Champion opens its first U.S. stand-alone store in L.A., the Yeezy X 2XU collaboration drops May 5

In a momentous first, Champion, the athletic wear brand that will next year celebrate its 100th anniversary, chose Los Angeles as the home of its inaugural freestanding U.S. store.

“With the momentum that the brand is seeing right now, the timing was ideal,” said Susan Hennike, president of Champion North America about the early April opening. “It’s the right place.”

The approximately 1,300-square-foot South La Brea Avenue store is in a location that “has a small neighborhood feel,” Hennike said. Inside, design elements include reclaimed basketball court hardwood and metal mesh, tying in with the mesh fabric that Champion garments are known for.

Special offerings include on-site customization, where customers can choose a patch and have it placed on any garment. The store will also carry exclusive-to-L.A. pieces, including items from Champion Japan, that will bow at the end of May. Also available is clothing from a collaboration that Champion did with DJ and model Harley Viera-Newton, that Hennike described as “marrying her prints and patterns with Champion’s signature Reverse Weave fabrics.”

Prices range from $25 for T-shirts to $100 for specialized sweatshirts.

Champion, 123 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, www.champion.com.

Yeezy X 2XU

If you’re yearning to spend hundreds of dollars on workout wear, Yeezy, Kanye West’s popular fashion line, will give you the opportunity on Saturday when its latest offerings — a collaboration with the Australian compression wear brand 2XU — drops. The Scuba shorts and tights are made of the same lightweight neoprene that 2XU uses in its wetsuits — but have a fitnes-fashion focus. Expect the two products, priced at $400 and $450 respectively, to go quickly, and you’ll have to jump through hoops to get the gear; the process requires signing up at www.2xu.com, receiving a code, showing up at 9 a.m. at the 2XU store at Westfield Century City, getting an entry ticket, which is then placed into a box depending on the product or size you’re interested in. Then you’ll need to wait and see if your ticket is drawn. If it’s not, you could hang around for a shot at a $100 gift card.

Yeezy X 2XU, 9 a.m. May 5 at 2XU, Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., www.2xu.com.

The Mama Market

Alternatively, you can avoid the frenzy and spend the day browsing — and supporting — a charming Pasadena marketplace filled with L.A.-area artisanal jewelry brands and curated fashion offerings. The Mama Market, organized by Fashion Mamas founder Natalie Alcala, is intended for Mother’s Day shopping, but there’s a lot to stock up on; find maxi dresses from Topanga-born brand Moona Star, Mexican-inspired tote bags from Nomah Project and vibrant resort wear from Show Me Your Mumu. Also on hand will be nail polish changes — complimentary with a purchase — from non-toxic nail brand KL Polish. Prices range from $8 to $300.

The Mama Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 5, One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena.

Brandless pop-up

If you’re in a minimalist frame of mind consider popping by the Brandless pop-up in West Hollywood, where you can stock up on clean beauty and household products and food items for $3 each. Part of the approach of the e-commerce start-up, which launched last summer, is to bring chemical- and preservative-free beauty and haircare to everyone. The two-week temporary boutique will host a number of events, including this Sunday’s “Beauty at Home: 5 Products You Need for Your DIY Skin and Hair Care Routine.” Led by former beauty editor Susan Yara, the 8:30 to 10 a.m event ($9, which includes a bag of products) will teach attendees what they can use from their pantries and refrigerators for quick beauty fixes.

Brandless pop-up, 8483 Melrose Ave., open through May 13, experience.brandless.com and brandless.com.