Rodeo Drive
A globally recognized luxury shopping street and tourism destination in Beverly Hills, California.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Rodeo Drive is a roughly two-mile street running through Beverly Hills, California, with its southern section extending into the City of Los Angeles. It runs from Beverwil Drive in the south to Sunset Boulevard in the north. In common usage, however, “Rodeo Drive” usually denotes the highly concentrated three-block luxury retail district between Wilshire Boulevard and Little Santa Monica Boulevard. The street is internationally associated with designer fashion, jewelry, watches, luxury automobiles, hospitality, celebrity culture, and affluent tourism. The road was laid out in 1906 as part of the development of what became Beverly Hills. The area had previously formed part of Rancho Rodeo de las Aguas, and early plans envisioned a mixed-use subdivision connected to regional railway services. Parcels on Rodeo initially accommodated ordinary local commerce and residential or semi-rural activity. The road later became a bridle path after the Beverly Hills Hotel opened in 1912, and Pacific Electric streetcars served the hotel area through the early twentieth century. For much of the mid-century period, Rodeo Drive was a conventional local business street. Hardware stores, service stations, beauty shops, bookstores, and other neighborhood businesses operated there. Carroll & Company, a men’s clothing store, opened in 1950, while Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Anderton Court Shops building at 332 North Rodeo Drive in 1952. These developments established the street as an architecturally notable commercial corridor, but not yet as an international luxury destination. The major repositioning began in the 1960s. Fred Hayman opened Giorgio Beverly Hills in 1961, widely regarded as the first high-end boutique that helped define the street’s later identity. Aldo Gucci opened a store in 1968, followed by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1969, a Vidal Sassoon salon in 1970, and the first freestanding Polo store in 1971. Bijan Pakzad added further publicity in 1976 through a highly exclusive showroom and aggressive luxury positioning. The opening of a new wing at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in 1971 also helped connect Rodeo Drive with international visitors and upscale hospitality. The Rodeo Drive Committee launched a publicity campaign in 1977 intended to associate the street with wealth, fashion, and a culturally elite lifestyle. By the end of the decade, the district had become an important contributor to Beverly Hills sales-tax revenues. Its luxury reputation was strengthened by concentrated designer occupancy, high commercial rents, distinctive architecture, and recurring public events. The Rodeo Collection opened in 1983, and Two Rodeo Drive followed in 1990 as an outdoor shopping complex designed around a European-inspired streetscape. The early 1990s recession exposed the risks of a luxury-centered retail model. Two Rodeo Drive experienced occupancy declines, while some middle-market brands entered the area and several franchised stores were bought back by the brands they represented. The complex later changed ownership and regained financial stability. Rodeo Drive nevertheless retained its global symbolic value, aided by film, television, music, fashion media, and celebrity tourism. A major streetscape renovation in 2003 widened portions of the road, added crosswalks, and replaced ficus trees with palm trees. That year the Rodeo Drive Committee established the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style, honoring influential figures in fashion and style with sidewalk plaques and Robert Graham’s “Torso” sculpture as its visual emblem. The district has continued to host automotive, fashion, watch, jewelry, and retail events, including the annual Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance and Fashion’s Night Out activities. Lanvin opened a store there in 2011. Rodeo Drive is not a conventional operating company or a single retailer. It is a place brand and commercial district whose identity is created by the Beverly Hills setting, municipal infrastructure, property owners, luxury tenants, tourism organizations, event organizers, and the wider fashion ecosystem. Its present-day appeal rests on experiential luxury shopping, architectural spectacle, hospitality, celebrity association, and international recognition. In May 2020, businesses on the street suffered broken windows, looting, and graffiti during unrest following the murder of George Floyd. The district remains active as a luxury retail and tourism destination.
History
Rodeo Drive originated in the early twentieth-century subdivision of land that became Beverly Hills. In 1906, Burton E. Green and fellow investors acquired property formerly known as Rancho Rodeo de las Aguas and laid out streets for a planned community. Rodeo Drive was part of that original plan. Lots measuring approximately 75 by 160 feet sold for around $1,100 in 1907, although land values rose rapidly as Beverly Hills developed. The street’s early identity was connected to transportation, hospitality, and semi-rural recreation rather than luxury retail. After the Beverly Hills Hotel opened on a former lima-bean field in 1912, part of Rodeo Drive served as a bridle path. Pacific Electric Red Cars operated along the Coldwater Canyon Line to the hotel between 1907 and 1923. Over time, the central portion evolved into a normal commercial street with hardware stores, gas stations, beauty shops, bookstores, and clothing retailers. Carroll & Company opened in 1950, and Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Anderton Court Shops in 1952. The transformation into an international fashion center began with Fred Hayman’s opening of Giorgio Beverly Hills in 1961. The arrival of Aldo Gucci in 1968, Van Cleef & Arpels in 1969, Vidal Sassoon in 1970, and Polo in 1971 created a concentration of internationally recognizable luxury names. The Beverly Wilshire Hotel’s expansion in 1971 increased the district’s connection to affluent visitors. Bijan Pakzad’s showroom, opened in 1976, reinforced Rodeo Drive’s image of exclusivity through both its merchandise and highly publicized marketing. In 1977, the Rodeo Drive Committee launched a campaign to promote the street as a destination for wealthy and fashion-conscious visitors. By 1978, local business organizations were describing Rodeo Drive as an international shopping center, and by 1980 the city estimated that the shopping district generated a substantial share of Beverly Hills sales-tax revenue. In 1981, the core high-fashion area occupied about two and a half blocks and contained approximately 65 stores. The Rodeo Collection opened in 1983 at 421 North Rodeo Drive. The four-story, approximately 70,000-square-foot complex was designed with much of its first level below street grade to comply with local building requirements. Its initial rents were reported as exceptionally high for the Los Angeles area. Two Rodeo Drive opened in 1990 as a separate open-air shopping center with a European-inspired design and early tenants that included Christian Dior and Valentino. The recession of the early 1990s affected the district, particularly Two Rodeo Drive, where occupancy reportedly fell as low as 60 percent. Some middle-market retailers entered the street, and several franchised stores were reacquired by the brands whose names they carried. Two Rodeo Drive changed ownership during a difficult financial period, including a sale in 2000 at a large loss, but the property later stabilized and was sold again in 2007. Rodeo Drive received a major public-realm makeover in 2003. The project widened portions of the street, introduced additional pedestrian crossings, and changed the landscaping. The Rodeo Drive Committee also created the Walk of Style that year. Sidewalk plaques recognize figures whose work influenced fashion and style, while Robert Graham’s “Torso” sculpture at Rodeo Drive and Dayton Way serves as the program’s emblem. The district’s cultural visibility has been reinforced by films such as Pretty Woman and other appearances in popular media, which turned shopping on Rodeo Drive into a shorthand for luxury and social status. Annual events include the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance, Fashion’s Night Out activities, and the Rodeo Drive Festival of Watches and Jewelry. In 2020, businesses were damaged and looted during unrest after the murder of George Floyd. Despite periodic economic and social disruptions, Rodeo Drive continues to function as an active luxury retail, tourism, and place-branding district.
- 2020
Businesses are damaged during unrest
[1]Several stores experience broken windows, looting, and graffiti following unrest after the murder of George Floyd.
- 2011
Lanvin opens a store
[1]Lanvin joins Rodeo Drive’s international luxury retail tenant mix.
- 2003
Walk of Style and streetscape renovation are introduced
[1]The street receives a major public-realm renovation, and the Rodeo Drive Committee establishes the Walk of Style honors.
- 1990
Two Rodeo Drive opens
[1]A European-inspired open-air shopping center opens with luxury tenants including Christian Dior and Valentino.
- 1983
The Rodeo Collection opens
[1]A 45-store, approximately 70,000-square-foot shopping complex opens at 421 North Rodeo Drive.
- 1977
Rodeo Drive Committee launches an international publicity campaign
[1]The committee promotes Rodeo Drive as a destination associated with wealth, fashion, and celebrity.
- 1976
Bijan opens a showroom
[1]Bijan Pakzad opens an exclusive showroom that further strengthens the street’s luxury image.
- 1971
Polo opens its first freestanding store
[1]The Polo store adds another major international fashion name to the district.
- 1970
Vidal Sassoon opens a salon
[1]The salon joins the growing concentration of premium fashion and beauty businesses.
- 1968
Gucci arrives on Rodeo Drive
[1]Aldo Gucci opens a store, accelerating the arrival of international luxury fashion houses.
Products and positioning
Luxury shopping destination and globally recognizable place brand associated with designer retail, celebrity culture, affluent tourism, and experiential fashion.
Fashion retail · 1961
Luxury fashion boutiques
Rodeo Drive is best known for its concentration of international designer boutiques. The district has hosted major fashion houses and premium apparel labels, offering ready-to-wear collections, made-to-measure services, handbags, footwear, and seasonal luxury merchandise. The street’s value lies less in a proprietary product line than in the density, visibility, and presentation of prestigious retail brands within a walkable destination.
Luxury accessories · 1969
Jewelry and watches
Fine jewelry and watch retail form a central part of Rodeo Drive’s luxury proposition. The presence of houses such as Van Cleef & Arpels and events focused on watches and jewelry support an image built around high-value accessories, craftsmanship, exclusivity, and personal service.
Beauty · 1970
Beauty and salon services
Premium beauty services have been part of the district’s identity since the arrival of Vidal Sassoon in 1970. Salons and beauty retailers complement fashion shopping by extending the destination’s offering into hairstyling, cosmetics, grooming, and luxury personal care.
Shopping center · 1983
Rodeo Collection
The Rodeo Collection is a multi-level shopping complex at 421 North Rodeo Drive. Opened in 1983, it expanded the district’s capacity for premium retail and was designed with below-grade space to comply with local height restrictions. It forms part of the broader Rodeo Drive commercial environment rather than a standalone consumer brand.
Open-air shopping center · 1990
Two Rodeo Drive
Two Rodeo Drive is an open-air shopping complex created in 1990 with a cobbled, European-inspired streetscape. It initially attracted tenants including Christian Dior and Valentino. The property experienced severe occupancy and ownership pressures during the early 1990s recession but later regained financial stability.
Cultural recognition program · 2003
Rodeo Drive Walk of Style
The Walk of Style is a recognition program established by the Rodeo Drive Committee in 2003. Sidewalk plaques honor influential figures in fashion and style, while Robert Graham’s “Torso” sculpture serves as the program’s symbol. Recipients also receive a maquette of the sculpture.
Controversies
2020
Looting and vandalism during George Floyd unrest
Following the murder of George Floyd, unrest in May 2020 resulted in damage to several Rodeo Drive businesses. Reports described broken windows, looting, and graffiti. The incident affected individual retailers and the district’s physical environment but did not end Rodeo Drive’s operation as a commercial destination.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Fashion’s Night Out
United States · International
Rodeo Drive participated in the international Fashion’s Night Out retail event, which was created to encourage shopping, restore consumer confidence, and support the fashion industry during the recession. Local programming included entertainment and attractions across the district.
Outcome. The event connected Rodeo Drive with a coordinated global fashion-retail promotion.
- 1977Rodeo Drive international publicity campaign
United States · International
The Rodeo Drive Committee promoted the street as a shopping destination for wealthy and famous visitors and linked it to an aspirational, culturally elite lifestyle. The campaign helped convert a local commercial street into a globally recognizable luxury place brand.
Outcome. Rodeo Drive became strongly associated with international fashion, celebrity, and affluent tourism.
Brand decisions
2003
Modernize the public realm and create the Walk of StyleStrategyBackground
Rodeo Drive’s luxury identity depended not only on tenants but also on its streetscape and cultural visibility.
Action taken
The street underwent a major renovation, and the Rodeo Drive Committee introduced a fashion and style honors program with sidewalk plaques and Robert Graham’s “Torso” sculpture.
Aftermath
The changes strengthened Rodeo Drive’s role as both a shopping district and a fashion-tourism landmark.
Reported renovation cost. $18 million (2003)
1990
Develop Two Rodeo DriveOtherBackground
Additional premium retail space was created to expand the district’s luxury shopping environment.
Action taken
An open-air shopping center with a European-inspired design was built and opened with major luxury tenants.
Aftermath
The complex became a prominent component of the district but was later affected by the early 1990s recession and ownership changes.
1977
Promote Rodeo Drive as a global luxury destinationStrategyBackground
The street had acquired several international fashion tenants, but its earlier identity had been primarily local and commercial.
Action taken
The Rodeo Drive Committee launched a publicity effort centered on wealth, fashion, celebrity, and an elite lifestyle.
Aftermath
The campaign helped establish the district’s enduring international luxury-shopping image.
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