House of Petro Zillia Closes Store, Debuts Forever 21 Collaboration
On Feb. 4, fast-fashion giant Forever 21 debuted a collaboration with Los Angeles–based fashion label House of Petro Zillia, but on Feb. 1 the label’s designer, Nony Tochterman, announced she will be closing her colorful fashion label’s prominent boutique at 8218 W. Third St. in Los Angeles. The store’s last day of business will be Feb. 28. She will transfer the store’s business to the label’s e-commerce boutique at www.shoppetrozillia.com.
“I’m upset about closing the store,” Tochterman said. “I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it.” She blamed the store shuttering on high rent. Tochterman declined to state the amount of rent she paid for the 1,500-square-foot store. But she said sales had declined to a point where maintaining a physical storefront did not make financial sense.
(A square foot of commercial space on the corner of West Third Street and Harper Avenue, near the Petro Zillia location, was estimated to be $4, according to Chuck Dembo, a partner in Dembo Realty, based in Beverly Hills, Calif.)
A frequent participant in Mercedes-Benz Los Angeles Fashion Week, House of Petro Zillia opened its West Third Street store in 2006. Tochterman’s husband and business partner, Yossi Drori, designed the store, which is divided into three different architectural environments: a French romantic, a mid-century modern and a mod 1960s section. The store also has a backyard and design studio for Petro Zillia. Once the store closes, Tochterman will move her studio.
Petro Zillia’s collaboration with Forever 21 will offer 11 styles, ranging from halter tops to shorts, cardigans and dresses, all with Petro Zillia’s bright color scheme offering pinks, purples and some rainbow stripes.
“They produced everything. I just did the design,” Tochterman said. “That’s how we did it at their price point. It’s a great way for consumers to get my stuff at an affordable price point.”
House of Petro Zillia is holding a store-closing sale until the end of February. Fixtures will be up for sale. Some fashion will be discounted up to 90 percent.—Andrew Asch
