California Apparel News

Designer Monah Li has joined Twin Concepts LLC as a contributing designer for the Los Angeles company’s Spy Zone Exchange line.

In her new position, Li will work with Spy founder and designer Jacky Elkaim to expand the collection of embellished contemporary sportswear.

Li, who formerly produced her own collection of one-of-a-kind contemporary dresses and separates, said she had been looking to make a change.

“I’ve been looking in the past few months to either find a partner or some kind of situation with somebody who has a better infrastructure than mine was—because that’s what I realized I needed,” she said.

Li said when she learned that Twin Concepts had hired longtime California Market Center executive Karen Mamont as public relations and fashion director, she called Mamont to ask about joining the company. Mamont introduced Li to Elkaim and the Spy line.“I just loved the line,” Li said. “When I saw what they were doing—it’s so beautiful; I’m so behind it.”

The 4-year-old Spy Zone Exchange collection started out as a T-shirt company but shifted to contemporary sportswear—including jackets, sweaters and camisoles—after Elkaim partnered with Twin Concepts owner Henry Levy.

The line is carried in Los Angeles boutiques such as Madison and Fred Segal Melrose; in European stores such as Selfridges and Harrods; and in chain and department stores such as Dillard’s, Victoria’s Secret and Cache.

Using the motto “Freedom of Expression, Expression of Freedom” as his inspiration, Elkaim takes basic pieces and embellishes them with embroidery, appliqueacute;s, hand-painting and whip-stitching. Wholesale prices range from $40 to $150. “I start with a basic body, and from there it’s art to me,” he said.With Li on board, the collection will incorporate dresses and other new bodies that will be given the Spy embellishments.

Li will shutter her namesake collection to focus on Spy. “I don’t think I can do more than one line because then you never know where you are going to put your best,” she said.

The designer said she is looking forward to working with Elkaim and to designing collaboratively, something she said she enjoyed while at Bebe Stores Inc. four years ago.

“One of the things I like most about [this new position] is I like working with other people,” she said. “I like getting the feedback, bouncing ideas off each other. I like to work in a group rather than by myself.”

Li’s tenure at Bebe was brief, but the designer is enthusiastic about her new position and the Spy collection.

“I can wear every piece,” she said. “I can figure the customer out. At Bebe, I could never figure out who she is. But this comes out of my own heart.” —Alison A. Nieder