Patches of style


By Caitlin Plummer

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    • Beyond borders: Cultures and businesses collide
    • The faces of minimum wage in Los Angeles’ Financial District
    • The hidden message on the wall: Food culture in the Flower District
    • Ice skating under the Los Angeles sun?
    • L.A’s underrated art form is nothing but “shear” delight
    • Lack of bathroom access puts public health at risk
    • A look into the Financial District’s sidewalk interactions
    • Kosher Fashion District
    • Minimum wage set to affect working immigrants in downtown Los Angeles
    • Park problem in Little Tokyo
    • The Piñata District’s helpful homeless
    • PYO Gallery helps create artistic atmosphere
    • School helps disabled toddlers
    • Street vending rights
    • Tale of two... sections of the Fashion District
    • Teach for America aims to transform local schools
    • Technical difficulties: The cost of trade school
    • Urban farmers markets marry food and community in DTLA
    • A visa for a dream
    • Where culture and community combine
  • Crime & Safety
    • Black Lives Matter reps desperate for change in L.A.
    • Business is booming in DTLA, and so is crime
    • Third-party help for L.A.’s at-risk youth
  • History
    • Chinatown’s Mei Wah and the birth of Chinese-American youth culture
    • Christian influence in LA’s cultural hearths
    • History stands tall in Little Tokyo
    • The history of the Financial District’s architecture
    • Inside South Park’s changing demographics
    • Unique stories add more value to LA Jewelry District
  • Housing
    • Downtown Los Angeles’ housing boom
    • Downtown is growing, but at what cost?
    • Little Tokyo: a neighborhood in flux
    • Los Angeles faces multifaceted problem with homelessness
    • Right to remain
  • Infrastructure
    • Checking in on hotels in downtown Los Angeles
    • Downtown L.A. bike sharing
    • Downtown L.A. sets lofty goals for revival
    • Park Here!
    • Walkability in Los Angeles

No style defines Little Tokyo fashion.

From vintage clothing, to cosplay costumes, to unique sneakers, the area’s diverse set of shops provides niche styles to a wide array of customers.

Here are three stores that provide a glimpse into the unique fashion found in Little Tokyo.

Good people helping good people

RIF.LA became the first consignment sneaker shop in Los Angeles after it opened in 2006. Even though similar shoe stores have started popping up in the area, RIF.LA still stands apart for its customer service and low prices - and it's only growing.

Hunting for gold

Jamie Wong quit her corporate job and opened her own vintage shop in 2002. Now she travels the world searching for unique pieces of clothing with character and history.

Importing Shibuya style to the States

Japanese company Asia House made an unexpected decision when it opened the official shop for its Japanese rock publication, Cure Magazine, in Los Angeles. But before XENON opened in 2014, Shibuya fashion fans in the United States had no way to easily buy their favorite brands.


More stories from Districts of LA

There are as many engaging stories in Los Angeles as there are people. Here are just three of them.

Owning the American dream

In Little Tokyo and the Toy District, small businesses run the gamut from century-old Japanese-American community mainstays to newer storefronts hawking cheap imported sporting goods, toys and other knick-knacks.

Little Tokyo: a neighborhood in flux

Little Tokyo has been a bastion of Japanese character and culture for nearly a century. But now, as new housing developments spring up and fresh tenants move in, can the neighborhood withstand the test of time?

Exploring Little Tokyo's history through food

Although Little Tokyo only takes up four square acres in Downtown, a quick culinary tour through the neighborhood can showcase its mixture of modern LA flair and traditional Japanese cuisine.


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  • Design based on: HTML5 UP
  • About Us
  • Atypical holiday
  • The art of collaboration
  • The Avila Adobe still stands after nearly 200 years
  • Create Now creates a spark
  • Earthly living with spiritual guidance
  • Exploring Little Tokyo’s history through food
  • Fashion goes eco-friendly
  • The Hill is alive
  • Inner-city arts provides hope for children
  • Little Tokyo’s Hispanic workforce
  • A piece of art in everyone’s pocket
  • The public library and the quest for community
  • Young stars have "No Remorse" for their bright future
  • The versatile art of Little Tokyo
  • Businesses hit hard by bringing back Broadway Project
  • Cheap and fast fashion
  • Downtown’s historic theaters find new life
  • Fashion District development
  • Fashion District marketing
  • The future of LA’s green economy
  • In with the new, out with the old
  • LADWP And the drought
  • Old town into a new night
  • Owning the American dream
  • Patches of style
  • Seventh Heaven in Downtown LA
  • A taste of L.A. street side vendors
  • Whole Foods vs. the Underdogs: The dichotomy in the Financial District
  • Beyond borders: Cultures and businesses collide
  • The faces of minimum wage in Los Angeles’ Financial District
  • The hidden message on the wall: Food culture in the Flower District
  • Ice skating under the Los Angeles sun?
  • L.A’s underrated art form is nothing but “shear” delight
  • Lack of bathroom access puts public health at risk
  • A look into the Financial District’s sidewalk interactions
  • Kosher Fashion District
  • Minimum wage set to affect working immigrants in downtown Los Angeles
  • Park problem in Little Tokyo
  • The Piñata District’s helpful homeless
  • PYO Gallery helps create artistic atmosphere
  • School helps disabled toddlers
  • Street vending rights
  • Tale of two... sections of the Fashion District
  • Teach for America aims to transform local schools
  • Technical difficulties: The cost of trade school
  • Urban farmers markets marry food and community in DTLA
  • A visa for a dream
  • Where culture and community combine
  • Black Lives Matter reps desperate for change in L.A.
  • Business is booming in DTLA, and so is crime
  • Third-party help for L.A.’s at-risk youth
  • Chinatown’s Mei Wah and the birth of Chinese-American youth culture
  • Christian influence in LA’s cultural hearths
  • History stands tall in Little Tokyo
  • The history of the Financial District’s architecture
  • Inside South Park’s changing demographics
  • Unique stories add more value to LA Jewelry District
  • Downtown Los Angeles’ housing boom
  • Downtown is growing, but at what cost?
  • Little Tokyo: a neighborhood in flux
  • Los Angeles faces multifaceted problem with homelessness
  • Right to remain
  • Checking in on hotels in downtown Los Angeles
  • Downtown L.A. bike sharing
  • Downtown L.A. sets lofty goals for revival
  • Park Here!
  • Walkability in Los Angeles