Mamont to Join Twin Spring
Karen Mamont, longtime executive at the California Market Center, is leaving to take a job as public relations and fashion director for Twin Spring LLC, a new fashion complex owned by Henri Levy, owner of such labels as Sharagano and Tokyo Denim.
In her new position, Mamont will promote the new center’s showrooms, labels, trade shows and events. Her duties will also entail merchandising several of Levy’s fashion brands, including Sharagano; Spy; Western Denim; and Tokyo Denim, a private-label juniors line for the volume market.
“Karen is the perfect person for this because she knows fashion and she can be involved in all aspects of this building,” Levy said.
Levy’s plans call for continued renovation of two 1930s-era buildings, at 419 and 433 S. Spring St. between Fourth and Fifth streets in downtown Los Angeles. The two buildings together have 400,000 square feet of space that Levy plans to open up to permanent and temporary showrooms and to trade show space for contemporary collections and events. There is room for a total of 350 showrooms. Levy has already restored the buildings’ sixelevators and plans to use the second and third floors of 433 S. Spring St. as an open-exhibition space.
One of the first shows planned is the Premiere World Fabric Show, which will run concurrently with the Los Angeles International Textile Show and will feature high-end international textile resources.
The art deco–style buildings currently house a few city offices for the Los Angeles Police Department, the Department of Sanitation and the Department of Cultural Affairs. They originally served as the city’s first stock market and were later the site of a public library, Levy said.
“It’s a building that deserves to be a fashion building,” Levy said. “We need a place where there are only contemporary lines.”
Levy plans to open the showrooms by Aug. 1.
Mamont has been with the CMC for 10 years, holding such positions as executive director of marketing, director of public relations, director of merchandise, leasing liason and trade show producer. During her tenure, she launched several shows at the CMC, including the L.A. Majors Market; Urban/Suburban; The Focus; and the Look Show, which was modeled after the original Look Show, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Prior to joining the CMC, she worked for Directives West, the Barbara Fields Buying Office, Merry Go Round’s men’s division, the Carole Nystrom Showroom and Judy’s.
Her last day at the CMC will be April 1.
“I have been happy here at CMC and enjoyed working with the wonderful, talented people on staff and the CMC tenants for the past 10 years,” said Mamont, who will be working out of the Twin Spring buildings. “I will remain a friend of CMC and look forward to continuing my support of our industry.”
