Hasta La Ideas

Indie design powerhouses join forces for a new shop in L.A.’s furniture marketplace H.D. Buttercup

As a one-stop furnishings marketplace, H.D. Buttercup’s enormous Culver City showroom filled with furnishings, art, rugs, bedding and accessories leaves most interiors junkies wanting for little. Last Friday saw the launch of the one thing the complex might be missing with a new 3,700 square-foot section bringing together the indie fashion of Apartment 3 and designers from the gift fair Unique LA. We checked in with Sonja Rasula, who founded Unique in 2008, and Kristin Knauff of Apartment 3 while they were setting up their H.D. Buttercup digs.

Originally founded in 2003 as a boutique on La Brea, Apartment 3 has developed into a full-service fashion production company. Unique LA, one of the biggest shows for independent crafts in the country, features wares made by area designers and encourages the consumption of local products. Together at H.D. Buttercup, the two brands have created a forum to shop for children’s and baby products, clothing, art, accessories, edibles, gifts and more.

In store, Rasula is proud to offer designs by Sub_urban riot, Chemline, 28 Squares, Eva Franco, sugarhigh + Lovestoned , Detroit Sprinkles, Maiden Voyage, Misha Lulu, Rock Socks and others. We spotted the hand-woven scarves by Loomlab that interpret Braille, computer circuits, and QR coding into the pattern and color palette. The Original Record Wallets fashion leather and nylon into billfolds sporting images of Prince, The Clash or astronauts.

Apartment 3 collections span denim, bowties, vintage clothing and footwear, including exclusive pieces from Smoke & Mirrors that hang on one of the industrial metal racks. Both companies plan to showcase many of their favorite designers in a carefully-curated collection of merchandise.

Photos by Justin Sullivan