Don’t let the laid-back attitude fool you. When it comes to her label Zero, Maria Cornejo is a force to be reckoned with. Not content with cornering the conceptual-cool market on the East Coast, Cornejo is setting her sights on the other coast, unveiling her first L.A. outpost (and her first standalone boutique outside of New York) right smack in the middle of Melrose. The airy location echoes the loft-like feel of her other spaces, but with a decidedly sunnier disposition, a balance between rigorousness and nonchalance.

In addition to stocking the main collection, jewelry and accessories, the spot will also carry Cornejo’s fledgling men’s line, which is already setting countless boys’ hearts aflutter. In town for the grand opening last week, Cornejo was, as usual, the very picture of easy elegance. But she was eager to hit the beaches and celebrate another milestone that happens to coincide with the opening: her wedding anniversary to photographer and hubby, Mark Borthwick.

Zero + Maria Cornejo, 8408 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA