California Apparel News

Neely Shearer recently gave a preview of her contemporary women’s line, which is called Parade and will be introduced in the fall.

The Los Angeles designer said the line was a call to shake off the lingering blues of The Great Recession and a shaky recovery. “The line is optimistic,” she said. “It is fun. People have been down, but there’s a feeling of rejuvenation going around in this industry.”

Shearer is designing after a hiatus that began in 2009 after she shuttered her multi-line boutique, Xin, which was a neighbor of Fred Segal on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. She also closed her women’s contemporary line, Issho, the same year. It was sold at Barneys New York and was honored with a Fresh Faces award from fashion organization Gen Art in 2005.

After helming Xin and Issho, Shearer worked behind the scenes as a consultant for fashion labels such as Katherine Kidd. While she still consults, she has already placed Parade at new Venice, Calif., boho-chic boutique Pearl Drop and Stylehaus. Shearer hopes Parade will fit a lot of different people.

The line’s styles range from fitted blazers to loose skirts and soft draped items with structured garments. One signature piece is a pants suit with a tuxedo-like jacket that features a bold geometric print. Another signature piece is a skirt that is ruched at the sides, which gives the piece a taut look.

“These clothes can go anywhere,” Shearer said. “They mix things up.”

Wholesale price points range from $90 to $298. For more information, e-mail neely@paradestyle.com