A Guide to the Best of Southern California : SHOPTALK : Soap to Menswear

THE OWNERS SAY Studio will be 10 times its size in year. Sound like so much immodest hype? Not really. Owners Tom Gillman and Ronnie Romoff opened the 150-square-foot Studio on an alley off Montana Avenue in Santa Monica with modest expectations and minimum exposure. Word of mouth is turning it into a multiseasonal blockbuster. Headliners include Ronaldus Shamask’s premier men’s collection, l.a. Eyeworks sunglasses and a lovely collection of soaps and fragrances from abroad. Studio was designed by architect-of-the moment Josh Schweitzer. Studio, 1615 1/2 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; (213) 394-2673 .