Sales & Shopping

• Previous Shops We Love: All Purpose
• Shops We Love: Des Kohan Next

• March 20, 2007
• Shops We Love

Shops We Love: Built by Wendy

by Dena Smolek

Since 1991, Wendy Mullin has been on the independent fashion scene, stitching her classic and casual Americana styles under the moniker Built by Wendy. Propelled by a do-it-yourself attitude that's taken her from peddling her goods in the back of record stores on into a kind of rock-n-roll stardom, Wendy has made the Built by Wendy label a household name and a top destination in the most sought out neighborhoods. The first place shoppers head for great-fitting jeans, colorful custom prints, roomy cuts, and a dash of pop culture kitsch, the Built by Wendy store first appeared in NYC's Little Italy and then made its way in 2005 to Los Angeles, where, unsurprisingly, the laid-back label made itself right at home.

At the heart of the West Third shopping block, the L.A. Built by Wendy breathes a little easier than its NYC and Brooklyn counterparts. Spacious, bright, and spotted with skylights, the store boasts simple interior decorations with white wood shelving, canvas covered benches, and popsicle stick God's eye decorations that give the store a never-ending summer camp feel. With a cult following that includes a formidable list of the town's favorite artists, actors, musicians, and everyday scenesters, this is the spot where everyone can get a taste of the rock-n-roll nostalgia that never seems to quit.

At the heart of the West Third shopping block, the L.A. Built by Wendy breathes a little easier than its NYC and Brooklyn counterparts. Spacious, bright, and spotted with skylights, the store boasts simple interior decorations with white wood shelving, canvas covered benches, and popsicle stick God's eye decorations that give the store a never-ending summer camp feel. With a cult following that includes a formidable list of the town's favorite artists, actors, musicians, and everyday scenesters, this is the spot where everyone can get a taste of the rock-n-roll nostalgia that never seems to quit.

Built by Wendy, 7938 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048, 323-651-1902, www.builtbywendy.com