Tyler Looks to Beverly Hills
Los Angeles designer Richard Tyler is on the move.
The world-renowned creator of haute couture pieces worn by Hollywood celebrities such as Julia Roberts and Heather Locklear is hunting for a new retail space in Beverly Hills to reflect his couture roots.
The new store will replace the 3,500-square-foot art deco retail venture, called Richard Tyler, that has been at 7290 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles for more than 15 years.
“I want a store with the feel of old Hollywood,” said Tyler, who in recent years has launched a ready-to-wear line called Tyler, a bridal line called Richard Tyler Bride, an eveningwear line called Richard Tyler Eve, and handbags and shoes in addition to the couture label that bears his name. “I’m picturing a store with a staircase where the models come down and the clients sitting in chairs can view the pieces,” he said.
Tyler has been meeting with a Beverly Hills commercial real estate broker to scout for locations. The designer has ruled out Rodeo Drive because rents are too pricey. But he would like something in the Golden Triangle area, the premier shopping area surrounding Rodeo Drive.
The new store and concept mark Tyler’s return to his couture background. Even though he has been expanding in other directions, he wants to regain a toehold in the area of fashion where he got his start.
“I’m going back to doing more couture to pursue my passion. I’d like to finish my career doing what I want to do,” said the 50-something Australian-born designer, who has been honored three times by New York’s Council of Fashion Designers of America.
In February, Tyler was commissioned by Delta Air Lines to redesign the uniforms for the company’s flight attendants, airport agents and other employees. On May 24, Tyler will show the airline’s executives his uniform prototypes. The executives will have a month to tweak the designs, which will include sleek jackets, hats and gloves. The new uniforms will debut sometime in late 2005, Tyler said.
Tyler is also hunting for a new corporate location. Last month, the designer moved out of his 30,000-square-foot building in Monterey Park, Calif., to occupy a 7,000-square-foot structure in Alhambra, Calif. But the new location had a serious mold problem, and Tyler canceled the purchase.
Currently, Tyler is operating out of a small building on Palm Avenue in Alhambra while he looks for a new location for Tyler Trafficante Inc., the company he formed with his wife, Lisa Trafficante.
He said he is considering a creative space in the Old Town district of Pasadena, Calif., a loft-like location in Alhambra or a building in South Pasadena, Calif. “Because I’m doing couture these days, you really need to have the right environment,” the designer said. —Deborah Belgum
