Los Angeles harbors its own canon of styles that began within the city limits and continue to inform celebrities, stylists and street fashion the world over. From the bohemian spirit of Joni Mitchell living in Laurel Canyon during the 1960's to the tow headed skaters in Venice beach whose fearless attitude and unkempt clothes capture the city's free-spirited mantra, L.A.'s style history is born from skate and surf subcultures as much as it is the sizzle and endless red carpet of Hollywood. "LA Times" style editor Melissa Magsaysay takes an in-depth, thoroughly researched approach to Los Angeles style, exploring the mix of culture, climate, geography, history and celebrity that came together in different neighborhoods to create several styles unique to LA, specifically: Indie, Rocker, Boho, Glamour, Skater, Chola, and Casual. Within Magsaysay's exploration of each style, she takes a look back at some of the iconic examples over the last half century and the current-day Angelinos, captured in a man-on-the-street manner a la The Sartorialist.
Readers will also get a taste of the Los Angeles retail landscape, with a guide to stores and shops, and how to buy and wear key pieces for each style. Woven throughout this multi-layered approach are Magsaysay's thoughts and observations about style in Los Angeles as well as the influence the west coast has had on high fashion and contemporary markets all over the world. "LA Style" will feature extensive, exclusive interviews with Los Angeles' most influential retailers, designers, and style icons, including: Monique Lhuillier, Michael Kors, Drew Barrymore, Ron Robinson (owner of Fred Segal), Tommy Perse (Maxfield), Doris Raymond (The way We Wore) and Jeannie Lee (Satine), and more.