Moving From Sanctuary to Sage
Debra Polanco, designer of Los Angeles-based contemporary line Sanctuary, is introducing a new contemporary line of delicately constructed skirts and blouses called Sage.
“Sage should be worn barefoot under the stars,” Polanco said. “There’s a whole movement in fashion right now toward the feminine, softer look in fashion. That’s the category Sage fits into.”
The collection, which has deliveries beginning Feb. 15 and March 15, is made up of two fabric groups. The “Saloon Girl” group features high-collared washed muslin with lace blouses. The “South of the Border” group includes washed gauze blouses and tunics in bohemian, fiesta, gypsy and peasant styles.
Each group features blouses with combinations of embroidery, string ties, pin-tucks and gathering. Matching skirts are also available. Colors vary in natural shades of white, natural, antique pink and chamois. Wholesale price points range from $29 for a gauze blouse to $39 for an ankle-length peasant skirt. Small through large sizes are available.
Since Sage’s debut at Fashion Coterie in New York in October, the collection has booked nearly $200,000 in orders for Feb. 15 deliveries at retailers including Anthropologie, Bloomingdale’s and Scoop in New York. Polanco estimates her new company will earn about $2 million for 2002.
The designer plans to continue making Sanctuary’s collection of stretch twill, stretch and rigid denim, and classic chinos along with Sage at her Burbank, Calif., warehouse. Sage will be sold as separates, leaving customers the option to mix and match pieces from both collections, she said.
“Sage was created to complement Sanctuary’s bottom-driven collection,” she explained. “The lines were designed separately but they can easily cross over.”
Still, Polanco isn’t worried that the increased success of one line over the other will put a damper on her feminine aura.
“The Sage customer is a little more contemporary than the Sanctuary customer, and she understands the look immediately,” she said.
The Sanctuary Clothing and Sage showroom is located in Suite 1100 in the New Mart. For more information about both lines, call (213) 489-2391. —Claudia Figueroa
