A.P.C. Los Angeles

It may come as a surprise that A.P.C. has maintained only one U.S. store since its arrival in 1987 on New York's Mercer Street. The label that was started over two decades ago by designer Jean Touitou as a sort of anti-brand specializing in the minimal, the everyday, and the perfectly non-descript, has kept shop across the globe for years, attracting a stalwart following enamored with the quality fabrics, distinctive colors, and well-fitting cuts the label puts out sans hoopla or gaudy pretense. But for those on the West Coast who've had to hunt down retailers, order online, or just pine from afar, the new West Hollywood store is a long-awaited arrival that's destined to become a neighborhood mainstay.

Much like the label's simple denim recipes and polished 1960s aesthetic, the new L.A. A.P.C. takes a minimalist approach to décor and design. Architect Laurent Deroo, one of Touitou's many collaborators, kept the look slightly rough, with bare concrete and wood flooring. Careful contrasting between lights and darks comes through with the natural wood shelving accented by black metal.

An apt reflection of a time-proven philosophy, the new store boasts no additional frills or gimmicks. And as far as Touitou's concerned, there shouldn't be any. Confident that the label will have no trouble holding its own in the California climate, he adds "I would wonder about a store in Kuwait, or some remote city in South Africa, but L.A., L.A. belongs to common ground."

A French favorite moves in for some warm Cali sun.