Remember the first time you laid eyes on a Marc Jacobs piece and thought, "Eh, never heard of him"? Don't make that mistake with Rodan vs. Griffith.

A handsome couple with a competitive itch, owners Carol Rodan and Chris Griffith are here, from Philly, to save LA. Not that LA needs actual saving—that's just what's going to happen (even the shopping bags say so) with this striking, collected boutique, next door to Milk. The line is fresh, filled with racerback tanks in California-friendly cotton and forever acid-washed denim (we swooned over a mini-skirt with low belt loops)—all made locally and boasting a Rodan vs. Griffith tag. (Menswear, by and by, is cut slim and European-ish.) The feel is very minimalist, yet distinctive—think A.P.C., Rick Owens and even Marc Jacobs. Outlandish graphics are nonexistent, though an amusing ball-and-chain graphic graced one men's shirt. Hefty art books also complement the store's sleek-indie-art gallery look, a vibe that resonated when we learned Rodan and Griffith met in art school. They aim to steer clear of logo tees, but allowed one exception: a short-sleeved cotton one branded with "Souvenir de Rodan" written in soft pink versus "Souvenir du Griffith" in gray. —Lien Ta