Edward An Brings Back the Art of Coats
Los Angeles-based designers Lori Batt and Carrie Kneitel know all about a hard sell. For the past year they have marketed their line of vintage-inspired “party” coats called Edward An to West Coast buyers with the intention of rejuvenating a bygone era of fondue parties and Xavier Cugat records.
“I wanted to spread the concept of a coat being worn as an accessory and not to be used strictly for weatherwear,” said Batt, who spent three years in New York as brand manager for handbag designer Kate Spade.
Edward An’s three-quarter-length retro coats for women appeal to the disparate tastes of the boutique shopper and the thrift-store connoisseur. Creating such a collection that would appeal to both types of shoppers is a common goal for the designers, although Kneitel said, “We don’t want our coats to just look pretty—we want them to be functional.”
Batt came up with the concept of revitalizing the classic party coat after her stint in the Big Apple. “Everyone wears coats in New York City,” she said. “But I never noticed other designers making coats at affordable prices. The only cool coats in town were found at vintage stores or high-end retailers.”
Classic images of Jackie O., Twiggy, Faye Dunaway and Audrey Hepburn are just a few of the inspirations behind Batt and Kneitel’s 1960s-inspired collection, which consists of six coat groups: sand-coated cotton, EA signature cotton twill, brown-and-white floral print, canvas with white piping, DuPont Neotis and Dutchess satin.
“We’re designing timeless pieces that move with the mood and spirit of our time,” said Kneitel, who was formerly a graphic design artist. “Like a classic piece you find at a vintage store, we want to create designs that can be worn over and over for years to come.”
Additionally, the Spring collection includes a “Billy” skirt and “Audrey” capri pant, as well as such accessories as a belt and clutch bags. Batt and Kneitel also came up with an inventive idea for packaging their product. It’s called Mac-in-pack, a ready-to-wear canvas coat packed in a nifty carrying case.
The line is currently sold at Fred Segal Flair, American Rag and Noni in Los Angeles; Talulah and Bellagio Collections in Las Vegas; Brown Eyed Girl and Green Apples in San Francisco; and Spic and Span in Japan.
“We’re high end, but we’re not couture,” Batt said. “Our goal is to create beautiful coats at a palatable price.”
With wholesale prices for the line ranging from $120 for a canvas unlined coat to $240 for a Dutchess satin jacket, the designers are hoping to reach $250,000 in sales this year. So far, the company has 300 units ordered for Spring shipments for Jan. 30 and March 30.
Batt and Kneitel are currently designing Edward An’s Fall 2002 collection. Batt said the collection will come in five groups: a classic bull-denim group, a wool houndstooth group, a waxwear group (made with a water-resistant coated cotton fabric), a solid melton wool group and a wool with tuleh group.
“The difference between this season and Fall is we’re going to translate some of the lighter fabrics into heavier wools and denims you can wear throughout the fall season and going into winter,” Batt said. “We’re moving toward a more serious look for Fall by warming up our colors and going a little more classic with solids.”
Batt said certain Spring pieces, including the sand-coated and DuPont Neotis fabrics, may carry over for Fall.
