Diane Levin Sales
The bonsai tree and spare Asian-style interior design of Diane Levin’s showroom paint a picture of quiet harmony, but the past year for Levin’s business has been defined by bustling growth.
Levin, who had opened a space in a coop showroom in the Dallas Market Center in January 2004, tripled the size of her headquarters when she moved into a 1,500- square-foot suite in the California Market Center in August. She also added four new labels to her showroom, increasing her collection to 10 lines.
Levin said a key to growth has been keeping her high-end contemporary and streetwear collection in tune with the eclectic style she formed while growing up outside of Philadelphia. She took cues from her sister Renee’s rock ’n’ roll style of denim bottoms, rock concert T-shirts and fringed suede handbags. She also was influenced by her mother’s closet, which was filled with beautiful contemporary clothes that were often detailed with an ethnic, gypsy edge from the elder Levin’s native Hungary.
On the streetwear side, the showroom represents Los Angeles–based Ku. The label’s fleece and T-shirts ($20 to $35 wholesale) are informed by Japanese-style graphics. Ku recently introduced a women’s collection.
Levin represents another label heavily influenced by Asian graphics, Los Angeles–based Cosmosfact. The brand’s women’s T-shirts and jerseys range from $20 to $35 wholesale.
Mi So Happi, based in Los Angeles’ Silverlake district, mixes vintage fabrics and other details on skirts and tops, wholesaling for $32. Items from Lulu, a contemporary knit line based in New York, wholesale for $35.
As for high-end contemporary, Levin represents boho-chic line Penelope, an Argentine label that stresses embroidered details on silk charmeuse and cotton voile. The average wholesale price for the line is $65. She also represents the ready-to-wear of Israelbased Ronen Chen ($60 wholesale), which aims to drape a woman’s body with a fluid fit. There are also tailored, minimalist pieces from Bernadette Conte of New York ($65 wholesale), which are constructed out of European materials.
“These labels are about being funky, sexy and artistic,” Levin said. “I want women to feel like they’re ready to go anywhere in these clothes.” —Andrew Asch
