California Apparel News

Beach cities are often trendsetters for fashion. But there’s no consensus for what is stylish in beach town El Segundo, Calif., which is sandwiched between Los Angeles International Airport and Manhattan Beach.

The town’s newest retail center, Plaza El Segundo, opened in 2006 to provide stylish shopping alternatives for the mostly affluent people living in the beach volleyball–crazy city. Fred Levine was one of the first tenants at Plaza El Segundo when he opened his M.Fredric shop there. He said there is one word that defines what is popular at his Plaza El Segundo shop: casual.

”They’re more interested in down-to-earth stuff,” said Levine of the women, men and kids who shop at the 6,000-square-foot M.Fredric boutique at Plaza El Segundo. It’s the largest boutique in his 10-store specialty chain, which is headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif.

However, “casual” might be a relative term. His El Segundo shoppers are buying premium denim and stylish tops similar to those scooped up by shoppers at his M.Fredric stores in trendier neighborhoods such as Los Angeles’ Studio City.

The best-selling women’s jeans at the Plaza El Segundo M.Fredric are Joe’s Jeans “Cigarette” skinny denim pants, which retail for $176. Joe’s also ranks as the top seller for men’s jeans. Joe’s “Rocker” jeans are made for men, and they retail for $180.

The Bailey 44 brand offers a ruched tunic top—a best seller for women at M.Fredric. It retails for $158. Popular men’s woven shirts designed by Santa Ana, Calif.–based 7 Diamonds range in price from $88 to $98. Also selling well are the shirts by Arnold Zimberg, which retail for $168.

Another Plaza El Segundo store finding style in casual fashions is Claudia Milan. Its main customers are professional women and moms from El Segundo and the neighboring towns of Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, according to Jessica Kill, a management consultant working for the store.

Adjacent to displays of books on the Chinese aesthetic practice of feng shui, Claudia Milan’s top sellers include a fleece jacket from Los Angeles–based label Grai, which retails for $325.

Also popular are tights from eco-friendly label The Batallion, which retail for $195. Gowns by designer Erica Davies are popular at the Claudia Milan boutique. The core price point for the gown is $775.

Cute always is in style at Happy Six. Entrepreneur Sophie Snow opened the boutique in 2008 to sell fashion with an emphasis on cute Japanese pop culture. The Hello Kitty brand pioneered the concept, and Happy Six is doing very well with the brand. The boutique’s top sellers are hoodies from the Harajuku Lovers label. These cute coats are retail priced from $70 to $90. Also popular are bags and accessories from Los Angeles–based Tokidoki. Retail price points range from $100 to $300.

El Segundo casual style also includes the pinup girl. In 2008, entrepreneurs and twin sisters Reneeacute; and Rosie Tenison opened their 2,000-square-foot store, Varga, for women of all ages. It is inspired by the playful attitude of the pinup girls of the 1940s and 1950s.

The Tenisons mix their own pinup glamour into their entrepreneurial story. In the early 1990s, they moved from their hometown of Boise, Idaho, to build careers as models and actors in Los Angeles. In 2000, they got into retail when they started selling Los Angeles–style accessories at a kiosk in the Boise Town Square mall.

They managed the kiosk business from Los Angeles, and when it proved successful they started opening stores closer to their homebase. They currently run five Varga stores in Los Angeles County. More than half of the merchandise is apparel, accessories and footwear from their private Varga label. One top seller is the Varga label’s fitted “Audrey” dress, which retails for $44.

The store also sells other looks such as a dress by the label Esley that retails for $59 and skinny black jeans by the label Flying Monkey that retail for $49.

The Tenisons plan to open another Varga store next year. For now, they like their El Segundo location for its casual ambience. “It’s laid-back,” Reneeacute; Tenison said.