Susana Mercedes
Gerry Building Suite 705 (213) 489-9242 (by appointment only)
For two years, designer Susana Mercedes had a patch of showroom space tucked inside a bigger office that housed the nonprofit group Fashion Business Inc. in The New Mart.
When FBI moved in March to bigger digs in the California Market Center, Mercedes had to move, too. Instead of following FBI over to the new location, the designer decided to take an airy showroom in the Gerry Building.
The second tenant on the seventh floor, Mercedes’ new showroom is about seven times larger than the old one. It is furnished with an eclectic mix of vintage furniture that reflects the designer’s penchant for taking vintage apparel and giving it a one-of-a-kind look for the woman of today.
On one side sits the Winter ’09 collection. On the other is the Spring ’09 line. Wholesale prices run from $500 to $1,250.
Amanda de los Reyes, who recently signed on as Mercedes’ design assistant and a rep, was responsible for hunting for the antique furnishings that decorate the spare space. “The couch I found at an estate sale,” she said, pointing to a beige Queen Anne–style couch from the 1950s. “And for the art deco chairs, I drove out to Fillmore, [Calif.]. I was extremely dedicated. I was at every flea market and antique store,” she said.
Another antique gem is an old Toyota treadle sewing machine powered by foot. “This definitely reflects the line,” de los Reyes said, surveying her various finds. —Deborah Belgum
