Kym Milburn and Deborah Moser of Moser Milburn handbags
L.A.'s Indie (and Exclusive) Market
There's fashion happening north of the intersection of 9th and Los Angeles Streets—the heart of the Los Angeles Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles.
During the recent L.A. Fashion Market, I dropped by Drop City, the independent—and very exclusive—trade event held at Henry Duarte’s studio on Los Angeles Street. The studio is just two blocks north of 9th Street past Los Angeles’ men’s suit retailer and across the street from the Santee Court lofts.
At the event, I checked in with longtime exhibitors/organizers Beth Orduna and Danielle Welmond, each showing their eponymous jewelry collections. I also had a chance to meet some new exhibitors.
Moser Milburn is a newly launched collection of handbags designed and made in Los Angeles. Designed by Deborah Moser and Kym Milburn, the bags come in Italian leather and suede and South African ostrich. The bags are lined in bright graphic prints and feature jewelry-like hardware. There’s a cosmetic bag, which can double as a clutch; a bucket-style; and a messenger back with an adjustable strap. The “Invincible” hobo bag features a magnetic closure that allows the bag to fold up origami-style. All the bags are priced to retail below $1,000.
“What we want to do is make t classic styles that last a lifetime,” Milburn said, adding that she and Moser work closely with the sewers to ensure the quality of each bag.
Jewelry designer Hilary Beane has a long history designing and selling her jewelry, but she is a relative newcomer to Drop City. This was the second season at Drop City for the designer, who makes her jewelry in downtown Los Angeles. Beane is a self-described “pearl enthusiast,” who could teach a graduate-level course in pearl cultivation and quality. Known for her jewelry featuring pearls with inset diamonds, Beane was showing dramatic jewelry featuring large asymmetrical pearls in a range of shades. “I try to use the unusual shapes and colors,” she said.
Jewelry designer Jennifer Kaufman ran a boutique in the Beverly Center for many years before shuttering it in 2007, just before the economic downturn (Kaufman credit luck for that good timing). These days, Kaufman has transformed her jewelry business expertise into the Haiku Showroom, which represents a range of jewelry collections, including Lee Brevard, Line & Hue, Andrea Gutierrez and Next by Lauren Harper.
Drop City is an invitation-only show that draws high-end boutique retailers from across the country.
“I love that we’re all here as a co-op,” Kaufman said. “These designers are hand-picked and stores can see the best of what Los Angeles represents.”
