LA.com Goodbye

Now this person/ customer was lovely! Big shout out and thank you! LA.Com is an excellant Los Angeles website that I love to check out!

Bye, Bye Brick Lane
Yes, it's understating the obvious to say that the economy is bad. Even businesses we consider to be shopping staples in certain neighborhoods are feeling the effects, as witnessed today at Brick Lane on Abbot Kinney. We swear we heard Big Ben toll as our disbelieving eyes spotted the We Quit! banner. Brick Lane is going out of business; its doors will remain open until September 28 and everything is for sale, practically down to the brick and mortar. Furniture, display cases, art and fixtures along with clothing and accessories from across the pond. Which brings us to this: Where will we go to find cutsie-mod goods by Orla Kiely, and woolly sweaters by Pringle of Scotland (though, when it comes to the latter, our eyes are generally bigger than our wallets), under one roof? Bloody hell!Items for women are already scarce, but duds for the dudes are still plentiful. Stop in, pick up some threads and pay your last respects. RIP Brick Lane. A day in the life, indeed. Brick Lane, 1132 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

Madeline Martin - Californication

As many of my friends know I don't watch a lot of television - I am more of a movie person. One of those people who will watch a favorite movie many many times over, however most of today's prime time "reality" TV leaves me cold. (Good thing I got out of the television business then I guess.)

I do have a few favorite shows that are set for season record on the good old DVR - most of them being on Showtime and HBO. Lately Showtime seems to weigh in heavier with my list of favorite shows - with Weeds and Californication being up there at the top.

Californication - a very interesting show I am quite hooked on. Why? Maybe because it is a rather realistic and amusing parody of the shallow and vacuous world that is Los Angeles and the entertainment industry? Perhaps it is due to the fact that I think David Duchovny its the cats pajamas and could not be a more perfect choice to play the self centered, self deprecating angst filled NY transplant writer, disillusioned by the world of Hollywood? Or is it that the majority of the show is shot and centered on and around my neighborhood of Venice California? Well most likely a total combination of them all and much more.

So at the beginning of shooting for this much anticipated new season, one afternoon a young petite brunette with a great sense of style and beautiful smile walked into my store on a day of shopping Abbot Kinney with her mother. As I am a huge fan of the show I did what anyone would do - didn't immediately recognize her! Embarrassing! I figured it out quite quickly though as her voice and her smile sparked recognition in me. Oh yeah and when I asked why they were visiting from NY, her mother told me that Madeline was working out here shooting a show for showtime. I have always been a bit slow in recognizing many of my Celebrity and Actor clientele upon first meeting, sometimes to VERY embarrassing results, but that is another story. Once it all clicked for me, it was such a pleasure to discover how down to earth and fun to talk to she and her lovely mother are. (Being an East coaster myself - I think it is due to the fact that they are New Yorkers and only come to LA when she has to work)

So over the past few months Madeline and her mother have become regular customers and neighborhood friends. I do my very best to quell my desire to beg her for details about the upcoming season so she can enjoy her shopping trips. Madeline at her young age has what I would consider a very keen sense of fashion and unique individual style unlike many of the LA "starlets" in her age bracket who strut the red carpet in various stages of undress. Personally I feel Madeline has an elegance, grace and style I only dreamed of having at her age. (And no I am not just saying that because she shops here!)

So recently I perused the Internet and found some images of her from 2 red carpet events where she is sporting some of her Brick Lane gear. She rocked the Silver dress by Pringle 1815 Scotland for the Californication DVD release party, and her most recent red carpet industry event she is carrying a stunning Black Patent Leather clutch purse by Anya Hindmarch.

Hello! Did I not tell you she has style? I must admit I am quite impressed with and a bit jealous of those shoes! Yes I just admitted that I am jealous of a young woman 20 years my junior for her superior taste in shoes! All I can say is Madeline Martin is a girl to watch! Fashionable and a stellar actress, I think and hope we will be seeing quite a bit more of her talents in years to come.

Best of luck in the new Season Madeline! Keep rocking the fashion! Brick Lane will always be a big fan of you!

Check out Californication on Showtime when season 2 airs this fall, and if you haven't seen season 1 - I suggest you play catch-up, ESPECIALLY if you live here in Los Angeles or Venice.

Cheers Luvs
X's
Amanda

Anya Hindmarch and New York Times Style

It's getting harder and harder to keep up with the amount of press she is receiving but here is another hit - in the Sunday New York Times Style section

Brick Lane currently has one in this color and one left in carmel and gold! Get yours while they last!

Cheers luvs
X's
Amanda

Brick Lane - Best Specialty Boutique on Abbot Kinney

Thanks GenLux Magazine! Make sure to come check out Abbot Kinney this Spring!

Cheers Luvs

X's

Amanda

Brick Lane on Store Adore

So we recently got a notice about a new adorable website that is dedicated to featuring interesting boutiques and online shopping sites in a few major cities in the US.

Brick Lane was chosen to be on the site and we couldn't be more thrilled! The site is Store Adore and is a great resource for finding interesting boutiques in New York, LA, Boston and Washington D.C - with more cities being added soon.



Here is the adorable write up I received:

The Brits are coming! The Brits are coming! To Brick Lane, that is. With a Union Flag front and center and a bright red phone booth outside that could have been plucked right off of Carnaby Street, it’s pretty clear that this shop is an homage to all things Cool Britannia. Stroll through the charming cottage-like store and browse a medley of imports from across the Pond. You’ll find treasures from brands you’ve heard of (handsome Pringle of Scotland sweaters, printed Orla Kiely handbags and bold Issa jersey dresses) and ones you will surely fancy (like John Smedley knit tops and sharp Union Jack wallets). Owner (and Philadelphia native) Amanda Dugan may have grown up a Yankee, but her love of all things English (from the countryside to the clothing) would make her the perfect royal subject. She opened her shop as a way to bring innovative British labels to stateside fans. Righto, Amanda. We envy your shopping trips.

The funniest part is that I don't remember which interview this was - as recently I have been interviewed for print and TV quit a few times. YEA!

So go on the Store Adore site and check it out, and if you are one of our customers, I would be so grateful if you would rate us or review us!

Cheers luvs,

X's

Amanda

Buckler in the News

ENK, IMG Fashion Week Debuts
By DAVID LIPKE
Jan. 21, 2008
NEW YORK — The men’s fashion week envisioned by IMG and ENK International is up and running. Four young designers are staging shows at the runway space created by the two influential companies, which are attempting to organize an enduring week dedicated to men’s fashion, held simultaneously with The Collective, Blue, Project and Capsule trade shows. At presstime, Conference of Birds and Distilled were scheduled to show last night, Jan. 20, and Yoko Devereaux and Buckler by Andrew Buckler are slated to show this evening, Jan. 21. “We understood that designers don’t exactly love to be the forerunners of change, and everyone wants to see what this is going to be like. So I think these designers deserve extra props for being the trailblazers of something bigger to come next season,” said Kelly Cutrone, founder of the People’s Revolution showroom and PR agency, which is consulting on the initiative and has been instrumental in organizing these fledgling shows. The show space created by ENK International and IMG is situated on Pier 92, behind ENK’s Blue show. It seats about 240 people and has a 70-foot runway, making the location similar in size to the Salon venue inside IMG’s Bryant Park tents, where New York Fashion Week is centered. Conference of Birds and Distilled are neophytes to the New York runway, Yoko Devereaux has not shown in recent seasons, but Buckler is abandoning his traditional New York Fashion Week slot. “It’s a bit of a pioneering move but I’m excited by it,” said Buckler, who sells his label to about 75 wholesale accounts, including Rolo in San Francisco, Brick Lane in L.A. and David Lawrence in Seattle.

Brick Lane on Your LA

News Flash:

Today we had a little segment filmed in the store for Your LA on NBC on Saturday Mornings at 6AM.

I don't expect anyone to be up that early to watch it when it airs - so we will post a clip on the blog when it hits their website.

:-)

Cheers Luvs,

X's

Amanda

Ted Baker in Glamour UK

Just love the fact that the sweater and shirt in this photo are BOTH items here at Brick Lane. The sweater we carry in navy blue and the silk top in red.

Lucky and Glamour Magazine

It's that time of year again. It's almost September which means the fashion magazines triple in size and are brimming with pages full of all the best Fall fashions.

This September Brick Lane has been credited in both Lucky Magazine and Glamour Magazine for lines we carry in the store!

Lucky Magazine had a section of the BEST new designers of the year. One of their finds, the jewelry line called The Branch has been calling Brick Lane it's US home for a year now.

I found The Branch during London Fashion Week 2006 and immediately fell in love with the simplicity of the design mixing wood with silver, as well as the quality of the materials and the beautiful design! The cuff featured in this piece has already sold out at Brick Lane - but a reorder has been placed as well as one for the earrings. If you are interested in advance purchase please contact us at 310.392.2525 or info@bricklaneuk.com. This September I will be viewing their new line and hopefully bringing a lot back with me for everyone! This is a line to be watched!

The Second credit landed in the big fall issue of Glamour Magazine.

This beautiful and classic silk blouse is by Ted Baker and will be available in the store in the next week.

For pre-orders please contact us at 310.392.2525 or info@bricklaneuk.com.

Brick Lane in Statement Magazine

I won't lie - every time I see my shop written up in a magazine I still get a little thrill. Below is a write up of Brick Lane in Statement Magazine for their "British Invasion" issue.

(See I keep telling you, the British Invasion is EVERYWHERE these days!)

Statements Magazine Issue 3, 2007 page 39. Copy of write up below.

U.K. All the Way

Fittingly for a store named after a street in the East End of London, the quaint boutique Brick Lane was started by - and is popular with - devoted Anglophiles. Amanda Dugan, a Yank with a longtime love of all things British, opened the shop two years ago within walking distance of Venice Beach.

Brick Lane, which is located in a century-old Craftsman house, has the feel of a cozy cottage in the English countryside, complete with a fireplace in the front room. Its British bona fides include a signature red phone booth on the front lawn and a motto that would make Winston Churchill weep in his Watney's with pride: "All U.K., all the time!"

A walk through the premises makes it clear that Dugan, to borrow a line from the quintessentially British band the Kinks, is a dedicated follower of fashion. Her specialty "big surprise" is clothing from the U.K. that isn't readily found here in the colonies. Women's lines include, ISSA, Orla Kiely, John Smedley, Nougat, Sophia Swire and Anya Hindmarch. For men, there's Fred Perry, Oliver Spencer, Ted Baker and more.

"I buy things in style but not necessarily things that are trendy, " says Dugan. "I was raised with the premise to invest in quality, as opposed to buying things that are cheaper because you can buy in quantity. I buy pieces that will last you longer then a season - not just in style, but in the quality of the good."

Best of all for shoppers, the mood is as great as the merch. The ocean air is a far cry from Carnaby Street, but the English accents are irresistible. If you feel the urge, ask for a cup of tea and retire to the porch swing on a beautiful beach day.