How Los Angeles is changing the way men dress

Jacket, $265, rogueterritory.com; Outerknown Shirt, $195, Bloomingdale’s, 800-777-0000; Borneo T-shirt, $95, matiere.com; M001 Gunnison Jeans, $265, simonmillerusa.com; Standard Issue High Top Sneakers, $225, rag-bone.com; Sunglasses, $340, garrettleight.com; Belt, $150, rag-bone.com; Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II Watch, $18,750, rolex.com; Bracelet, $85, miansai.com. Fashion editor: Becky MalinskyPHOTO:MACKENZIE STROH FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, GROOMING BY TARA PAGLIARA, MODEL: JONATHAN GLASS/FORD MODELS (MODEL); ILLUSTRATION BY JULIEN PACAUD

(THE WALL STREET JOURNAL) Once upon a time,men’s style in Los Angeles was laughable. Think loud, logo-driven and larded-up with more skulls than a pirate cruise. Remember the jeans with back-pocket stitching visible from a block away? What about the faux-vintage concert T-shirts? The flaming eyeball Von Dutch trucker caps? I’m sureAshton Kutcherwishes he could forget.

But the cheesy L.A. of the mid-aughts—when paparazzi swarmed West Hollywood store Kitson and Mr. Kutcher hosted “Punk'd”—is a thing of the past. Kitson will close its doors forever this week, Mr. Kutcher is now a budding tech mogul and the city’s fashion scene is associated less with Ed Hardy and more with Saint Laurent creative directorHedi Slimane,whomaintains his design studio in L.A.instead of at the brand’s Paris headquarters. In fact, Mr. Slimane recently announced he will show his fall 2016 men’s collection (and part of the women’s range)at the Hollywood Palladium on February 10instead of in the French capital.

Is that enough to position Los Angeles as a style capital—strong enough to contend with Paris or London? A confluence of factors has given that idea momentum. Factor one: L.A. is attracting creative talent in design and retail thanks to relatively affordable real estate and low operating costs. Factor two: As high-end menswear has moved away from formality, a “creative casual” wardrobehas become more vital than a suit and tie to the working lives of many men all over the country. Not seeming so far-fetched anymore, is it?

Certainly, a number of stylish and influential guys have embraced the notion. “For a long time, Manhattan was the epicenter of all creative thought, but now I feel like that’s changed,” saidJosh Peskowitz,the former men’s fashion director of Bloomingdale’s, who settled on L.A. for his first independent retail venture, a 1,500-square-foot men’s specialty store called Magasin, opening Feb. 20.

Mr. Peskowitz said he’s seen the city evolve beyond a metropolis driven by one or two industries: “Entertainment and music are still important, but now there’s also tech, art, clothing design and all the creative services that go along with Silicon Beach.”

And he’s hoping to outfit a good portion of that population in a refined but casual wardrobe of unstructured seersucker Camoshita suits, garment-dyed polos fromMassimo Alba,cashmere T-shirts from Naadam and handmade slipper-like leather shoes by Feit. “It’s for people who need to look like they are put-together and mean business but don’t want to wear a coat and tie,” he said of his store’s offerings. “It’s clothing that expresses personality but is still business- adjacent. There’s a big market for that.”

Even men who still wear a suit to work every day can benefit in their off-duty hours from the well-executed fare, elevated via fit and fabric, that L.A.-based labels such asGreg Lauren,Apolis, Aether and John Elliott sell in the city, in stores worldwide and on e-commerce sites.

MACKENZIE STROH FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, GROOMING BY TARA PAGLIARA, MODEL: JONATHAN GLASS/FORD MODELS

L.A. stylist Jeanne Yang, whose clients includeChristian Baleand Robert Downey Jr., sees the city leading the charge away from the Americana-worshiping look that reigned a few years ago toward a more sophisticated, urban-casual style. She cited L.A. labels Second/Layer, 424 and Stampd as well as Kanye West’s Yeezy collection and Mr. Slimane’s work at Saint Laurent. “The next movement is this street look, and it’s 100% L.A.,” said Ms. Yang.

The growing influence that the city’s homegrown labels now wield comes as a surprise to many of the designers, who see themselves just doing their own thing. “I don’t think anyone in L.A. woke up and said, ‘I’m going to compete on the runway,’ ” said John Moore, creative director ofOuterknown, the surfwear-inspired brand he co-founded with champion surferKelly Slaterwith backing from French luxury conglomerate Kering. “We’ve always had to do things our own way, which has created a school of eclectic talent. Surf has always been here and always will be, denim has always been here and always will be, but now there’s so much more.”

Outerknown’s coastal casual chinos, button-up shirts, board shorts and T-shirts in muted tones are available via e-commerce site Mr Porter as well as boutiques like the Webster in Miami and Forty Five Ten in Dallas—as are many of L.A.’s strongest labels.

Still, fashion-minded visitors to the city would be well advised to explore a number of its brick-and-mortar stores that, beyond mere clothes, offer a selection ofhard-to-find products that reflect a unique sensibility.

Designer René Holguin has two neighboring stores on La Cienega Blvd. devoted to his label RTH that are like upscale experiential souvenir shops, with rotating art displays, the scent of pinon incense in the air and talisman-like handcrafted leather jewelry. Mr. Holguin’s collection doesn’t sell online, so you have to go there to procure his twist on the classic navy blazer, rendered in super-soft cotton fleece with gold buttons.

On La Brea’s menswear row, you’ll find the soon-to-open store for fashion-forward streetwear label Stampd as well as Union, which sells skate brands alongside Comme des Garçons and Acne Studios. And in downtown’s buzzy Arts District, you can nab a knit jacket by L.A. brand Apolis, made from indigo-dyed boiled wool responsibly sourced from Peru. A stone’s throw away at multibrand menswear boutique Wittmore, the store’s second location which opened last summer, you’ll find windbreakers made of recycled fishing nets by Outerknown, alongside apothecary items and Danish modern furniture.

“It’s expensive in New York to run anything,” said owner Paul Witt, another Manhattan transplant. But with L.A.’s far more sprawling landscape and therefore far more reasonable rents, he added, “there’s more independent expression in retail.”

Mr. Witt caters to locals as well as quite a few tourists who request made-in-L.A. items. “When they go home,” he said, “they have a piece of California with them.”

Corrections & Amplifications

Los Angeles boutique Wittmore’s second outpost is in the city’s Arts District. An earlier version of this story said that the store’s first shop was located there. (Jan. 21, 2016)

L.A.’s Most Laudable Shops

A guide to some of the city’s must-visit brick-and-mortar menswear retailers

RTHIn-the-know visitors make RTH their first stop whenever they’re in L.A. But don’t let the cult-y fan base put you off. The items exclusively available at the label’s sole West Hollywood location are approachable, and, better yet, affordable. Make the pilgrimage for easy-to-wear pieces like fleece sweaters and cotton button downs without blowing your budget.537 N. La Cienega Blvd. West Hollywood, CA

UnionAt Union, known for its diverse array of global labels, hard-to-find Japanese brands like Neighborhood and Phenomenon sit next to pieces from European designers such as Acne Studios and up-and-coming New York labels includingTim Coppensand Noah. It’s a world retail tour, no passport required.110 S. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA

Mohawk General StoreSilver Lake is hipster central, but at the neighborhood’s Mohawk General Store, you won’t find musty flannels and dingy band tees. Instead: elevated, everyday goods like Dries Van Noten bomber jackets, or Slow Japanese denim jeans and oxfords from Gitman Brothers Vintage.4017 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

WittmoreIn the heart of downtown L.A.’s burgeoning Arts District, Wittmore’s second location, pictured left, (the first is still open in Beverly Grove) specializes in creative riffs on staples, such as Reigning Champ’s fleece sweats and CWST’s ombre houndstooth patterned tees. Think wearable pieces with just enough extra gas in the tank—basically, everything good L.A. style should be.300 S. Santa Fe Ave. Ste. X Los Angeles, CA

MagasinThis past December, Josh Peskowitz, the former men’s fashion director of Bloomingdale’s, partnered with fellow industry vets Christophe Desmaison and Simon Golby to found Magasin in Culver City. The boutique won’t officially hang its shingle for another month, but with plans to stock Massimo Alba cashmere, Feit footwear and Salvatore Piccolo shirts, it’s already on the radar.8840 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA