The former Hollywood Foreign Press Association space in West Hollywood has been given a makeover – literally – as its new home base Social House from the Wild Westa membership based one fashion rental service that bills itself as a cross between Soho House and a luxury showroom with the best new and vintage designer brands.
Wild West Social House is the brainchild of Middleman Store founder Kyle Julian Skye and former Fred Segal men’s buyer Max Feldmann. It offers its members a place to buy (or purchase) clothing, shoes and accessories, while also functioning as a social club for meetings, merry hours, informal gatherings and evening events. Already a hit with big-name stylists and celebrities, Wild West opened last year in a smaller location on Sunset Boulevard, but quickly expanded into the new Robertson Avenue space in September.
The new location features two floors of impeccably curated racks and a private styling space, in addition to meeting rooms, open work areas, a billiards room and a large patio. Skye and Feldmann also hope to eventually add a dedicated bar and dining options. While the club boasts a number of A-list actors and musicians (“Award season is a busy time for us,” notes Feldmann), the owners say the Wild West has also become a destination for mainstream consumers and fashion fans.
As Skye tells THRthe club wants to “change the way people interact with clothing for the better – building an ecosystem where great products can thrive,” he explains, and allowing people to “still make it a day to go to a boutique ”. , while delivering pieces in a way that makes sense for today’s consumers.”
Social House from the Wild West
There are thousands of Wild West pieces available, with separate sections for men’s and women’s fashion (although the owners will tell you that the majority of their pieces are truly gender fluid these days). Members can select everything from designer dresses, handbags and jewelry to casual denim, leather jackets and vintage band T-shirts. The clientele ranges from stylists who pull off red carpet and photoshoot looks, to actors who want to make a stylish impression during auditions, to busy entrepreneurs and business owners who would benefit from having someone curate a weekly wardrobe for them. Wild West has also become a go-to spot for influencers looking for unique looks for their social media content, as well as regular consumers tired of repetitive shopping.
The items in the showroom come from a small list of consignors, as well as Skye and Feldmann’s personal archives (the former grew up with parents of punk and new wave musicians, while the latter ran ‘Recess’, a vintage shop-in-shop that had outposts in Fred Segal’s locations in West Hollywood, Malibu and Vegas). The two also source pieces directly from local and international designers.
Membership rates for Wild West Social House currently start at $299/month, which allows users to rent any combination of clothing up to a total value of $3,000. The highest membership level is $999/month and allows members to rent up to 15 units at a time, with no limit on the dollar amount. Free clothing drop-off and pick-up is also included, along with free tailoring.
Of course, there’s no shortage of showrooms in LA for stylists and celebrities to take advantage of, but Skye and Feldmann say Wild West stands out for its ‘white glove’ approach. Each member is assigned a personal concierge at the club, who can send a selection as new items arrive, or help locate a hard-to-find piece. “Your concierge knows you, your sizes, favorite brands and styles,” Feldmann explains, “and if you need anything shipped, customized, picked up or delivered, they are happy to help.”
And while the idea of clothing rental or subscription-style services aren’t exactly new, the guys say Wild West enhances the experience by providing access and exclusivity. “The idea that a non-celebrity or stylist can rent the luxury clothes you see in a major boutique is unheard of, and even those who are allowed to do so are limited by cumbersome restocking fees,” Feldmann explains. “When we rolled out our model, it was aimed at stylists who were overpaid and underserved, paying thousands per week in rent while having to handle cleaning, repairs, pick-ups and returns themselves. Gradually, he says, we realized that the public also loves renting clothes, but is presented with unsatisfactory options in a purely transactional way.
The goal: “to treat renting as a luxury experience for those who choose to seek it.”
Social House from the Wild West
Nowhere is that better represented than in the club’s new space, a 1940s Elizabethan-style building that had sat vacant after the HFPA. was dissolved in 2023.
“The first sight of the stained glass windows and high, painted ceilings took my and Max’s breath away,” says Skye. “Since then we have become familiar with the eccentricities of the building (‘as is’). no doubt haunted,he jokes) and somehow that was exactly what we needed.
“The building’s past feels indelible in its current form, which is exactly how most of our garments feel,” Skye continues. “These pieces have traveled decades to find their home within our walls, through countless lives and closets, and it is only fitting that they receive a home that is just as beautiful and well-traveled.”
When asked why he thinks celebrities and fashion enthusiasts have flocked to the club, Skye thinks the answer is simple: “We have so much respect for the great stores and design houses of the past,” he explains, “but share a frustration with a large part of the club. what fashion consumption has become. We share the belief,” says Skye, “that all the clothes the world needs already exist.”
Wild West Social House is now open at 646 N Robertson Blvd. Check out membership rates and hours on their website official website.