Sin From Single
A direct descendant of explorer Juan Ponce de Leon and the daughter of a painter and sculptor, Stephanie de Leon expresses her creativity through fashion. Her line, Sin, debuted at Fashion Coterie in New York with a Fall 2005 collection of coquettish pieces for intelligent young ladies.
Galina Sobolev, designer of Los Angeles–based contemporary label Single, decided to help launch the line after meeting de Leon, whose twenty-something quirky style and rich artistic and cultural history give the young designer contemporary collection its distinctive look.
De Leon, a graduate of the Academy of Art in San Francisco, got her start in Barcelona, Spain, designing for La Sala de Sol. Shortly after her stint in Spain, she moved to Los Angeles to take a job as a designer for the Pamela Brown line.
Sin targets the 20- to 40-year-old market, but the label hopes to catch girls in their late teens, as well.
“Girls are starting to dress in a much more sophisticated way at a younger age,” said Sobolev, who collaborated with de Leon in the design process. “They’ve given up their Juicys, and they want to dress up.”
Denim-friendly items, such as a blue voile Edwardianstyle blouse with antique-lace inserts and vintage brooch detailing, have emerged as key pieces. Handcrafted details include beading and crystal buttons on a fluffy cashmere sweater and antique-lace accents. Fabrications include antique jacquard, silk charmeuse, vintage-wash denim, silk chiffon and crinkle chiffon, all mixed with similar vintageinspired details to give uniqueness to each piece.
Wholesale prices range from $42 to $220. “We wanted the bulk of our products to be under $200 at retail. We want it to be affordable, but we want to be special,” said Sobolev, who aims to sell the line in higher-end stores.
The name Sin references the line’s flirtatious styles and fabrics and also the boudoir sinfulness featured in details such as transparent lace trimming near the bust. Russia-born Sobolev said she hopes the detailed separates with a romantic European flair will become favorite pieces in each customer’s wardrobe. “With my Russian background and [de Leon’s] very eclectic Spanish background, we have a lot to offer for this new creative label and what we see as new modern dressing for the contemporary woman,” Sobolev said.
For more information, contact the Sue Goodman Showroom, located in suite 813 of The New Mart, at (213) 629-2493.
—Rhea Cortado
