As a female, two of my favorite things have got to be fashion and candy. So imagine my delight when I heard about Andrea Trujillo and her Beverly Hills store, A.sweeT., which combines the two.

“These are two of my favorite things: fashion and candy. I’ve had a sweet tooth my whole life and there was nothing in L.A. that was like this. I was certain I was filling a void,” says Trujillo.

Off the cuff, it might seem a little odd to mix these two products into one boutique store, but Trujillo certainly doesn’t see it that way.

“The fashion portion came from the fact that I really think how you dress and how you present yourself represents a lot about who you are,” Trujillo says. “So bringing in the bright colors into the clothes and mixing those two things together brings out who I am.”

While the dichotomy between the simple joy of candy and the luxury of fashion and jewelry may seem odd, between brand names like 32 Flavors and Sauce, tees with vintage candy prints and colors that are echoed in the candy in the back, Trujillo really manages to pull her theme together, even down to the music choices.

“I think right now especially with the way the economy is, people are looking for that quick fix and something that’s going to make them feel good, so to do an impulse purchase – if it’s $2 worth of candy and a $200 pair of jeans, or a Swarovski crystal gumball machine – it’s that playfulness; it brings something casual to a luxury and that makes you feel good,” Trujillo explains.

And the store really is fun, with a candy selection that ranges from seasonal candy to handcrafted chocolates to gummy treats to vintage candy (I mean seriously, where else can you find Chuckles bars these days?) and an interior design that seeks to both emphasize and soothe the inherent divide between the store’s inventory.

A.sweeT.’s concept may seem a bit strange, but it’s definitely worth a look. You won’t be able to leave the store without getting something.



For more information, visit asweetonline.com.