Ralph Lands on L.A.'s Robertson Blvd.

Seeking to add a counterpart to its Rodeo Drive flagship, Ralph Lauren will open a hacienda-inspired Los Angeles store today on Robertson Boulevard, home to a wave of new designer tenants who have flocked to the shopping corridor in the past year.

At approximately 11,000 square feet, the new store features a 60/40 apparel mix between women’s and men’s wear, in addition to a stand-alone children’s store. Handbags, bespoke footwear and luxe accessories dominate the entrance of the airy space, which is anchored by a central courtyard and adorned with oak-beam ceilings, wrought-iron chandeliers, oversized urns and vintage photographs of Hollywood royalty. “Rodeo Drive is more of a tourist-driven destination,” said Wayne Meichner, president and COO of Polo Retail Group. “It’s been wildly successful, but we hope to capture more of the local base.”

Robertson Boulevard, known more for a California casual, denim-based vibe, lends the new space “a spirit of individuality” accessible to a broader male clientele, said Charles Fagan, executive vice-president of global retail brand development. “We hope that for someone who’s not Rodeo, who doesn’t aspire to a flagship, that we’ll show him a side of Ralph that he might not know.”

Judging by the merchandising, the target male customer’s shopping habits aren’t dictated by sub-labels. Ralph Lauren Purple Label featherweight cableknit sweaters (retail $995) mingle with Black Label blazers with silver buttons, and technical outerwear from RLX. Eyewear rests on floating Lucite bricks opposite a jewelry case with antique showpieces, like a $19,500 oversized pocket watch nestled in a snakeskin case (both date back to 1880).

Several luxury brands have recently colonized in-demand, local shopping destinations to expand their off-Rodeo presence. In June, Ferragamo debuted its first U.S. men’s-only store in the Beverly Center, joining Gucci and Christian Dior, which also opened boutiques at the Taubman Co.–owned mall within the past year. Chanel opened a boutique on Robertson in May, while D&G will launch its own location on the street later this year or in early 2009, a Dolce & Gabbana spokeswoman said.

The city of West Hollywood’s Avenues of Art and Design—which comprise tony stretches of Beverly Boulevard, Robertson Boulevard and Melrose Avenue—continue to see high occupancy rates and asking rents averaging $25 a square foot, according to the West Hollywood Economic Development Department.

“Because it’s becoming an internationally known street, we’re seeing rents between $25 and $28 a square foot,” Jay Luchs, senior vice-president of CB Richard Ellis, said of Robertson Boulevard. Vacancy rates hover around 3 to 4 percent on a popular two-block stretch of the street, home to The Ivy