Roundabout: The Center of Town

Fashion inspiration can be found all over Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Echo Park. It is intertwined with the rich colors of the street, the independent shops brimming with creativity, and the people shuffling by. A leisurely amble down the south side of the boulevard supplied me with the day's musings.

First, I took notice of the advertisements for celebrity haircuts available to the gentlemen of our fair town for a mere $6. For me the question was, "Which to choose?" Is this season ripe for a 'Will Smith' a la Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, a 'Leonardo Di Caprio' in the part of Romeo, or perhaps the always classic 'Vanilla Ice' flat top? For the women of our city it seems the classic bob and the 'Grace Jones' Buzz are on the current menu. 

A few doors down from these salons is Ballard's Artwork Framing & Gallery (1568 W Sunset Blvd.) where I had the pleasure of meeting owner Aaron Ballard. He looked like he could easily be the proprietor of a prohibition speakeasy but instead is a modern-day art framer. His business card reads "friendly forested framing at a fair price" and his alliteration holds true. He shares his shop with Raven + Lily, a fair trade line whose mission statement reads, "Raven + Lily is dedicated to empowering women through design partnerships and micro-enterprise opportunities. Proceeds from every sale are returned to our partnerships to improve education, healthcare and community development. Fair Trade. Handmade. One-of-a-kind." I was very taken with the metal beaded necklaces constructed from discarded war weapons and made in Ethiopia by the Entoto mountain artisans.

Moving on down the street is (Echo Park Independent Co-Op, 1712 W. Sunset Blvd.) which is co-owned by Tristan Scott and Rhianon Jones. I received a nice warm greeting from Tristan as he opened the gates to his shop, his laid back chic style a perfect compliment to his laid back friendly attitude. His shop houses a multitude of local designers with an emphasis on social and ecological values. There are some great finds in this store including one-of-a-kind clothing, creatively upcycled cowboy boots by Echo Park local Luxury Jones, and beautiful vintage-inspired platforms by LA company Form & Fauna who use sustainable and recycled materials to create their gorgeous footwear.

A few more steps down the street, I ran into Ruth Kim as she started her shift at (1822 W. Sunset Blvd.). She was working a great vintage style including one of my personal favorite accessories: the brightly colored vintage slip. We shot the breeze for a while discussing the comings and goings of the Boulevard and how it has changed since Ruth, a Northeast LA native, was a child. There seems to be more community awareness these days.

All told, the walk through the center of town was filled with good folks, good conversation, and good style.