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Shining is not something Angelenos can help, nor ignore. We listen to what glistens. Sure, the L.A. sun can be oppressive, but it’s seductive — natural inspiration for us to stunt in the shade. It’s OK if you don’t know or care about the shine. We love that for you or whatever. It’s just that there’s something else happening when the light hits the shine just right. Those smiles with the cubics in the middle, the gold Jesuses picnicking atop the chest hair, the forever bracelets, the wood grain on the low low, the neon signs, the extravagant metallic giraffe sculptures grazing in the front yard — the extra calls us from another place. We accept the charges and open ourselves up to receive the blessing.

Shine is about being in sync with the universe. Or maybe it’s when you realize you’re exactly where you need to be. Los Angeles loves an epiphany. Realizations are the romantic language of L.A. We get great joy from talking from a point of purpose. Scooch your stool over a few inches the next time you’re at Johnny’s Pastrami, open your ears when you walk to the bathroom at LA Cha Cha Chá, and let the “Ah-hahs!” and various iterations of “then it hit me” speak to your soul. You’ll get into traffic, motivated, hoping to have a moment of clarity of your own.

And lo — Issue 10 is “Clarity.” This installment of Image is about brilliance, the kind that you will find here and only here. L.A. radiates in its own way, with its own distinct attitude, its own ambiance, flavor. So, in this issue we decided to look straight at the aura of everyday experience beaming back at us. Here, you’ll encounter some of our favorite past times — and meet the people keeping them alive.

You’ll learn how and why to fly a lowrider plaque. (And head over to the shop with founding member of Prophets car club Jesse Jaramillo to see what it takes to make one.) You’ll find out from world-class artist Maggi Simpkins what it takes to cut it as a jewelry designer in the Diamond District. You’ll understand how L.A.’s collaborator in chief Anwar Carrots brought the Fairfax sensibility to the streetwear game and beyond. You’ll book an appointment with l.a.Eyeworks, which has become, as Dave Schilling writes, “a clearinghouse for the creative elite and a symbol of queer culture in the ascendant.”

You’ll also learn … well, we won’t spoil it right now. But we threw in a few deep dives to the city’s most essential questions — what does L.A. smell like, really? Is there actually a correct jacket tailor-made for life in Los Angeles?

The answers are out there. Don’t let the glare or the artifice divert your eyes. See what happens when you look at the shine. You’ll realize there are infinite ways to do the damn thing.

Ian F. Blair
Editor in Chief

In the world of L.A. lowriding, a car club plaque serves as a sacred language

In the world of L.A. lowriding, a car club plaque serves as a sacred language

Whether it’s time spent with the club, whether it’s building the car, whether it’s how much effort you put into helping others, the plaque is an earned piece  Read the story  🚗  
Maggi Simpkins is reimagining the narrative possibilities of jewelry design

Maggi Simpkins is reimagining the narrative possibilities of jewelry design

The details in the L.A. artist's one-of-a-kind rings contain stories that can make you feel all the things  Read the story  💎  
How did a carrot logo become shorthand for the future of streetwear collabs?

How did a carrot logo become shorthand for the future of streetwear collabs?

Hint: the answer is Fairfax O.G. Anwar Carrots  Read the story  🥕  
Issue 10 cover

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Issue 10: Clarity

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You haven’t truly made it in L.A. if you’ve never worn glasses from l.a.Eyeworks

You haven’t truly made it in L.A. if you’ve never worn glasses from l.a.Eyeworks

To rock a pair of the iconic frames is to immediately signal to people around you that you don’t just want to stand out; you need to  Read the story  😎  
Don’t believe the myths of L.A. We need jackets. But what is the right one?

Don’t believe the myths of L.A. We need jackets. But what is the right one?

The holy grail of outerwear exists. Here's how to find the perfect piece for a city of microclimates and many moods  Read the story  🧥  
What does a night out in L.A. really smell like?

What does a night out in L.A. really smell like?

Friend of the brand takes a close look at Louis Vuitton’s new fragrance that bottles up the idea of L.A. and what it inspires  Read the story  🍊  
I like my bling to match my skin. But this turquoise ring is my inheritance

I like my bling to match my skin. But this turquoise ring is my inheritance

I am not the modern, modest Muslim lady my mother wanted, nor the good wife my grandfather must have envisioned in a daughter-in-law or granddaughter. The old bling glares and guards me  Read the story  💍  
Everything has jewelry language in it. Let artist Georgina Treviño show you why in one purse

Everything has jewelry language in it. Let artist Georgina Treviño show you why in one purse

Remember: clarity is in the details. The use of the material is as important as the subject  Read the story  👜  
Revelatory looks begin with generous energy. Peep game from this L.A.-based stylist

Revelatory looks begin with generous energy. Peep game from this L.A.-based stylist

Danasia Sutton — who has worked with Saweetie, Megan Thee Stallion, Kiersey Clemons and Ciara — knows the key to style is being a good listener  Read the story  🙌🏾  
What should I get into this spring? Start with these 14 L.A. pop-ups, drops, events

What should I get into this spring? Start with these 14 L.A. pop-ups, drops, events

Let the Drip Index get you into traffic for all the right reasons  Read the story  👟  
The call to shine is coming from inside the house. These 8 items will help you answer

The call to shine is coming from inside the house. These 8 items will help you answer

From VidaKush’s princess arm chain to Youth Grillz Paris’ brilliant dental flourishes, a long glistening summer awaits  Read the story  🥂