Acne Studios

Acne Studios lured L.A.'s fashion set all the way downtown last night for the opening of its new flagship in the landmark Eastern Columbia Building. Friends of the brand, including Cameron Silverand China Chow, had their first look at the new 5,000-square-foot store, its expansive floor plan underlining its surprising location. "Well, I think it's nice. Somebody has to start something," said stylist Anya Ziourova, in town for a shoot, of the store's unlikely address. "It's what happened in New York with Meatpacking—I hope that Acne can start the same trend." Street Peeper photog Phil Oh found Acne's timing just right. "People think of L.A. as having a certain style," he said, "but it's gotten so much cooler in the last five years—more fashion tribes, more diverse crowds. [This store is] just a testament to that."

After perusing the shop's deep rows of denim, footwear, and leather jackets, guests made their way down the street to the new Ace Hotel, in the restored 1927 United Artists Theatre on Broadway. Slated for an early 2014 opening, the Ace provided a dramatic backdrop to the sit-down dinner, with guests such as Miranda July, Scott Sternberg, andLykke Li filing in through the deco lobby and on to the dining room, ornate in Spanish Gothic detail. Acne Studios' creative director, Jonny Johansson, chatted with the sisters of Haim, while across the room Nasty Gal's Sophia Amoruso shared a tête-à-tête with Vena Cava's Sophie Buhai. There alongside her Mad Men costar Christina Hendricks, Kiernan Shipka explained the appeal of Acne quite simply: "It's honestly just what I like to wear and my style and what I'm comfortable in." As the meal came to a close, performances by Boychild and Baby Alpaca brought the old theater back to life.

— Alexis Brunswick