Los Angeles Fashion Capital #5
Los Angeles is booming as a space for new and long-time established fashion brands. It is becoming the location for people to launch their fashion brand and to extend upon their already existing brand. Los Angeles is known for supporting brands that design and craft their products in the US and as outsourcing has become frowned upon, this has proved to be a positive distinction between L.A. based companies versus other international brands.
Recently coined as the near future's "5th Fashion Capital" by BOF, Los Angeles has made a crucial breakthrough to even be nominated for such a title. But what makes Los Angeles suitable to carry such a crown? And with that, why haven't they already been crowned with the title already?
Los Angeles is home to many international and U.S. based celebrities. Therefore, Los Angeles is home to many fashion stylists. With all the movie stars and famous musicians, not to mention all of the other stars that roam the freeways of Los Angeles county, there has been a plethora of job opportunities for stylists to have daily jobs as well as work major events. Stylists with connections, quality self-marketing, or access to key designers in the market, are important players in connecting celebrities to fashion especially if the celebrity is not a natural fashionista. This also allows the stylist to create an even bigger star thus, growing the reputation of that stylist and that celebrity simultaneously.
Made in L.A. is a concept, a brand, a lifestyle. It holds great meaning for many people. Made in L.A. stems from "Made in USA" which highlights the United States decline in use of outsourcing, slave labor in the fashion industry, and positive steps towards breaking down unethical practices in sourcing and production in the fashion industry. It also highlights the strengthening of its own US economy. Made in L.A. proposes an even more elite status for the clothing as it signifies that not only are you supporting this positive change in the US fashion industry practices, but you are supporting local designers of a place that is impressionable globally. Made in L.A. is not unique as the Italians primarily and then the French adopted this self prophesying marketing tactic being "Made in Italy" and Made in France," to separate the product from being regular because of the geography in which the product (garment) was made. Made in L.A. is usually marketed towards the jean-wear, jewelry, and small boutique stores that create many of the delightful shopping experiences in LA county.
Influential fashion brands are from LA or are going to LA. The infamous Rick Owens is from Los Angeles and properly established himself and his clothing line there. Although now based in Paris where his brand participates in Paris Fashion Week, his L.A. flagship store is not neglected but rather thriving in the sense that his once beloved customers are now forever clients. As many people visit Los Angeles, they are constantly fed positive information about the brand because of the dedication that maintains in the Los Angeles fashion community. On the other hand, many big name brands, designers, and fashion influencers are branching off and either creating new brands or emerging into the market with their already established company. Take for example, Tom Ford in 2017 expanded to Los Angeles to build his team and establish a crew in the L.A. city. Tamara Mellon, shoe designer from Jimmy Choo has also chosen to move to L.A. where she launched her own shoe brand. Virgil Abloh's impact on the fashion industry in recent years is constantly deeply connected to the people of Los Angeles as well primarily stemming from the fact that he worked with Kanye to create the designs for his clothing brand "Yeezy." There is fashion fame in L.A.
People of L.A. are becoming more ethically inclined in the fashion industry. L.A. is a space that fosters a healthy lifestyle in its purity of sunshine, beach access, mountains, lakes, and deserts nearby, and its inherent cultural obsession with beauty--a product of the concept of beauty-- proves that people care about what they look like. In the past decade, a push for more conscious living has infiltrated the lives of Californians more than ever before and this is showing in the fashion industry. We have Stella McCartney, Eileen Fisher, Mara Hoffman, Rag and Bone, and Doen, as leading luxury fashion brands that are unapologetically sustainable and ethical in their fashion production practices.
L.A. is a destination. With Influencers on the rise and the breach of Influencers becoming celebrities, an obvious home for them is L.A. Of course that is an old mentality based off of the intense marketing and branding of the city from the boom of the cinema and film industry in Los Angeles, however, many millennials live in a constant state of nostalgia and if you are a influencer that is succeeding, there is a high chance that if you are looking to move, it may be to L.A. Take Chiara Ferrangani for instance. She is from Italy, and once she officially made it as an influencer (or in that time frame) she also moved to L.A. In addition, Vine 1600 is a space in L.A. where you can "come across," or rather stalk around in hopes of getting in contact with some influencers.
Fashion influencer @meganmalonebrown
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