Ugg Australia
Ugg Australia
The New Mart
Suite 501
(213) 629-6971
Goleta, Calif.–based Ugg Australia is opening its new showroom in The New Mart on Jan. 16, just in time for Los Angeles Fashion Market. The company more than doubled its space in the move from its 1,000-square-foot showroom on the 10th floor to a new, 2,400-square-foot space in Suite 501.
“As our brand has continued to grow and expand in categories, we were growing out of the old space,” explained Mitch Crane, the Los Angeles sales representative for the company. “We needed room to implement our new initiatives.”
Some of these new initiatives include a segmented men’s portion, more childrenswear and the new Ugg Collection, an Italian couture line that features exotic handcrafted heeled shoes in python, stingray and salmon skin. (The python products will not be sold in California because of state laws barring the sale of products made from python.) The luxury line of shoes and accessories was launched in the fall after the success of Ugg’s earlier collaboration with Jimmy Choo.
The company is also expanding into the luxury market with more apparel that will be showcased in the showroom’s main room, alongside handbags and accessories.
Cold-weather accessories—including scarves, ear muffs, and leather knit and shearing gloves—have been “amazing” for the company, Crane said, and a crocodile-embossed shearling jacket is just one example of apparel to come.
Men’s apparel and footwear are also being expanded with many new products, including casual footwear in addition to boots, and Tom Brady has been signed as the new face of Ugg men’s.
The showroom will have a refined look with LED-backlit bays, glass shelves, hanging waterfalls and Ugg graphics on the windows, Crane said. The men’s, women’s and children’s collections will share the main space, with the Italian collection in a separate room.
Ugg’s first showroom was in a tiny space in the Fashion Business Inc. offices in the California Market Center in Los Angeles and eventually they were able to move into a larger space in The New Mart.
The company has seen “huge growth” in Asia this year, and it recently took over distribution in China and the United Kingdom and opened new corporate headquarters in both locations, Crane said.—Deidre Crawford
