California Apparel News

Cranes and scaffolding dominate the scene around the intersection of Third Street and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, the site of the Grove at Farmers Market, a $100 million retail complex being developed by Caruso Affiliated Holdings. A less obvious presence is the number of boutiques popping up nearby, eager to cash in on the anticipated spillover traffic from the new development.

Set to open next spring, the Grove’s blue-chip tenant lineup including Nordstrom, Barnes & Noble, Gap, Banana Republic and J. Crew will turn the area into a premier shopping hub, say fashion newcomers, geared to a young, affluent community with a strong employment base from nearby CBS and Paramount Studios.

In addition, the area offers a fresh alternative to Melrose Avenue, Robertson Boulevard and other nearby venues that are already established.

“Those areas didn’t suit our needs—we’re different,” said Stacy Hollister, co-owner of a new boutique called Fils. “The rents here are affordable, and we think that the Grove can only help draw more people to the area.”

Open for more than a month on Third just west of Fairfax, Fils sells vintage surplus items transformed into edgy pieces by designer and co-owner Fiona Beckett. The store marks Hollister and Beckett’s first venture into retail. Previously, the duo worked on a label called Tooke for Barneys New York and Henri Bendel.

“Retail will help us showcase our items and get reactions more quickly,” Beckett said.

The two devote 500 square feet to selling space and another 1,000 square feet to a manufacturing facility equipped with four sewing machines and cutting tables. They’ve received an order from Stacey Todd in Studio City, Calif., and also plan to launch a children’s line later this fall.

Some of Beckett’s designs include asymmetrical skirts fashioned from eight scarves; army pants reconstructed into women’s low-rise, slim-leg garments; and vintage cashmere sweaters restored with athletic jersey appliqueacute;s. Her efforts don’t come cheap—the vintage sweaters cost upwards of $160, and crystallized gauze dresses with frayed hems sell for $440.

Next door, luxury kidswear designer Francesca Basilico four months ago debuted her first children’s boutique, I Golfini Della Nonna. The store sells Basilico’s hand-knit creations as well as Flora and Henri knits and Erica Tanov’s green silk skirt sets for children ranging from newborns through age 8. Cashmere sweaters will be arriving in fall. Prices range from $82 for a pink bikini to $130 for an Italian wool sweater.

A few blocks south on Fairfax Avenue, contemporary designer Diane Medak set up her 500-square-foot studio office a year ago to handle shipping and sample-making in partnership with lingerie designer Nancy Yoo. The number of passersby inspired her to use the space also as a retail store, which she named Stash. Along with her signature camisole tanks and Yoo’s Fleur’t (pronounced “flirt”) line of lacy underwear, she offers Miah Y. strapless dresses, Kate O’Connor hand-knitted wrap shirts, and Alison Storry precious and semi-precious jewelry.

“We opened about five months ago, and so far things are going well,” said Medak, who also sells her line to other Southern California boutiques, including Vin Baker in Los Angeles, Planet Blue in Malibu and Dale Michele in Beverly Hills. “We think they’ll even be better with the Grove,” she added. “The neighbors here are extremely excited.”

Merchants along Beverly Boulevard, just north of the Grove and home to Beige, Kbond and Eduardo Lucero, also are taking notice.

Swedish knit designer Suss Cousins, is adding another boutique on Aug. 15 to her 6,000-square-foot fashion and production studio. Adjacent to her Suss Designs knit store, Cousins will open Skandinavia, a rustic-feeling venue featuring apparel and gift items. Fashions will include clogs in leather, suede and bright colors; clog boots; Cousins’ turtleneck knits for men; and hand-stitched peasant blouses for women. She plans to carry a Los Angeles-based denim line called Von Dutch later this year.

“Things are really coming together in this neighborhood and I wanted to be near my design studio where I can work on custom orders immediately,” said Cousins, who plans to open another Suss Designs store in New York next year in conjunction with the publication of an autobiographical book.

Just five blocks east on Beverly Boulevard, designer Veronica Monroy is selling her signature shirred blouses with split-sleeves, print wrap dresses and retro tube dresses in her two-month-old store called Veronica M. Monroy originally operated Scala on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles and in Venice, Calif., but sold them to an employee less than two years ago.

According to Veronica M. co-owner Kristi Rahebi, Monroy planned to focus solely on wholesaling, but missed the retail world.

“She really likes to make one-of-a-kind stuff,” Rahebi said. “It’s been hard to find the right location. The market’s been tight, but this area is really starting to happen.”