Gem of an opening
More than jewelry sparkles at the new Esqueleto showroom in Echo Park. ¶ Located on a popular stretch of Sunset Boulevard near Dodger Stadium, the second boutique from Oakland-based jewelry designer Lauren Wolf is a wonderful complement to the small boutiques, barber shops and vintage stores that have opened here recently.
“The art scene and creativity that is exploding in downtown Los Angeles and the Eastside is really exciting,” said Wolf. “It’s wonderful to be able to integrate into this community.”
Inside a tiny sun-drenched showroom, Wolf has assembled an eye-catching array of distinctive handcrafted items including custom jewelry, art, decorative objects and colorful vintage kilims.
Look for hand-painted ceramic bells and dishes by Brooklynbased MQuan, gouache on paper prints by Kreh Mellick, coneshaped ceramic luminaries by Los Angeles artist Heather Levine, sparkling geodes from Peru and large ceramic bead and leather
cord necklaces by Jessica Niello that hang against the white brick walls like home décor.
“I’m a jeweler, but I didn’t want to have a store just about my work,” said Wolf. “I wanted to be able to sell a wide array of work with a similar aesthetic. You’ll notice that everything has a natural element and edginess and rawness but also stands on its own.”
Fans of the Oakland outpost can expect many of the same designers as the original, with the addition of new artists Kaylin Hertel, Jovana Djuric, Peter St. Lawrence, Meagan Donegan and Rachel Steiner. Jewelry spans low-key necklaces, bracelets and earrings to statement pieces such as engagement
rings and ranges from $100 to $20,000. But don’t let hefty price tags dissuade you; it is possible to walk out of the store with a lovely handcrafted gift for under $50. “I didn’t want to have an exclusive store that was only for a certain clientele,” Wolf said. “I want to keep things affordable for everyone.” And if that still doesn’t work, there’s always Guisados tacos across the street.
Esqueleto, 1298 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., (213) 947-3508; www.shopesqueleto.com