KATHY MILLAR
Living Assistant
At first glance, Robertson Boulevard seems like any other quiet, tree-lined shopping district next to the suburbs in Los Angeles. But with a closer look, one will notice luxury vehicles cruising, sunglass-clad shoppers sauntering and curious crowds swarming the exclusive, shabby-chic boutiques.
The Hollywood Hills provide a picturesque backdrop to this scene, while palm trees poignantly dot the sky. With the Beverly Center just a few blocks away, Robertson Boulevard is set to exceed Rodeo Drive in becoming the hippest outdoor shopping area in Los Angeles.
Although Robertson stretches north from Venice Boulevard through Central Los Angeles for several miles, a span of only a few blocks has turned the street into a trendy household name.
In recent years, the small area between 3rd Street and Beverly Boulevard has become an eclectic world of California-casual shopping and dining. In addition to the celebrities, paparazzi and tourists that populate the boulevard, many Pepperdine students frequent Robertson Boulevard to spend a day out on the town with friends. Pepperdine junior Jesse DuBois described Robertson Boulevard as a place to see and be seen.
“People are just always outside, and you really get a big feel for L.A. when you’re there,” she said.
Dubois, who said she has visited Robertson Boulevard about 10 times since August, added, “It’s almost like a catwalk outside. You’re on display.”
Robertson Boulevard has not always been a high-end shopping hotspot, though. Before 1995, the area was known as the go-to shopping district among interior designers and home renovators. While traces of this history can still be seen in the sporadically-placed interior decorating and antique stores on the boulevard, it has since evolved into the latest version of Rodeo Drive or Melrose Avenue.
Melia Smith, a junior at Pepperdine, said she had fun when she shopped on Robertson Boulevard and even prefers it over Rodeo Drive in many ways.
“You can just tell that Robertson is for younger people, because the stores are really trendy and a younger crowd shops there. I think Robertson is one of those hidden treasures,” Smith said.
Small fashion boutiques, such as Lisa Kline and Kitson, have received considerable media attention for their celebrity clientele and have contributed to Robertson Boulevard’s popularity among young people. These stores primarily sell the latest in casual-wear, such as designer jeans, unique shirts and finely crafted handbags as well as a myriad of accessories and shoes.
Gina Cole, 25, the assistant manager of Lisa Kline, said the store was one of the first of its kind in the area when it opened 11 years ago. According to Cole, the store has been able to thrive off its ability to establish personal relationships with its clientele and by meeting celebrities’ needs for the newest styles.
Cole has found working working at the shop on Robertson Boulevard for the past two years to be a satisfying experience because she is passionate about being at the forefront of fashion.
“I love fashion, and I wanted to be in an environment where you are
always around the next hottest
thing. [Lisa Kline] is always current. She always picks up the new hot line,” Cole said. “This Boulevard is the place to be if you want to be updated on the next hot look.”
Geoff Nishimoto, the 26-year-old manager of the Swedish men’s and women’s clothing store WearetheSuperlativeConspiracy, said that they chose to open their store on Robertson in 2004 because of the boulevard’s casual visibility.
“This is pretty much a premier destination for street wear in L.A,” Nishimoto said.
Cole said that Jennifer Love Hewitt is a frequent patron at Lisa Kline. Meanwhile, Nishimoto mentioned that Wilmer Valderrama, Lindsey Lohan and professional skaters have shopped at WearetheSuperlativeConspiracy.
Paparazzi photos of these and other celebrities have appeared regularly in US Weekly and People magazines throughout the last few years, lending momentum to the area’s growing fame.
However, the increasing numbers of tourists and paparazzi can seem overwhelming to some. Smith, who said she had heard about the celebrities who frequent the boulevard, compared a November Robertson Boulevard shopping experience to the atmosphere of a popular club.
“I went into Kitson, and it was crazy,” Smith said. “When I got there, there was a line out the door and they were only letting in like two people at a time.”
Cole said Lisa Kline has become such a media frenzy that the famous often choose to shop behind Lisa Kline’s paparazzi window curtains or, like Ashley and Jessica Simpson, simply send their stylists there to shop for them.
For students, these high maintenance practices are warning signs of the steep prices that come along with shopping on Robertson.
Pepperdine junior Alexandra Mackay said that when she shopped at Robertson Boulevard last semester, she found it to be “kind of a pretentious area.”
However, Pepperdine senior Jason Stevenson, who has been to Robertson Boulevard about four times since he began attending Pepperdine, acknowledged that paying the extra price can be worth it.
“It’s pretty pricey. But the clothes are fun, and L.A. is trendy. You can find a lot of one-of-a-kind things you won’t find anywhere else,” Stevenson said.
By pricey he is referring to spending about $150 to $170 and $100 on button-down shirts or more at Lisa Klein for Men.
DuBois said she seeks out premium-priced jeans at the clothing store, Kitson, for their fit and style in spite of the non-budget-friendly price tags.
“I have no problem paying for quality,” she said.
When shoppers need to take a break from unique ambiance of intense leisure that pervades many of the boutiques, they can sip coffee outside one of the cafes on either side of the intersection of Robertson and Beverly or dine at one of a variety of popular restaurants. The Newsroom Café and The Ivy, two restaurants located across the street from each other, are perhaps the most well-known in the area. The Newsroom Café is often booming with boisterous crowds at the bar and tables, while The Ivy offers a more subdued dining experience.The Ivy’s numerous valet employees pose in front of the restaurant’s quaint cottage-themed patio while waiting to park the cars of the rich and famous who are often sighted there.
“I’ve never been there and not seen a celebrity,” Stevenson said.
DuBois added that that the food was not as overpriced as she had anticipated.
“People think it’s going to be one really big fiasco,” DuBois said, “but the food is really good and you get really large portions.”
Overall, Robertson Boulevard is an experience unique to Los Angeles.
“It’s got a little bit of everything. We’ve got food, clothing, movies, movie stars, nice cars. It’s kind of entertaining, you know,” Nishimoto said.
Meanwhile, Mackay said that an ideal experience Robertson Boulevard would involve sampling some of everything it has to offer.
“A perfect day there would be, like, do some window shopping, do some real shopping and maybe go get some lunch at one of the cafés on a nice sunny day,” she said.
DuBois encouraged Pepperdine students to explore Robertson Boulevard without feeling pressured to spend large amounts of money.
“People shouldn’t be intimidated by it,” she said. “It’s nice to look around and just people watch sometimes. You get characters and people who have more money than they know what to do with. So it’s fun to watch them shop more than it is to shop yourself sometimes.”
04-13-2006
