To the Left: Fashion Trendsetters on the West Coast


by Duane Wells, Associated Press

New York might well be the fashion capital of America, but the Big Apple by no means has a monopoly on the styles and trends that define our great land. In fact, the West Coast has of late developed a few very distinctive messages of its own for the world of style and there are three retailers helping to make sure that those messages are heard loud and clear in every corner of the country.

Alpha (www.alpha-man.com)

“Our philosophy was to create a place where you could get everything for a guy under one roof,’ says Darren Gold, co-founder of Alpha, one of the hippest men’s retailers on the Left Coast. Situated on the ever trendy Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Alpha is a veritable dream come true for the uber-stylish male. Selling everything from Cashmere sweaters to coffee presses to their signature ‘manlery’ (men’s jewelry), this charming, unassuming emporium crackles with a masculine energy, unique to most men’s retailers.

Though both Gold and his business partner, Christos Garkinos, are gay like many of the of the store’s customers, Alpha is not your typical gay retail outpost. You’ll find no rainbow flags or leather shorts at Alpha, but what you will find is cutting edge fashion, exclusive brands, the most current music releases, the most fashionable book releases and generally any quirky, hipster item that Gold and Garkinos deem cool enough to carry in their store,. It’s no wonder that Alpha is fast developing a reputation for identifying breaking trends and launching new designers, a fact not lost on the store’s celebrity clientele which includes Jeremy Piven, Reese Witherspoon, Jody Watley, Selma Blair, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tori Spelling.

After only a few years in business, Alpha has already been named one of the Top 100 Men’s Stores In America by GQ.com. With future plans that include opening more branches around the country, Alpha may well be the store that changes the face of men’s retailing, which would be a welcome change indeed.

(Alpha is located at 8625 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Phone: 310-875-07750)

Kenneth Wingard (www.kennethwingard.com)

From his flagship store in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood, Kenneth Wingard is making a significant mark in the world of home accessories, with affordable collections of clean, classic items for the modern home. Though his expansive home furnishings boutique on SF’s tony Market Street opened barely two years ago, Wingard has been hard at work quietly building his empire for more than nine years.

In addition to the pieces carried in his own store, Wingard’s impressive array of work can be found around the globe at retailers like Selfridge’s in London and Bloomingdale’s in New York. Plus he’s been tapped by such savvy retailers as Target, Barney’s and Restoration Hardware to design some of the trendy merchandise that is carried in their stores.

What makes Kenneth Wingard’s designs so intriguing is that they epitomize modernity and contemporary living. Whether it is a set of ceramic crescent shaped, hand painted, vases with a wood grain finish, a mod op art white wreath, a sunburst mirror or a Beekman chandelier, reminiscent of something Auntie Mame might have found suitable for her foyer, Wingard offers sleek designs at astonishingly low prices for a DIY world filled with burgeoning interior designers. But don’t be fooled by the price tags on Wingard’s wares. Affordability for Kenneth Wingard does not in the least compromise the high-end style of his work.

Why else would the notoriously extravagant Las Vegas gambling titan, Steve Wynn hire Kenneth Wingard to design penthouse suites for his namesake properties in Sin City and Macau?

(Kenneth Wingard is located at 2319 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94123. Phone: 415.431.6900)

Lisa Kline Men (www.lisakline.com)

If retail stores could be film stars, Lisa Kline Men would certainly be counted among Hollywood’s A-list. In fact, Lisa Kline Men is actually a favorite of many of Tinseltown’s most talked about leading men like Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Phillippe and Brendan Fraser, just to name a few.

Located on Robertson Blvd., just a stone’s throw away from celebrity hot spot, The Ivy, Lisa Kline Men is the bee’s knee’s in men’s fashion in Los Angeles, particularly for those fortunate enough to have a black American Express card and a penchant for star style.

The brother to the popular Lisa Kline, which is located just across the street, Lisa Kline Men opened almost a decade ago and quickly developed a following among stylists and male fashionistas alike. With its emphasis on the laid back jeans, sweats, T-shirts and hoodies from the hottest designers on the block, Lisa Kline Men has, since opening its doors, pretty much set the tone for the exportation of Southern California style all over America and around the world. Now with the launch of a private label collection, Lisa Kline Men stands poised for a heavenward ascent into the fashion stratosphere.

And just in case you need further proof that shopping at Lisa Kline Men is always a divine experience, there’s even a full bar in the store for guests who like to enjoy a smart alcoholic libation while shopping. Cocktails and shopping in one location? Now who could possibly find absolutely nothing wrong with that.

(Lisa Kline Men is located at 143 S. Roberston Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. Phone: 310. 385.7113 )

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