Personal shopping tours uncover hidden deals
By Lauren Schick
April 2, 2008 10:43 p.m.
There are only so many hours a shopper can spend scouring Third Street Promenade and Westwood Village. But venturing out into the lands of unfamiliar retail can seem as scary as trying on high-waisted jeans or the dreaded bikini. That is, unless you have some glamour guidance.
Students, locals and visitors are turning to fashion experts offering shopping assistance from tours to transportation to get the most out of shopping in Los Angeles.
Christine Silvestri, owner of Urban Shopping Adventures, leads small groups in shopping tours around Pasadena and Melrose and, most notably, on a three-hour walking tour in the L.A. Fashion District.
“There’s 90 square blocks in the Fashion District, and it’s impossible to know where the real gems are without a lot of practice,” she said.
Silvestri has a lot of practice. When she realized no one was offering shopping tours in the Fashion District, she started her tour business in 2003 with the support of the L.A. Fashion District Business Improvement District. She spent six months researching the area and found office space in the district.
“One of the most important elements was to base my business right in the Fashion District so I could be really immersed in it,” she said.
Having worked in marketing for the gift and furniture mart downtown and for shopping malls, Silvestri was already familiar with the fashion industry and is now able to relay the ins and outs of L.A. shopping to novice and experienced shoppers alike.
“The store vendors know me. … We’re out here every week several days a week. I know where the good merchandise is. I know what’s turning over.
“I know where the new trendy stuff is and who’s got the hot finds,” said Silvestri. “And really, the discounts are significant.”
With discounts from 30 to 70 percent off retail value, the Fashion District is especially appealing to students.
Second-year English student Caty Zick took advantage of the budget-friendly district on a recent tour with Silvestri.
“Christine (Silvestri) was able to show us the good places to go in a slew of other places. They all looked the same, but she knew the worthwhile places to go, and we wouldn’t have known that on our own,” said Zick, whose bargain purchases included a white Theory skirt, originally $250, which she got for $30.
However, in a delicate economy, students aren’t the only ones watching their wallets.
“People have trimmed back their spending for the last year. People just aren’t spending as freely when they shop. But at the same time, I’ve had more people come for my tours,” said Silvestri.
“People are willing to spend just a little bit to do a more efficient job with the dollars they’re going to spend when they’re shopping. Plus, it’s fun.”
Silvestri customizes her tours to accommodate her shoppers. She offers tours for brides searching for wedding gowns, teens on the prowl for prom dresses and professionals seeking business attire. A three-hour walking tour starts at $36 per person.
Another company offering customized experiences is Shopanista. Camille Alcasid and UCLA alumna Sandra Jimenez founded the service, which provides transportation to and from shopping destinations. Prices vary by location.
“Our mission is to help people shop in L.A. They can call us, and we can create their itinerary. We guide them,” said Alcasid.
Shopanista’s destinations range from outlet malls to the Fashion District, sample sales and avenues of boutiques.
“UCLA students were some of the first students we got because we offered trips to sample sales,” said Alcasid, adding that the outlet malls have recently become the most popular destination for students.
From the beginning, Alcasid and Jimenez focused on making their transportation tailored to shoppers.
“We said, “˜Let’s create a service for women the way we would want,’ because we traveled a lot … and you explore a city through shopping,” said Alcasid.
So Alcasid and Jimenez went about customizing their transportation business. The first step was personalizing the vehicles with help from the former stars of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” and current stars of The Learning Channel’s “Street Customs.”
“We went to the guys from West Coast Customs. We got minivans and had the seats removed so it’s sort of a limo style. The group can get in and out easily, and people put their bags in the middle,” said Alcasid.
Shopanista employs only female drivers who enjoy shopping as well as talking about it, since the rides back home are often filled with chatting about the day’s finds, Alcasid said.
“There’s something about socializing and talking. Shopping is an activity that especially guys don’t take seriously,” she said. “But it’s a sport.”
