West Bank Showroom
The New Mart Suite 1101 (213) 629-2822
Jody Hughes and Heidi Eisinger, co-owners of the West Bank Showroom, saw a sea-change in the retail market and have shifted their business plan to accommodate it. An established contemporary showroom, West Bank will greet buyers at the upcoming Los Angeles Fashion Market with a mix of new-to-them brands and old faithful collections. In fact, only three of the showroom’s collections are carry-overs from previous seasons.
“The economy changed, and then the market changed,” Eisinger said. “Department stores are putting brands on sale every other day. So we’re feeding in smaller designers [with tighter distribution] for our specialty stores that won’t be on sale at a department store down the street.” Some of the new brands have the added benefit of lower price points than previous collections, but Eisinger said the showroom’s focus is still decidedly contemporary.
Recent additions to the showroom are Idylle, Single, Level 99, Marc Allison Jeans, M & J Couture, Vkoo, Mark + James by Badgley Mischka and Kerryn Leigh. They join West Bank’s core brands, Fifteen Twenty, Linq and Michelle Jonas.
Single, an established brand that sells both dresses and blouses, will continue to be a go-to brand for specialty retailers, Eisinger said, because of its trend-right pieces and competitive price points. “There isn’t a dress customer for dresses over $300 or $400 right now. It’s a hard category, but Single is versatile and priced-right,” she said. Wholesale prices range from $65 to $198 for Single. Idylle, a competitively priced printed T-shirt line, complements West Bank’s denim offerings. Not every new line in the showroom is price-conscious. Vkoo, a new cashmere/knit line from Inhabit owner Vivian Koo, wholesales for upwards of $185 for an oversized cardigan. Mark + James by Badgley Mischka, which offers cocktail dresses and sportswear, wholesales for $75 to $350.
“We’ve found our niche,” Eisinger said. “We had denim, silk and dress resources, but we wanted to make our mix more diverse. We’ve added sweaters, contemporary dresses and brands that have longevity and will sell and make people money.”—Erin Barajas
