EB Denim began as Elena Bonvicini’s “Covid baby”—a passion project rooted in giving vintage denim a second life through thoughtful reconstruction. Now, the entrepreneur is bringing that same spirit of reinvention to the retail realm with the brand’s first flagship store.
EB Denim moved into the space last year after spending five years in downtown Los Angeles. Located at 217 La Brea Avenue, the 6,000-square-foot EB Denim HQ has become a central part of the brand’s growth strategy, functioning as a retail concept, creative studio, fitting space, operational hub and warehouse for wholesale and e-commerce fulfillment.
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The brand’s DTC ecommerce business is up 217 percent year-to-date compared to last year, and the momentum has helped support EB’s upcoming Nordstrom launch in 10 doors beginning mid-July. The company’s business is projected to climb toward eight figures in 2026.
Bonvicini worked with close friend and designer Becky Hearn on the interior, which blends original details like large windows, archways and tiles from the 1920s with the unexpected; a bottleneck tree in the center of the space for air filtration, pink walls and a pink-carpeted staircase and silver chrome fixtures throughout.
Bonvicini said the space represents in a new age of working and physical retail that gives customers a behind-the-scenes look at how a business operates. “It’s very nostalgic,” she said about the all-in-one space. “It reminds me of Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory or how MTV Cribs felt back in the day.”
That sense of openness and immersion extends beyond the design itself and into how the company interacts with its community. The space has strengthened relationships with stylists, editors, influencers, and loyal customers by creating a more personal, appointment-driven shopping experience around denim fit and customization.
“The most special part is that we have a retail presence in the front. We get to have that customer interface on a daily basis,” Bonvicini said.
Having design, fittings, content creation and marketing operating under one roof has accelerated product development and allowed the brand to move quickly. The brand’s 15-person team can connect directly with its customers reframes how the company operates.
“It’s completely different when you see there is real life demand for [the product],” Bonvicini said. “I think it ignites the team, in away. Everyone gets excited when we have a big sale and heavy foot traffic.”
It gives the team clearer insight into which colors and fits are resonating most with customers, helping guide future product decisions. It also provides a deeper understanding of customer preferences and behaviors that isn’t fully visible through online sales data alone—insights that also support EB Denim’s wholesale partners.
One realization has been that the brand needs to make more petite inseams. Another is how EB Denim transcends typical age demographics. Though the brand got its start by nurturing relationships with young Hollywood like Kaia Gerber and Kylie Jenner—who Bonvicini said remains one of EB Denim’s biggest customers—the flagship sees a broad range of ages, underscoring the democratic appeal of jeans that fit well.
“You get that feedback in a much more real way. At the end of the day, we just want to make the best possible product. And if you’re not interfacing with the people who are actually wearing it, you’ll miss things,” she said.
In an industry increasingly driven by the digital world, Bonvicini said operating within a hybrid retail space has brought a renewed sense of connection and perspective.
“I felt like I was really missing that connection with my customers. And literally, since we moved spaces, the business doubled. There was just something about the magic of really getting to know the customers, being able to have events and meet them and build that relationship with them,” she said.
Up next, EB Denim is planning to open a store in New York City, though Bonvicini said she is still searching for the right location.
“Even though we’re an L.A. based brand, our customer base is even larger in New York, so I’d love to, offer them product IRL. And I think it’s just a formula that really works,” she said.
