Desiree Kohan, owner of Des Kohan—arguably the hottest boutique in LA you may never have heard of—is tough to track down. She’s often jet-setting, recently returning from scouting new talent at São Paulo’s fall fashion week, which is just one of the many places she visits to find inspiration and under-the-radar designers—her favorite part of the job. Kohan is known in the industry for making new faces into fashion stars. “Many designers up for the CFDA Fashion Awards can first be found at Des Kohan,” she says, giving some insight into why she and her shop are the best-kept secret in town for stylists, artists and celebrities alike.
Simply put, Kohan is one of those people born with spot-on taste. Before opening her eponymous boutique six years ago, she worked as a trend forecaster in Milan for Prada, Miu Miu and Gucci. “I gathered inspiration for designers. I’d go to flea markets and find great prints, colors and shapes,” says Kohan. “It really parallels what I do at the store. I end up working with a lot of designers to give them direction, like a creative consultant. It’s how I get my exclusives.”
