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Laura May is the head women's wear designer for Insight and a huge part of her inspiration for the brand's breezy street aesthetic comes from travel.
We asked the jet setting designer to give us the low down on her favourite haunts in Los Angeles and share somesnaps from her latest trip and the result is a pretty amazing guide to everything vegan thrift and chill-vibes hippy in the city.
We recently went to LA for our Spring/Summer range release. We wrapped up the week with party at our Insight store at Venice Beach for the Crawford / Gorrow exhibition we've been working on. My favourite pastime in LA is trawling through all the thrift stores and markets and eating at LA’s wide selection of organic and vegan cafés.
Here are some snapshots from my trip and experiences
Topanga Canyons
Topanga Canyon roadside
Topanga itself is a hidden treasure of a town. Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains it’s a bohemian enclave attracting all types of creatives and free spirits over the years. It makes for great people watching and many an interesting conversation to be had. I find all the locals have a story to be told and are always up for a chat.
Hidden Treasure Vintage Store
One of my all-time favourite vintage stores in LA Hidden Treasure lies at the entrance to the main town on the windy Topanga Canyon Blvd. This vintage treasure chest is like no other each room themed theatrical and colour-coded with pieces from every era. Despite being a regular haunt for designers tw steel ceo watch
stylists and costumers imitation vacheron constantin power reserve watches
there is still a never-ending selection of clothing.
I left with bags full of gold from 50’s playsuits to 60’s Mexican embroidered peasant tops and printed pants from the seventies. But my best find was a 1961 Varsity Bomber. It is way too big for me and by far the most expensive item I came across but my inner collegiate spirit kicked in and I couldn’t leave without it.
H.I.P Thrift Store
For a true thrifting experience head across the road to H.I.P (Helping Inspire People). This thrift store with a difference supports the underprivileged through art music theatre and textiles. There are two stores one with a performance stage and a totally eclectic selection of pieces from the demure fifties to seventies disco and ancient Nepalese/Afghani clothing. The second store next door is thrifting at its best with all your random clothing and bric-a-brac and at basement prices. I walked away with a pair of embroidered denim shorts for $3 and a bunch of old poetry books for $1 each.
Venice Beach
When we visit LA we always stay in the ever vibrant Venice Beach.
Our hotel rooftop looks over the Venice Beach skate-park and the famous Venice Beach Boardwalk. It’s a must to walk down the boardwalk and take in the local characters. It is seriously a scene straight out of the movies with street performers store vendors the homeless clairvoyants skater kids and the Arnold Schwarzenegger wannabies down at Muscle Beach all interacting and just doing their thing. It makes for a very colourful atmosphere and is great to absorb on a Sunday afternoon drink in hand while the sun sets over the water.
Venice Beach is now the home for our first US Insight store and gallery space. We threw a party Friday night to kick-off the Crawford/Gorrow collaboration. The party spilled out onto the street as hundreds turned up to show their support and listen to
the bands. We kicked on at Townhouse one of West LA’s oldest bars and crawled home sometime around sunrise.
Abbott Kinney + Gjelina’s
There’s are a few good vintage stores in Venice Beach I like to check out right under the Venice Beach sign. But for a more boutique shopping experience I walk down Abbott Kinney. It’s here I stumbled across the accessories store Mona Moore where I somehow walked away with the Balenciaga cut-out shoe boots I’d been drooling over for months. Last pair my size it was fate right?!
When on Abbot Kinney you must must stop by the insanely hip Gjelina’s. The food is ridiculously mouth watering and the wait staff ridiculously good looking. Perfect combination as we dined and wined in the courtyard.
For a more low key eating experience and somewhere you could find me at least twice a day is SEED Kitchen. A macrobiotic tag heuer watch
vegan café conveniently across the road from our Insight store. I converted many a non-health junkie as the food is just so downright delish.
I could go on and on about LA eateries as they have an amaaazing range of organic and vegan cafes. I feel as if I eat my way through these trips. Two new discoveries worth a mention are Real Food Daily and The Golden Mean Café both in Santa Monica.
After a meal to nourish the stomach at RFD I walked next door to nourish the mind and soul at ThunderBolt Spiritual Bookstore on Santa Monica Blvd. I got lost in this store for hours as they have every book imaginable of health and spirituality of the body mind and soul.
If I were to make the move to LA I would live in Silverlake. I love the creative culture and the chilled out street vibe going on this part of town.
Regular stops when I’m here is lunch at The Kazbah Café followed by guilt free pleasures at vegan eatery Naturewell. They have the most delish Coconut Cardamom smoothie.
There’s some cool stores along the main strip but my new discovery was Painted Bird where you can buy sell and trade clothing. I cleaned up leaving with about 10 purchases for just over $100. My favourite piece was these all-time red knitted flares for $8!
Other must visits …
MJ Bookstore on Melrose
This Marc Jacobs bookstore has a really inspiring selection of reads. This trip I walked away with Another e.e. cummings book of poetry Kids by Patti Smith and Patti Smith - Dream Of Life – film by Steven Sebring. I’ve been trying to get my paws on this doco for a while and was well worth the wait. Inspiring beyond words I recommend taking some time out with this film.
Long Beach Flea Markets
I’m a sucker for a good flea market and Long Beach markets were well worth the drive. Antiques jewellery clothing and just every random bric-a-brac imaginable! If only I didn’t have a baggage limit I would have furnished my whole house here.
I snapped up a whole bunch of threadbare fleece leather jackets and more 60’s collegiate finds.
I bought a wrist full of old Tibetan and Middle Eastern jewellery rings bracelets and old medicine bracelets to go back with my Navajo turquoise pieces.
My search was complete with a set of crystal bookends which I’ve been wanting for for-EVER!
Alex Elbart
Skye surprised me with tickets to see my mega-crush Alex Ebert play with his band Edwarpe Sharpe and the Magnetc Zeros. They’re a local band and according to my friends here no big deal as they’ve seen them play in kitchens! But I love their sound and think Alex is totally dreamy!
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