The best shops in West Hollywood

This pastel-painted boutique is hard to miss and often referred to as one of the city’s best spots for gift shopping, but we prefer to stop by when we’re looking to buy a gift for ourselves. Accessories are the name of the game, with a roster of so-hot-right-now names—Clare Vivier bags, Pamela Love jewelry—and lesser-known designers, many hailing from our own fair city. We usually head straight for the women’s shoe section, which bears a neatly edited collection of Dieppa Restrepo’s cheerfully-colored loafers, Rachel Comey booties and TenOverSix’s own brand of subtly sculptural dress pumps. The airy shop, which resembles an art gallery more than a traditional retail space, is also a great place to come for gifts. Look for kids’ gear, indie albums, small leather goods and fragrances that are hard to find anywhere else.

Whenever we have a big meeting at the office, we head straight for the Jenni Kayne section of our closet. This local design star has mastered the art of tailoring with a California twist, crafting the most perfect pencil skirts, jackets, trousers and blouses in fun colors and prints. Her two LA boutiques carry the biggest selection of her line in the city, along with jewelry, bags, housewares and kids’ clothing from an assortment of equally talented designers. Also in residence: Kayne’s signature D’Orsay flats, a must for anyone who can’t deal with heels from nine to five.

RH West Hollywood, the Gallery (formerly known as Restoration Hardware) isn't your average furniture store. Stepping inside this retail concept is much like walking through a perfectly curated home; one that's impeccably polished and, well, could probably pass as an art gallery. A gold mine for luxury midcentury-inspired furnishings, lighting fixtures, interior/exterior decor and more, the Melrose Avenue post stages its offerings residential style. Think bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms and more merging as they would in an actual home. Plus, architect James Gillam topped off the retail space with a rooftop park that overlooks the surrounding Hollywood Hills and Pacific Design Center.

Professional lensmen and photography enthusiasts go crazy for Leica's sleek, minimalistic style, lightweight design and high-quality tech. One step inside the gallery-cum-retail space and it's easy to see why. This exquisitely designed, 8,000-square-foot space in the heart of West Hollywood carries the latest cameras, accessories and photography books, in addition to printing and rental services. Check out the cameras and modern frills on the first floor, while the second level carries the latest photography exhibition. If the plethora of luxury photo services and more still isn't enough to draw you in, we're willing to bet the glistening million dollar "Fake Leica" sculpture staged at the entrance will.

This long-standing indie book shop has been a staple amidst LA bookies since 1975. The variety of stock at Book Soup is huge and diverse (60,000 titles to be exact), even if the space itself is a little squeezed (it's easy to get lost!). The newsstand is well stocked with domestic and international papers and magazines, while the floor-to-ceiling shelves pack tomes specializing in art, film, photography, music, controversial non-fiction and literary fiction. Tip: make sure to check out the impressive section on LA history, architecture and lore.

Fusing modernist LA style with classic French glam, Clare V.'s West Hollywood post houses everything from coveted leather totes and Coachella-ready crossbodies to vibrantly hued zip wallets and decked out clutches. Since debuting her first flagship in Silver Lake four years ago, designer Clare Vivier has added three new locales to her name (including this WeHo favorite) and collaborated with big name brands like Steven Alan, & Other Stories and goop. Step inside this Euro-inspired boutique for finds that—like any goodie-filled shop—make you confuse want for need-right-now.

She got her start as one of LA’s most buzzed-about interior designers, then forayed into fashion with a womenswear line as saturated with color, print and texture as the homes and hotels she decorates. Now, Kelly Wearstler has added retailer to her resume, opening a Melrose flagship store that brings all of her creative pursuits together in one place. Get the designer’s swoon-worthy look with painterly print blouses, pants and biker jackets; sculptural brass jewelry; and objects for the home, from vintage club chairs and tableware to quirky objets d’art.

Whether you’re tricking out your Malibu beach house or your Ojai ranch, Nathan Turner’s Melrose Avenue outpost is a top pick for all things luxurious comfort. Plush throw pillows and exotic ottomans are mixed in with new and vintage items from all over the globe. A fourth generation Californian, Turner is firmly rooted in a Southern California look and feel and has designed for some of the biggest names in town. He’s also an avid foodie and cook, hosting lavish dinner parties right in his shop for his clients and friends.

When NY cult-favorite The Apartment by The Line parked its luxurious retail concept on Melrose Place, Angelenos went a little stir-crazy. Beloved by LA’s fashion and design set, the airy boutique offers a modernist’s dream closet filled with a monochromatic range of ready-to-wear garments and accessories from designers like Brandon Maxwell, Gabriela Artigas, Kathleen Whitaker and more. Browse through the selection of beauty products from labels like JINsoon and Reverie, as well as interior décor and furnishings from the likes of Atelier De Troupe, Assouline and Apparatus. Plus, take advantage of offerings like by-appointment shopping, personal styling, interior design consultations, gift registries and more.

With no formal fashion training, it's with sheer talent that the British design team behind Rag & Bone, David Neville and Marcus Wainwright, have created a wildly successful and coveted fashion brand based around well-tailored, edgy basics. The LA flagship, one of their largest stores in the world, boasts 9,000 square feet of space, with the lower-level offering 4,000 square feet of retail and the upper level dedicated to event and showroom space. The boutique is a one-stop shop for the New York–based brand's extensive collection of menswear, womenswear, bags, shoes, accessories and their popular Rag & Bone Jean line of denim and basic T-shirts. With exposed brick, wooden beams and raw concrete floor, the industrial-chic space is flooded with light, giving it a New York loft feel, but the most delightful aspect of the building might be the eleven free parking spots in the back.

Okay, so maybe you don’t have any need for a pair of four-figure Balmain leather pants taking up space in your wardrobe—or on your credit card—but this iconic LA shopping destination can’t be missed. Its angular concrete home is a work of art alone, while inside dwells a mix of ultra-luxe men’s and women’s wear that basically defines the rock-and-roll side of LA fashion. And be sure to take your time browsing the Rick Owens jackets and Chanel frocks—you may just bump into Kanye West or an Olsen twin (all three are loyal fans of the shop).

And spekaing of the Olsen twins—they can add fashion empire to their long list of accolades (which could probably fill a book at this point). Housed in the former Sally Hershberger at John Frieda salon, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's the Row brings chic modernist fashions to Melrose Place. The airy 3,800-square-foot stucco boutique is outfitted in the season's latest leather goods, ready-to-wear threads, eyewear and accessories. Thumb through elegant, loose-fitted silhouettes from the duo's curated collection, including luxury purveyors like Brunello Cucinelli and more.

Rather than combing through the racks for Haute Hippie tags at big-name department stores like Neiman Marcus or Saks, head to its West Hollywood outpost chock-full of your favorite carefree threads. This trendy New York-based label takes up residency at WeHo's Sunset Plaza—its first-ever West Coast boutique. Hit up the 1,725-square-foot boho-chic space for upscale rustic-inspired womenswear and accessories like billowy maxis, floral-printed shorts, fringed skirts and more.