The Vintage Store in Los Angeles That Every Celebrity and Fashion Editor Visits

      (Image credit: Courtesy of Brynn Jones) A few years back, when I first visited Los Angeles for work, I had just one day to explore by myself. I organized my entire day around a single destination. It wasn't about hiking to the Hollywood sign or visiting Erewhon for an expensive smoothie; rather, it was my determined goal to visit Aralda Vintage, a vintage shop I had become enamored with online.

      I discovered the store after watching the second season of Euphoria, particularly the scene that features Maddy (Alexa Demie) stepping into the walk-in closet of the mother she babysits for. The closet showcased notable designer pieces from Christian Lacroix to Valentino and Alexander McQueen, all sourced from Aralda Vintage. I quickly followed the shop on Instagram, frequently checking its online presence for founder Brynn Jones’s amazing archival discoveries.

      When I finally traveled to the West Coast, Aralda Vintage was the only location on my itinerary. Entering the quaint shop nestled in Beachwood Canyon was nothing short of transformative. The store boasts a rich orange hue, reminiscent of the best part of a sunset just before it disappears. The racks were lined with items I had only dreamed of experiencing firsthand, including the suede Prada corset from the F/W 99 collection, famously worn by Kate Moss on the runway and later by Jennifer Aniston for the cover of W.

      Now, whenever I see an extraordinary archival look on the red carpet, I often assume it comes from Aralda Vintage — and most of the time, I’m right. Jones's shop has become a go-to for celebrities aiming to showcase their fashion credentials, and as far as I’m concerned, her collection can be described as a fashion paradise.

      Below, I had a conversation with the owner and curator of the vintage shop about her beginnings, her views on the future of vintage fashion, and her criteria for selecting special pieces for the shop.

      On how Aralda Vintage started: Brynn Jones: Growing up in Portland, Oregon, I always aspired to open a vintage shop downtown. It was a little dream that never truly faded. While my peers were applying to colleges, I envisioned moving to New York City to attend fashion school, but life had other plans for me.

      Right after I turned 18, I moved to Hawaii and took various jobs, including some at the Ala Moana mall in Waikiki, which is home to high-end boutiques like Dior, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. I worked at the Lancôme counter in Macy's, and during my lunch breaks, I would wander through the luxury stores, feeling inspired and taking notes. I vividly recall walking into the Dior boutique and seeing the fall 2004 show playing on a large screen — it was my first real encounter with Galliano's work, and I was captivated. At that time, Marc Jacobs was at Vuitton and Lagerfeld was at Chanel, and everything felt so EXCITING.

      Around that same period, I was also doing some “informal modeling” for those brands — essentially showcasing the clothes in stores, which I enjoyed immensely because it allowed me to experience the garments closely. On my days off, I would spend my limited funds on fashion magazines and scour every thrift shop on the island to recreate looks in my own style. I became captivated by the thrill of the hunt, and after long days of thrifting, I would arrange my apartment like a small boutique, daydreaming about what it would be like to own my own shop.

      A few years later, I moved to Los Angeles, signed with an agency, and modeled intermittently while also working in retail (shout-out to Fred Segal Santa Monica!). Eventually, I began modeling full-time, and while I was grateful for the opportunities, it never felt like the right fit. I loved being part of the fashion world, but I wanted to work behind the scenes.

      More than a decade later, I decided to leave modeling behind. I started saving money to invest in vintage inventory and found a small office space at Crossroads of the World in Hollywood, where I began creating my first brick-and-mortar store. I would request advance checks from my agency to fund the shop's build-out, and my friends and I spent many days and nights painting the walls and making it special. That time remains some of my fondest memories.

      Aralda initially featured mostly unlabeled vintage items, but the spirit has always been the same: a playful maximalism that also accommodates minimalism. Eventually, I outgrew that first location and moved elsewhere. During the transition where I didn't have a physical store, I utilized the opportunity not to pay rent and shifted my focus from quantity to high-quality designer pieces. With each step forward, I allowed the business to grow organically. Through time, I curated the kind of archive I had always envisioned.

      On her love for archival vintage fashion: BJ: My love for vintage