RRL Stores Melrose & Malibu

By Michael Satterfield

RRL has a unique way of capturing classic American style, even if it is mostly made in China and Indonesia. Visiting one of their stores is a visual delight of patina both real and fake blended into what you imagine every small town on Route 66 should feel like.

If you are looking for a fun drive the Malibu store is just off PCH down the road from Malibu Canyon a road which makes for one of the best drives in so cal; but only in the right kind of car, preferably one with no top. The store is small and looks like a classic service station, the staff is laid back and polite.

The Melrose store is what you expect out of Los Angeles, no parking, and crazy prices on vintage items (look to spend $200+ on vintage tees and $2,000+ on vintage leather anything).

If you are expecting the customer service to be as dazzling as the decor you will be disappointed as the hipsters that man the shop are just too cool to help you with just about anything or even say hello as you walk into their store. As we walked around looking at the amazing leather bags, jackets, and a great collection of books mostly by Rin Tanaka the overall feeling was that we were disrupting the staffs day.

Also be forewarned that if you are not wearing ultra skinny jeans, carrying a man purse, and sporting dubious facial hair you will likely be treated as a fashion pariah and draw the disapproving stares of the staff. But it is worth the risk of having Jr. High flashbacks where the cool kids point out that your trapper keeper is "so 1994" to visit one of the best-merchandised stores I have ever seen.