wholesale vendors pop up in this area recently. Stores along Main Street tend to be wholesale only but you will find plenty of stores open to the public along Los Angeles and Santee Streets.
Kid’s Wear: This section boasts baby and children’s clothing. Many of the stores in this area are open to the public. You can also find baby, children’s and tween clothing in Santee Alley and along Maple Ave.
Athletic Wear: The place to go if you’re looking to source T shirts, tanks, gym shorts, socks, etc.
Men’s Casuals: If you’re a guy looking to shop for casual clothes but want to avoid the hustle-and-bustle of the alleys, this area is for you. You’ll find jeans, tees, button-ups and dress shirts at the same low prices, if not more discounted than the alley.