Own the original
For spring, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg and Proenza Schouler spun tribal touches into their luxurious runway collections, including the kind of zebra prints, ikat dyes and vibrant woven fabrics you might pick up in a faraway land.
But you don’t have to pay thousands to nab a safari-inspired trophy piece, or even leave L.A. There are several great sources for ethnic goods close to home. And visiting them (OK, it’s not an African safari, but still) is much more of an adventure than breezing through Barneys and running the plastic.
African Image Beauty Supply, at 1868 S. Western Ave., is primarily a beauty supply store. But when I mentioned to owner Rebecca Opong that I was searching for African-print clothing, she raised an eyebrow and said, “Follow me.”
Behind a door marked “Employees Only,” in a room with little more than a fax machine and a bunch of bananas, I waited as she brought out a gold mine of colorful clothing imported from Ghana.
A three-piece set (top, skirt and head wrap) costs just less than $100. The sizes run large, but the skirts have drawstring waists, so they cinch to fit, and the tops easily can be taken in at the sides to create a slimmer fit. Plus, the head wrap is a clean rectangle of fabric that can be turned into a bag, scarf or summer top.
Little Ethiopia, the two-block stretch of Fairfax Avenue between Olympic and Pico boulevards, is not only home to great Ethiopian food but also a place called Merkato Ethiopian Market & Gift Shop, at 1036 1/2 S. Fairfax. The store offers everything from woven mats to Western Union money orders, but the wall to the right of the entrance is filled with clothing and accessories, mostly reggae inspired, except for a tightly folded stack of flowy tunics -- a true find.
As with the goods from Ghana, these tunics run big, but they would make great beach cover-ups, can be worn belted at the waist, or taken in by a tailor. There is also a great selection of lightweight scarves for just $29.99 apiece. I chose two in a sunny yellow -- the perfect accent accessories for spring.
Cost Plus may not have the authenticity of the others, but it is a great resource for inexpensive ethnic pieces. The display of bags, scarves and headbands is dizzying. The biggest gems were the painted rattan clutches that could have been lifted from Von Furstenberg’s spring collection. At only $12.99, one of these will make an outfit. Just add a basic white tank top and a pair of khaki shorts.
African safari, no. Urban safari, you bet.
--
