Fred Segal in Santa Monica is a large indoor mall consisting of independent fashion boutiques catering to the most trend-conscious shoppers. Among those boutiques, you'll find Studio at Fred Segal, bursting with the trendiest fragrance and beauty delights, and a slice of heaven for perfumistas. Studio at Fred Segal is owned by Robin Coe-Hutshing (the founder of Burn candles and the Memoire Liquide lines, among others).

Fragrance brands: Naturally my visit was concerned with the vast array of scented products. There seemed to be no end to the variety of brands available — L'Artisan Parfumeur, Serge Lutens, Comptoir Sud Pacifique, Ineke, Mona D'Orio, Ellie D, Burn, Sage Machado, Vie Luxe, Mark Birley, Penhaligon's, i Profumi di Firenze, Tocca, ElizabethW, and dozens more.

Not to be missed: If you get a chance to go, please check out the gorgeous display of Memoire Liquide scents (see photo above). The center of the display was set up like a perfumer's organ, and indeed that is how it functions. Shoppers can be assisted by perfumers who have been trained in-house to mix and match the blends just the way you like it, or to select some to be used "as is". A more detailed review of the process can be found in Jessica's article on the Memoire Liquide custom fragrance process.

Details: Finding Fred Segal Studio in Santa Monica was pretty easy. They occupy a large building on the corner of Fifth Street and Broadway in Santa Monica and kindly provide free parking on Fifth Street. Studio at Fred Segal, 500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA, 90013. 310-394-8509. Hours: Monday through Saturday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, Sunday noon to 6:00pm.

Nearby: There are several places for hungry shoppers to eat at Fred Segal's but I suggest walking across the street to Fred Segal Beauty on Fourth Street and ordering some take-out food from the eclectic offerings at Comfort Cafe. You can enjoy it on their patio while doing a little people-watching. Afterward, you might enjoy walking a few blocks down to the beach.

— report filed by Karen, image courtesy Studio at Fred Segal.