California Apparel News

Designers Kim and Jeffrey Lubell are getting ready to launch a new contemporary designerwear collection, Hippie Jeans, in a partnership deal with private label manufacturer Azteca Production International Inc.

The husband and wife team who created Bella Dahl and Jefri Jeans in the late ’90s have designed a sophisticated denim line with denim basics in a variety of vintage-inspired styles for the manufacturing giant as part of its plan to catapult the new label into the men’s and women’s contemporary market.

The Lubells are the latest Los Angeles-based denim designers to join forces with large manufacturers following last month’s announcement of Earl Jean’s acquisition by Nautica Enterprises and this week’s merger between John Paul Richard Inc. and Indigenous Group (see story here).

The Lubells said Azteca is a good match for their company because the jeanswear maker can move large amounts of product and provide the kind of financial support the Lubells were seeking.

“We were a small company before,” explained Jeffrey Lubell. “We knew our ability to create designer merchandise but we eventually found that we needed someone to help produce and finance it to keep business going.”

Commerce, Calif.-based Azteca produces approximately 500,000 units per week of denim and knit garments and has the capacity to produce 3 million garments each month in its facilities in Los Angeles and in Mexico. The company grosses approximately $230 million annually from its production of a wide variety of denim and knit products and value-added services such as embroidery and heat-transfer printing. Azteca manufactures apparel for companies including American Eagle, Express, Structure, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

The deal also allows the private label manufacturer to tap into the upscale boutique market with a branded label aimed at the contemporary women’s and men’s market.

“Jeff and Kim bring [to Azteca] talent and vision when it comes to their design and their uniqueness,” said Paul Guez, chief executive officer for Azteca, who in the ’70s helped put designer jeans on the map with Sasson Jeans. “What it brings us is all this newness,” he said.

Azteca is producing 9,000 units for the Hippie Jeans division available for 7/30 delivery and to be held as stock for future reorders.

The couple said they realize projecting orders can be risky but said they’re willing to take that chance based on their former labels’ track records.

“By doing that, we’re saying we believe in our product enough to support it and commit to it,” Jeffrey Lubell said. “Guez understands the business. He wants to create a new brand with us and nurture it with us.”

Azteca is projecting sales will reach $80 million over the next five years, the Lubells said.

Hippie Jeans will launch for Fall II, with wholesale price points ranging from $40 for a basic jeans to $75 for a sueded jeans; men’s and women’s sueded-, denim- and corduroy blazers range from $50 to $60, and a low-rise sweats collection will sell from $30 to $75.

The line will also feature corduroy jeans, novelty-treated denim and corduroy styles and a fashion mix for men and women that includes shirts, fleeces and the introduction of an unusual fabrication called indigo knitted denim.

“Ever since we started designing clothes we’ve always prided ourselves on coming up with the right styles, fabrics and finishes,” said Jeffrey Lubell, who handles the fabric and finishing side of the business while Kim Lubell does designing and merchandising.

The couple said they are excited about building a new brand but don’t want to rush Hippie’s debut.

“We could release the line sooner, but we’re being extremely patient,” explained Kimberly Lubell. “I’m anxious about the line, but I’m taking my time working on the fit and redoing patterns, making sure that what goes out is going to be perfect.”

Beyond Embellishment

The Lubells launched Bella Dahl in 1999 with neo-Bohemian chic fabrics such as blue cheetah faux fur, sari and kimono textiles, as well as suede and velvet materials and other embellishments sewn to the leg cuffs of used vintage Levi’s. The Lubells said the line was well received by department stores and specialty retailers. Later that year, the couple followed up with Jefri Jeans for men.

“When we first started pushing our [denim] people didn’t get it,” Jeffrey Lubell explained. “Because it was so new and it wasn’t basic denim it took time to develop it. But when people started to notice it in stores it did amazingly well.”

The Lubells no longer own either label, but both Bella Dahl and Jefri Jeans continue to be sold in upscale department stores and boutiques, including Fred Segal Santa Monica and Ron Herman-Fred Segal Melrose, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman and Lisa Kline as well as the vintage-friendly Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie.

The Lubells moved Bella Dahl beyond embellishment to make the label a complete collection.

“It’s not the embellished business that put us on the map—it’s the cut-and-sew business that defines the essence of our company,” Jeffrey Lubell said. “The embellished jean was a short-lived thing that kick-started us into business. As a company, we did everything we could to remove the stigma of embellished jeans,” he continued. “We evolved into a completely new company.” The designing duo said they haven’t embellished a pair of jeans for over a year now.

The Lubells are reluctant to talk about their brief stint as partners with Sun Valley, Calif.-based Jolna Inc. Hippie Jean is the most recent creation by the Lubells since their departure last month from Jolna, which continues to own the Bella Dahl and Jefri Jean labels.

Aside from recalling an era of tie-dye and free love, Kimberly Lubell says the Hippie Jeans label has a personal meaning. Lubell said,“We think of it as growth, freedom and movement. [Hippie Jean] is also about unity and change. Now, it also happens to be a bottom-driven company for men and women.”

Hippie Jeans currently has a showroom at the New Mart in Los Angeles.