California Apparel News

Since 2001, Fred Levine has been prospecting Valencia, Calif., a city 34 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, as the next place for his luxury M. Fredric boutiques.

On April 17, he said that his search might be over. He is seriously considering leasing 7,500 square feet in the town adjacent to the Westfield Valencia Town Center. The space would house all of his concept stores— M.Fredric, M.Fredric Man, M.Fredric Kids and M.Fredric Active. Levine said that scouting the right opportunities in the town took a long time. “Before, Valencia was rural. Now, it is ripe and ready for retailers,” said Levine, who runs more than 21 M.Fredric stores in Los Angeles County.

Over the past 20 years, the area around Valencia has undergone a complete transformation of its landscape—from ranch land and open country to suburbia. While the tracthome developments seemingly go on for miles and miles, Levine contends there are more than enough $1 million residences in the area to support luxury fashion retail.

Perhaps more important for fashion retailers, the young families of Valencia are developing a taste for more stylish, more expensive clothes, according to Jennifer Serraino, owner of the J. Serraino Clothing & Accessories boutique.

When she moved to Valencia in 2003, most of the area’s women were wearing Gap jeans. Since opening her 1,950- square-foot store in 2004, she has developed a following among the town’s women for expensive designer jeans and fashion tops.

The top-selling items in her store are jeans produced by Los Angeles– based premium-denim labels True Religion, Paige and Hudson. One of the best-selling jeans is True Religion’s medium-rise Johnny jean, which costs $196.

Serraino said she believes that pants’ rises will grow higher in the upcoming year, influenced by the 1940s-style pants that classic movie star Kate Hepburn made iconic. Following this forecast’s logic, she’s selling highrise trousers manufactured by Los Angeles–based Billy Blues, which retail for $260. She also said another garment that sells well is a red-print silk ruffle shirt by Los Angeles– based Poleci. It costs $282.

The fashion potential always was strong in Valencia, according to Margo Miller, even when it was a cow town. She opened her high-fashion boutique, called Margo, in Valencia in 1974. Then she offered eveningwear labels such as Manning Silver, even though her first customers could not fathom the notion of spending $28 for a pair of pants.

Today Miller owns a 3,800-square-foot retail compound that houses satellite businesses such as the Dahbeacute; makeup parlor and skincare studio and tailoring service Julie’s Golden Needle. She also offers more than nine eveningwear labels such as Sue Wong, Tadashi, Teri Jon and Alberto Makali. Price points range from $250 to $1,750 for eveningwear. But the core price points range from $250 to $800.

However, Miller’s boutique does not rely on eveningwear. The store does good business selling casual contemporary separates from labels including Canadian brand Oui Moments, which produces a tank-top shirt with gold foil that costs $99 at Margo.

Miller said she feels secure offering a wide selection of eveningwear because of Valencia’s culture.

Civic events draw huge crowds, and these events often require black tie and gowns.

The Valencia society scene also has its own spotlight. It’s reported on by two local magazines— Inside SCV and The Magazine of Santa Clarita-Elite—which are published by separate companies.

While black-tie dinners, weddings, proms and quinceantilde;eras are important events on city social calendars, most fashion dollars are spent by women between the ages of 35 and 45 who want to look good while going about the day’s business, said Mary Kay Drury, coowner of boutiques Just Us Girls and The Men’s Room.

“She does not work, but she works out a lot,” said Drury of the moms that shop there.

Her boutique is across the street from a highend gym, the Spectrum Club.

Premium denim was particularly popular at Just Us Girls. Los Angeles–based AGjeans was a top-seller. But the most popular denim styles are from The Angel, which retails for $170, and The Liberty, which retails for $152.

Also popular was the “Swing” top, a striped tank top produced by Los Angeles–based Michael Stars. It retails for $55. Top-selling shirts at The Men’s Room were long-sleeved woven shirts by Los Angeles– based label English Laundry, which cost $80, and Robert Graham, which retail for $165.

Other popular items sold at Margo, J.Serraino and Just Us Girls were Commando panties, which retail from $20 to $22. They are produced by Her Look Enterprises of Shelbourne, Vt. The cotton underwear is seamless, which cuts out visible panty lines, according to Drury.