Americana menswear brand Yony opens store at Culver City’s Platform shopping center

By

Chenu Alexis

Published
Aug 23, 2023

Culver City's Platform shopping center has welcomed a new men's ready-to-wear brand with the arrival of Yony and its designer Johnny Schwartz. The second men's brand at Platform after The Optimist, the Monocle boutique having recently closed its doors.

Formerly located on La Brea Avenue, Yony’s flagship store has topped best menswear in LA shopping lists and rapidly accelerated brand awareness for the three-year-old brand, quickly becoming a favorite destination to top stylists and A-list celebrities including Justin Bieber, Pete Davidson, Dwyane Wade, and The Jonas Brothers, to name a few.
 
“La Brea was always supposed to be a three-month pop-up," explained Schwartz. “It turned into a two-year stay which was amazing. We got to meet and build personal relationships with our audience. The opportunity came up to move into Platform and we felt like it was time to see what another area and location had to offer. La Brea has rapidly become a streetwear hub and we always want to differentiate ourselves as a brand that offers sophisticated lifestyle pieces. We're hoping to a reach a customer base looking for timeless, quality styles.” 

Designed by Studio Ralph, the 459-square-foot storefront features custom upholstered cushions made from Yony’s signature core corduroy fabric in cherry red, and vintage kilim rugs. The space is adorned with sentimental family items from Schwartz, including a globe gifted to him as a child by his grandfather, his father’s oversized 40-year-old vintage tennis racket and a vintage western bag owned for more than 30 years.

Inspired by 1950s Americana style and its modern version, Schwartz's creations include its signature cotton camp collar shirts, corduroys and suedes, Japanese flannels, double-pleated trousers, sustainable denim jackets and jeans, all produced in the United States from start to finish. 
 
Already sold at Saks and Farfetch, this is the second time the Yony brand has opened a physical space in Los Angeles, and it hopes to attract new retailers in the U.S. and internationally in the coming months.

"We are taking it one season at a time," added Schwartz. “While we are open to adding to new retailers, we evaluate each partner individually and are continuing to focus on our direct-to-consumer business. As far as other markets go, expanding into Europe and Japan feel like great opportunities for authentic American brand.”
 
Founded in late 2019, the Yony brand name is a loose translation of Johnny in Hebrew. “It was never a nickname of mine, but now that's all my dad calls me,” added Schwartz. “I was sitting at Connie and Ted's back in 2019 with my two best friend's and my girlfriend. During that dinner, we were talking about how I wanted to start my own menswear brand. They told me it was time to go for it and I decided at that moment I would shift my focus to my own brand. A few minutes later, one of my two friends' other friend walked in named Yoni. I said that's what I'm calling it and that was that.”
 
Former marketing director for ABS by Allen Schwartz, a brand founded by his father Allen Schwartz in 1982, Johnny Schwartz will present his summer/spring 2024 collection at NYFW on September 7.