California Apparel News

The 7900 block of Melrose Avenue is turning into a hub of menswear boutiques.

Fashion brand Moods of Norway International recently moved to 7964 Melrose Ave. because more men’s fashion stores were doing business on the stretch of Melrose close to Fairfax Avenue, said Moods co-founder and President Stefan Dahlkvist.

With 70 percent of its business in men’s fashions, Moods chose to relocate its West Coast flagship boutique from one of the premier blocks of Robertson Boulevard, one of Los Angeles’ most prominent fashion streets. Dahlkvist contends Robertson is increasingly becoming known as a center for women’s fashions, although Kitson Men and boutiques such as Gregory’s sell men’s fashions on the popular shopping street. Since 2009, Moods ran a boutique at 113 S. Robertson Blvd., near boutiques such as Alice + Olivia, Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger, Rebecca Taylor and Chanel.

Mood’s new Melrose neighbors include G-Star, an Amsterdam-headquartered jeans brand with a popular following for its men’s line; New York–headquartered Parke & Ronen, which is well known for its men’s swim and sportswear; and a branded boutique for Swedish men’s line Nudie Jeans, located just off of Melrose at 710 N. Edinburgh Ave.

Moods moved into 7964 Melrose Ave. on June 21. The space formerly housed a boutique for the Paul Frank brand. Dahlkvist said the company’s Robertson lease was close to expiring. “We got an opportunity in a neighborhood with a better co-tenancy,” he said. “Robertson was fantastic, a great place to introduce the brand to Los Angeles. But we found a more relevant location.” Moods of Norway signed a three-year lease.

During the Great Recession, Melrose’s 7900 block suffered through a period of high vacancy. Ronen Jehezkel, co-founder of Parke & Ronen, which has maintained a shop at 8012½ Melrose Ave. for more than six years, said the street’s real estate is finally making a rebound.

“For me, it is mission accomplished,” Jehezkel said. “When we moved there, we were alone. … It is becoming a good destination for guys; they can get everything—swim from me to jeans from G-Star,” he said.

This section of Melrose is located blocks away from iconic retailer Fred Segal. Many of the brands doing business in that stretch of the street are destinations. They also get retail traffic from grooming business Rudy’s Barbershop, located at 8019 Melrose Ave., Jehezkel said.

Moods of Norway is headquartered in Stryn, Norway, and it runs a fleet of 13 stores in its home country, as well as the Los Angeles shop. It recently relocated its New York boutique, which opened at 75 Greene St. last September. It is scheduled to open another shop in Minnesota’s Mall of America in August. Dahlkvist forecast the brand will open 10 more boutiques in the U.S. in the next five years.

Moods of Norway currently sells its footwear at Nordstrom as well as its clothes through e-commerce emporiums Zappos and Amazon.com. Dahlkvist and business partners Simen Staalnacke and Peder Børresen started the business in 2003 as a fashion line ranging from suiting to sportswear. The line’s fashion details and marketing are inspired by Norwegian humor and culture.