T & A Showroom
824 Building824 S. Los Angeles St., Suite 303 (323) 244-3092
Co-owners Alfred Davis and Timothy Padilla choose lines for their T & A Showroom that have a clean aesthetic and dip into the skate, street and contemporary markets. The bulk and strength of the showroom’s offerings are its men’s lines—which add design twists on basic men’s T-shirts, outerwear jackets and jeans—though some of the brands also carry women’s.
One of the best-selling categories for the showroom is made up of woven button-down shirts by Los Angeles–based Carapace, which average $26 wholesale.
“Stores that wouldn’t ever before look at price are buying price,” said Davis of his price-driven lines.
Padilla added: “It’s a good opportunity for new lines that are doing something cool to sneak in and gain some of that market share.”
Alkemy, another price-driven line, has been successful with its full range of woven shirts, sweat shirts, vests, jackets and pants with interesting dressed-up design details. The line is priced between $14 and $50 wholesale.
Roughly half of the showroom features price-driven lines such as Alkemy and Carapace, and the other half is made up of more directional, contemporary-priced brands such as Malibu, Calif.–based Sjobeck, which has been sold to Ron Herman, and Brown Label jeans, which are carried at Neiman Marcus. Los Angeles–based Future Heretics takes denim and sweats to an '80s-inspired fashion level with bleached-out denim washes, tie-dyed sweats and graphic tees. Men’s T-shirts in the favorite Henley, V-neck and single-pocket styles are made luxe in the Gregory Quinn line, founded by the same company that produces women’s knits line Saint Grace. The only line carrying solely women's clothing in the showroom, Cirque du Cheval is a cute hipster sister complement to the young men’s fare, with its easy silk dresses and romper shorts. Also showing out of the T & A Showroom is the knits line Drifter; Los Angeles–based men’s sportswear and skinny fashion denim line COA; and Canadian line Lifetime Collective, which collaborates with artists. —Rhea Cortado
