A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz
California Market Center Suite A555 (213) 489-1049
A change in corporate direction prompted A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz to open its first corporate showroom on the West Coast.
The enormous space, which opened in March on the contemporary brand–filled fifth floor, used to be occupied by Lucky Brand Jeans until the label moved over to The New Mart.
Earlier this year, designer Allen Schwartz hired a slew of new people who used to work for Laundry by Shelli Segal, whose showroom is across the way from the new A.B.S. showroom. With people such as Charles Pegram, vice president of international alliances, and Gianna Bonacorsi, international-sales manager, the dress and sportswear label is casting its business- expansion efforts to the overseas market in England and other European countries, the Middle East and Asia. Pegram is also trying to increase sales with Nordstrom.
The Lucky Brand showroom used to be filled with dark colors and rich woodwork. The A.B.S. showroom is taking the approach that clean and bright is better. “Allen loves clean and modern. He loves white, minimal interior design. We added a California flair with a bit of post-modern Viceroy Hotel influence,” said Cynthia Erland-Rubin, A.B.S.’s vice president of marketing and another former Laundry by Shelli Segal employee.
White is the predominant color on the walls and exposed ceiling. The floors are concrete. The furniture is white. A Danish chandelier encased in a silver Mylar drum was added for a post-modern touch. The ambience is that of an uncluttered living room.
While one-half of the 3,000-square-foot space is dedicated to a showroom, the other half is an office for Pegram and his team members, who have five black and silver desks near the windows. “The space is perfect,” Bonacorsi said. “We really like it here.”—Deborah Belgum
