California Apparel News

Sometimes a T-shirt is more than a T-shirt.

Los Angeles–headquartered label Cotton Citizen is aiming to go beyond the basic look of a plain top. It plans to accomplish its goal with unique colors and finishes, luxe fabrics, and fashion silhouettes.

Cotton Citizen’s Spring/Summer ’17 season features T-shirts and pullovers in shades of bright lime and pink. The garments, which are finished to look artfully gnawed, are available in cotton, hemp and a Japanese slub yarn, according to Eddie Bromberg, Cotton Citizen’s president. Bromberg joined the company in July after holding executive positions at Rock & Republic and James Perse. Since he joined Cotton Citizen, the company has cut new overseas expansion agreements in Israel and Germany, deals that include distribution territories in Austria and the Benelux

countries.

The label aims to show all of its colors at its newly opened first boutique, also called Cotton Citizen, on the exclusive shopping street Melrose Place in West Hollywood, Calif. On one of the shop’s walls, all of the line’s silhouettes and looks are displayed in a gallery style. The wall goes for a unique effect, such as a splash of color extended across a wall, because all of the pieces bear the same vibrant color. The color wall is updated with a new hue every month, and in October it was burnt orange, Bromberg said.

“It shows what we stand for,” Bromberg said. ”You don’t need to be afraid of color.”

Recently, the company introduced a new delivery system to its retail partners, Bromberg said. The label’s vivid fashion colors will only be offered for specific deliveries. If not ordered during the time allotted, there won’t be another chance to order that specific fashion color. “It’s a better way to create anticipation and create more Cotton Citizen consumers,” he said. “We won’t be falling into what everyone else is doing.” It’s a risky policy because some stores may not like being limited to a strict color schedule. However, scarcity can drive demand and speed up consumers purchasing the goods,” Bromberg said.

The company will continue to offer basic styles in basic colors, such as black, gray and white, which can be ordered and reordered at any time.

Men’s looks include thermals, crew necks, pullover tops and drawstring sweatpants. Women’s styles push beyond traditional T-shirt silhouettes. There are shirt-dresses with hoods and shirt-dresses featuring backless panels. Women’s looks also include sweatpants, knit bomber jackets and tank tops.

Retail price points range from $65 for a crew neck to $165 for a destroyed black sweatshirt, $175 for a hooded pullover and $185 for a women’s biker trouser.

Cotton Citizen plans to open more boutiques in the future, Bromberg said. “They’ll be gallery-like stores that will show something different,” he said. Occasionally local artists will display their creations at the boutiques. Some of these boutiques could be seasonal. “We don’t want to compete with our current retailers,” Bromberg said. “We showcase product that does not compete. It complements other retailers and educates consumers on what Cotton Citizen is,” he said. The brand has been sold at stores such as the Ron Robinson boutiques in the Los Angeles area as well as at Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue and e-commerce emporiums such as Revolve.