2. Union Los Angeles
Union first opened its doors in Soho NYC back in 1989. The brand was born to provide a space for the city’s local youth to showcase their accomplishments in music, art, and fashion. A few years later, Eddie Cruz, one of the original three founders moved to the West Coast, and Union LA was born. Today, the Los Angeles shop is the only physical store open and continues to showcase innovative streetwear brands from all over the world. Whenever you’re in L.A., do check out the store in person. But if not, you’ll find everything you need on the streetwear website as well. The list of brands Union L.A. features is pretty extensive, so you’re in for a fun ride.
3. Blends
Having grown up in Japan, founders of Blends Tak Kato and Mike Toe, wanted to bring an international perspective to the industry, as well as simply providing a unique shopping experience to consumers. This resulted in a store that blends international tastes with global-level products, which clearly resonated well with people. Over 10 years after the first location opened in Costa Mesa, Blend’s industry presence grew to house four more brick and mortar locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and Beverly Hills—and don’t forget the streetwear website, which we can totally browse for hours non-stop.