Hera: Pretty Chic
Los Angeles–based designer Mia Kim is frustrated with shopping. “Designer-level pieces are so expensive. And then if you go to a lower tier, the clothes don’t fit very well, and it just isn’t flattering,” she said. “There was a big void in the market. Unless you’re prepared to drop $500 to $700 on a little top, it’s hard to find the look and fit you want.” For Holiday 2007, Kim seeks to remedy the situation with Hera, her new contemporary dress and tops-driven line for women with a focus on chic designs and body-conscious cuts.
“Women are very conscious of their figures,” Kim said. “When I design, I focus on enhancing a woman’s body. It’s all about fit.” And since she wants to dress herself and her peers—not “teeny-boppers”—sophistication and quality are key. Key looks from the line include breezy mini-dresses, flirty color-block cocktail dresses, voluminous tank tops and a black shift made special with tiny handmade flowers at the neckline. The look is modern and feminine but never sugary.
Kim, who resigned her post as BCBG Max Azria’s design director for dresses in November, said color and custom prints are also important to Hera. For Spring 2008, kelly green and vibrant purple are mixed in with oversize prints and more-sedate hues. Made from silk, chiffon, charmeuse and jersey, Hera’s offerings are deep, with approximately 30 pieces for each of the brand’s nine deliveries.
Retailers seem to be responding well to the line, which wholesales from $89 to $260. Already, the brand is in approximately 200 stores, including key retailers Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Net-a-porter.com and Ron Herman. “And we’re just getting started,” Kim said.
For more information about the line, visit The Globe Showroom at 112 W. Ninth St., suite 1210, in Los Angeles, or call (213) 955-6116. —Erin Barajas
