8/6/2023 0 Comments Allen schwartz clothing![]() Polkadots & Moonbeams on West Third Street in Los Angeles has seen the line and plans to carry it. Designed to resemble washed-out denim, it has white contrast sleeves to make it appear to be a denim vest. One of the signature pieces for Spring 2014 is a chambray moto jacket made of 100 percent lambskin leather. ![]() The Blue Pearl collection is expanding its offerings with dresses, jackets and tops, and the label is planning to sell its merchandise to more specialty stores. The line has also been stocked at the ABS by Allen Schwartz flagship store in Santa Monica, Calif., where it accounts for half of all sales now.Īnd the label is growing. “I felt there was a big void in the casual-fashion zone,” Schwartz observed.ĭRESS UP: Allen Schwartz holding up a T-shirt dress and lace dress from the ABS by Allen Schwartz collectionīarneys New York was one of the first outlets to show it. With reinvention in mind, Schwartz last year quietly rolled out a new denim and leather-centered young contemporary label, called Blue Pearl by Allen Schwartz,with retail prices ranging from $200 to $400. and after more than 30 years as head of his own company, ABS by Allen Schwartz. The fashion veteran-dressed in a white T-shirt, black-and-white printed corduroy pants and striped turquoise socks-comes by this formula after 10 years of working as the creative director at the original Esprit Corp. I don’t want to be caught holding the bag,” Schwartz said, sitting inside his vast headquarters building on the edge of the downtown Los Angeles Fashion District. He stopped selling his clothing to department stores, opting to trade only in his stores and via eCommerce.SAMPLE ROOM: All the samples for the company are made in the large sample room.Īllen Schwartz has been in the fashion business for more than 40 years, which has taught him two basic elements needed to survive: Stay on top of the trends and constantly reinvent yourself. ![]() In 2017, the brand was revamped to include other merchandise like footwear, handbags, and jewelry and concentrated solely on original, contemporary read-to-wear. In 2000, Schwartz sold the company for $20-$30 million but remained as design director. It flew off the shelves, kicking off the mainstream ABS phenomenon.įor several years, Schwartz's knockoffs were a major success. His first copycat dress was less Hollywood, but possibly the most famous dress in the world-Carolyn Bessette's Narciso Rodriguez-designed wedding dress worn at her 1996 wedding to JFK, Jr. In 1996, Schwartz started the "Oscar Watch" line. The turnaround would be fast, and the quality excellent. Schwartz conceived of copying each year's Oscar dresses. His more affordable (but not cheap) knockoffs were being sold at fancy department stores like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales, to name a few.Īlways on the lookout for the "next big thing," Schwartz noticed the public's obsession with red carpet dresses worn on Oscar night by movie stars like Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and Winona Ryder. By 1995, other stores opened around the country. In 1988, Schwartz opened his flagship ABS store in Santa Monica, followed four years later in New York City. ABS's biggest draw was its speed of construction it was made so quickly, it often hit the racks at or before the time of the original designer's launch. Unlike other copycat fashions, ABS clothing was very well made-making it a rarity in the business. He insisted his first loyalty was to his customers who couldn't afford Gucci but wanted to look like they could. ![]() Schwartz spent a lot of time defending his practice. It was not exactly a noble venture in the fashion world. Made exclusively in Los Angeles, ABS clothing was trendy, affordable, and, most scandalously, virtual duplicates of other designers' original creations. In 1982, Schwartz founded ABS by Allen Schwartz. Within four years, he sold his shares to his partners and moved to Southern California. In 1977, along with two partners, Schwartz started the junior fashion company, East Side Clothing Company. He moved up to sales at famed retailer Russ Togs (1964-1968) and as founder/sales executive of junior sportswear brand Esprit de Corp (1968-1977). Following into the family business, Schwartz started at a low-level, working in a mailroom at a lingerie company. His father was a dress sales executive, and his mother owned a fashion boutique in nearby Long Beach. Born in 1945, Allen Bruce Schwartz grew up in Queens, New York.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |