Los Angeles

Undone elegance is the prevailing theme of the pieces here, which look like they'd belong in a hip galleryite's closet. They have a knack for stunning embellishments, whether it's an unfinished hem or an asymmetrical smattering of stones around a neckline. At the Los Angeles space, the racks billow across the wall in S-curves, and standout pieces dangle from the ceiling.
8460 Melrose Ave., 323-782-1101, marni.com

When Opening Ceremony debuted in New York in 2002, it was the first shop to rotate themes, and while there are now emulators, it still does it best. Each year, the focus shifts to talent from a different country (the store's favorite lines stick around to join a home team of sorts). In its latest incarnation, it was devoted to Japan, with labels like Cosmic Wonder and Hiromi Tsuyoshi. The L.A. offshoot dwells in Charlie Chaplin's old dance studio, which makes for a cool, warren-like shopping experience; upstairs is a mini mall, with in-store boutiques for Topshop and Acne.
451 N. La Cienega Blvd., 310-652-1120, openingceremony.us

As featured in Lucky's City Summer Shopping Guide!

Previously known as Kaviar & Kind, this relocated enterprise is still as frequented by celebrities and stylists as the original. Set in a 5,000-square-foot bungalow surrounded by a jungly garden, the store delivers much more than the jewelry that first earned it its following: It's also a great resource for Jesse Kamm's silhouette-skimming clothing and handbags by Bird.
1111 N. Crescent Heights Blvd., 323-822-3600

Stacey Feldman comes from a fashion family (her father, Norman Todd, designed everything Mary Tyler Moore wore on her TV show), but her boutiques embody Feldman's own point of view. The entire palette is muted and gray, from the washed wood floors to the slate-hued Stella McCartney sweaters and sequin-studded Alexander Wang sweatshirts. Farther down the street, she has a home goods spot and a denim bar.
13025 Ventura Blvd., 818-981-7567; Home: 13029 Ventura Blvd., 818-906-7596; Denim: 13019 Ventura Blvd., 818-981-7159

The Melrose location of this shrine to impeccably tailored work separates is the West Coast flagship, and it's also one of the least traditional. Special collections can always be found here.
8428 Melrose Ave., 323-782-0163, theory.com; plus other locations