California Apparel News

Los Angeles designer William Beranek, founder of the William B. label, launched a new collection, deb-el-yuuml;, for Summer at the Designers & Agents’ Annex show at the New Mart during Los Angeles market.

Beranek, who was named California Designer of the Year by the California Mart in 1999, has split from the contemporary label he founded in 1990 to launch the new line.

The designer declined to comment about the split from William B., and executives at the company did not return phone calls by press time.

The new collection has the same clean, tailored lines and sexy silhouettes Beranek is known for, but it has a lighter, more feminine and slightly whimsical feel. (The name deb-el-yuuml; comes from the dictionary pronunciation guide for “w” and is pronounced “double you.”)

“I’m going back to some of my basics that I’ve done in the past,” the designer said. “I made the line a little girlier in the colors and the detailing.”

The line includes 28 pieces, with a small fleece collection slated for delivery beginning in early March. The fleece collection includes tailored jackets, a ruffled mini skirt, a straight knee-length skirt and two pairs of pants—one with a wide leg and the other cropped with an elasticized hem. The fleece pieces come in white, black and gray and are trimmed with black, pink and blue fleece on the jackets and bow details on the waistband of the skirts and pants.

For later deliveries, Beranek is offering tailored separates in silk jersey and silk chiffon, printed cotton voile, denim and poplin. He also includes a fitted blazer and cargo mini in cherry, pink and white cotton terry that are lined with a coordinating cotton voile print.

There are tailored basic bottoms, as well, such as capri pants and pencil skirts in cotton satin and stretch denim, a cargo pant with an elasticized cuff and a pencil skirt in cotton poplin.

The clean simplicity of the collection is evident throughout the line. Beranek describes the detailing and trim as “more organic,” pointing to the new deb-el-yuuml; labels, which are printed on grosgrain ribbon.

For deb-el-yuuml;, Beranek said he is keeping the line and the company small. All the pieces are designed as coordinating separates rather than as a complete collection. And Beranek brought the prices down a bit from his previous label. Wholesale prices for deb-el-yuuml; range from about $48 to $118.

“You have to be able to maintain it,” he said. For more information about deb-el-yuuml;, call (323) 350-2811.