Inside Kiko KostaNdinov Los Angeles: Where Fashion Meets Art and Community
The Bulgarian-born designer’s flagship U.S. store is galvanizing LA’s fashion scene, turning in-store retail into an immersive cultural experience.
It’s a sultry Saturday night off Melrose and North Western Avenue in Los Angeles, with the temperature hovering at 75 degrees. People are shouting and laughing, and drinks are being poured. A DJ stands, spinning tracks laced with notes of French house and deep house.
Adjacent to the buzz, the building to the left is the reason everyone’s gathered, not just for the building itself, but for its contents inside.
On September 20, Kostandinov Los Angeles and Japanese brand Asics hosted a clothing release event for their sub-label Asics Novalis.
The turnout was more than positive, with local creatives, designers, and admirers gathering to see the new collection in person.
For events like these, the clothes and the space act as common ground for like-minded locals to converse about clothing, culture, and design. Free amenities and music spark an atmosphere charged with exclusivity and belonging.
What Kiko Kostadinov Los Angeles does better than other high-fashion stores is deliver a sense of importance and excitement through its theme and infrastructure. American artist Ryan Trecartin, a frequent collaborator of Kostadinov, designed the store’s interior.
The floors are draped in green carpet mimicking freshly trimmed grass, and the walls are built from roof shingles that you would see on the roof of a typical suburban neighborhood. Small school-style bleachers rest in the center of the space, displaying clothes, magazines, and accessories. The layout feels tongue-in-cheek, quite literally giving meaning to the phrase “outside looking in.” There’s no kiosk in sight, creating a space to admire rather than consume. There’s no need for traditional transactions; notify an employee, and they will check you out wherever you may be in the store.
Kostandinov and his collaborators are redefining in-store shopping as an experience—a showroom where you can purchase the art itself.
Fittingly, just a few blocks away from Kiko Kostandinov Los Angeles is a showroom called Moran Moran. This is where Kostandinov had his inaugural exhibit titled OTTO 958 and introduced himself to the art world in 2019. Al Moran, the showroom owner, played a significant role and has been a long-time collaborator on Kostandinov’s offshoot clothing label, also titled OTTO 958. Installing the store in Los Angeles feels like a full-circle moment, returning to a city where his artistic expression had been fully realized.
It’s an art piece in and of itself—a homage to his fellow creatives.
A place to celebrate community, clothing, and art.
