You Can Get Fitted by an A-List Stylist at Cool New Men's Culver City Shop The Optimist

Contrary to what some headlines may have you believe, IRL retail isn't dead — and cool Los Angeles developments like Row DTLA and Platform (to name a few) are proof of the success of our city's ever-evolving shopping scene. Now, the stylish developer duo behind those two anti-malls (among other L.A. properties) have decided to set up their own shop at their lifestyle center in Culver City: Enter The Optimist, a luxe new men's store at Platform that caters to Angelenos seeking effortless essentials for their wardrobe and beyond.

Runyon Group co-founders Joseph Miller and David Fishbein created the new boutique and tapped celebrity interior designer Jeremiah Brent to dream up the minimalist space, which took over half of Tom Dixon's home furnishings store. Inspired by the concept of " the living room of a well-traveled friend," says Brent, the boutique is decked out with custom-made and vintage furniture and one-of-a-kind finds — including home objets d'art that are also shoppable.

On the fashion front, expect to find suiting, basics, footwear, and luxe leather accessories from a mix of local and international labels, such as France's American Vintage Homme, Milan-based Eleventy, Capsul Paris, Germany-based Merz b. Schwanen, Mexico City-born Mr. Fox, and Swedish denim label C.O.F. Studio alongside Joshua Tree-based Artisan Collage, Brooklyn's Alex Crane, and Alabama-based Billy Reid,

Also on offer are eyewear by L.A.'s own Dom Vetro and Saint Rita Parlor; vintage timepieces from Rolex, Omega, Longines, and IWC; fragrance and body products by Portugal-based Claus Porto and Sydney-based Gascoigne & King; skincare by Italy-made Heinrich Barth; to name just a few.

When curating the L.A.-focused fashion edit, Fishbein and Miller also tapped superstar men's stylist Julie Feingold (whose clientele includes Harry Styles), who is also offering on- and off-site styling services to Optimist shoppers. That includes "closet cleanses" to help pare down clients' wardrobes as well as wardrobe assessments (complete with a shopping list to bring to the shop) to identify joy-sparking staples that the client will actually wear. Of course, Feingold and her team can also do the shopping for you.

"We got to a point where we just couldn't find a menswear store in L.A. that we were excited about anymore," Fishbein tells UncoverLA. "Everything was either streetwear or very conservative. We felt that LA was lacking a men's store for the new generation of creatives — a true destination that curated interesting brands from all over the world that are also wearable for the LA. guy."

Miller adds that they were "inspired by the simple confidence of icons from the Showtime Lakers era, [like] Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford, Steven Speilberg, Jack Nicholson, and Angelica Huston."

Here, we caught up with Fishbein, Miller, and Brent to find out more about how it all came together and what makes them optimistic about the world of brick-and-mortar. Keep reading for more, scroll through the gallery to see more inside the incredibly chic space, and see the shop's hours and deets below.

When selecting brands/merchandise to stock in the store, what were the main driving forces in your decisions?

Joseph Miller: We really wanted to select pieces that made sense for the LA man and LA style, but also to find things from all over the world that spoke to us and had a story behind them. Clothes are borderless — good style is good style — and by going further afield we were able to find unique things that people coming to the store could discover for the first time.

David Fishbein: We wanted to curate pieces that would be consistently relevant to our customer, things that could live in their wardrobes or in their homes forever, not just for a few months. We have at least 20 brands that are exclusive to us in the U.S., and others where we've curated a very specific edit that makes sense for L.A. — like with British heritage brand Drakes, which is known for being conservative and tailored, we've selected very specific pieces for the store and merchandised them in a casual, more low-key way with other labels.

How did Julie get involved?

DF: Julie is my cousin — it's a true family affair at The Optimist! Julie is such a talented men's stylist and we've always been looking for the right project to collaborate on. I've looked up to her for style inspiration since I was a kid! We really respect her taste and point of view — she came on many buying trips with us and helped us put together this selection of brands.

Through Platform and Row DTLA, you've created incredible new retail spaces in LA. What else does your optimistic vision for LA's retail landscape look like?

JM: People have become more dependent on technology, especially with the ease of Amazon and online retail, but we still think brick-and-mortar is the best place to achieve that personal touch. It's why we decided to open a store when everyone else is rushing to get out of traditional retail, and it's why we place such an emphasis on the hospitality elements — the styling program, in-house tailor, the whiskey bar. We think retail spaces are about more than just making a transaction, it's about creating an environment you really just want to come and hang out in. We want this to feel like your clubhouse.

DF: We are always looking for exciting new vendors to bring to Platform, including new concepts in food and wellness coming soon. We see our retail spaces as part of the community, and we are constantly looking to build up the neighborhood and find things that will really resonate with people and keep them coming back.

What are your current favorites from the store for fall dressing?

DF: For fall I am loving Eleventy and Closed.

JM: I'm living in C.O.F. Studio denim. It's the perfect fit for the grown-up man.

Jeremiah, how did you meet David and Joseph, and how did they convince you to get on board?

Jeremiah Brent: David and Joey approached me about this project — they had been fans of my work and always wanted to find a way to do something together. When they told me about their vision for this beautiful menswear store that would feel like the living room of a well-traveled friend, I knew instantly I had to be involved. The landscape of retail design has changed; it's all about a greeting experience that captures people and makes them feel a part of a community. That challenge always excites me.

What were some of the interior design elements that were "must-haves" in the space and why?

JB: It's hard to choose! We've created some beautiful custom furniture for the store and sourced some incredible vintage pieces. The plaster steps in the entryway are a personal favorite – inspired by some I had seen in Croatia. They're perfect for displaying accessories and home objects as well as somewhere for customers to sit down, relax, and begin to take in all the store has to offer. 

The Optimist at Platform, 8850 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; (310) 601-0221