Handbag Brand Expands West with New Storefront at Century City
MZ Wallace, a New York–based accessories company established in 2000 by Monica Zwirner and Lucy Wallace Eustice, has expanded its retail presence with the launch of its first West Coast boutique. The new 615-square-foot store opened in Los Angeles on November 21, located in the Westfield Century City mall at 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard.
The brand has a longstanding emphasis on retail operations, with previous stores in locations such as Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Miami. MZ Wallace products are also available through partners like Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s. “When we opened the company, we opened with our own store,” Eustice explained. The initial store was on Crosby Street in New York. “We’ve always been retailers and have really worked toward creating an environment and a community around our stores.”
The company said its approach to retail is centered around direct customer interaction. The opening at Century City is described as part of a broader strategy to create community-focused retail experiences. “We’d been looking for quite a while,” Zwirner said. “This space came up that was not too big, not too small, and with great adjacencies for us. It’s a place where people meet, have lunch…It’s part of a bigger shopping experience.”
The store’s interior design draws inspiration from MZ Wallace’s New York flagship, with custom wallpaper and long, streamlined shelving. “We wanted someone walking by in New York, L.A., or D.C. to recognize that MZ Wallace feeling,” Zwirner said.
According to the founders, the tactile aspect of MZ Wallace’s bags and accessories is a significant element of the shopping experience. “The retail experience allows them to explore the product in a much more intimate way,” Eustice said, describing the brand’s primary customer base as women aged 18 to 55.
The company noted that its Metro Tote continues to be a leading product, while new offerings like the Waverly collection—a non-quilted line—have been developed in response to customer feedback.
In addition to selling products, MZ Wallace intends for its stores to facilitate community events, such as fitness classes and creative workshops. “People want to go out, be together,” Zwirner said. “Retail gives us the space to do that.”
