Miss Sixty Takes On California
Italian denim and casual resource Miss Sixty is set to expand its presence in California—and beyond.
The company, which operates as Sixty USA Inc. out of New York, opened a flagship store in the South Coast Plaza last fall and plans to expand its presence on the West Coast in a big way. Stores are under construction on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles and on Grant Street in San Francisco’s Union Square.
The plan is to launch five U.S. stores a year during the next three years. The company already has stores in New York and Miami and will open a unit in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. this fall. It will also launch a new men’s concept store called Energie across from its Miami Beach, Fla., store and has a junior concept store called Killah Babe set to roll out at an undisclosed location (sources said it will be in Los Angeles).
With fashion denim and casual sportswear still performing strong on the West Coast, California was a logical choice for Miss Sixty to launch its brand-building campaign in the United States, said retailers carrying the line. The brand has been growing its customer base for the past four years. Its variations on fashion denim and fit have been its keys to success so far, said a representative for Let’s Go/House of Style, a San Diego–based specialty-retail chain.
“Their denim is cut low in the front and high in the back,” said buyer Kat (who goes only by one name). “They look great on all the tall girls out here.”
Miss Sixty has segmented its collection to appeal to different demographics: Miss Sixty for contemporary customers, Miss Sixty Luxury for customers looking for higher quality, Killah Babe for juniors, and Energie for men.
Kat said the line has appealed to customers beyond its youthful demographic.
“We don’t like to say that this is only for juniors or whoever because lots of moms come in to buy it,” she said.
The planned Melrose Avenue store near Ron Herman at Fred Segal Melrose will open this fall about the same time as the San Francisco store, said a Miss Sixty representative.
Miss Sixty stores are generally about 3,500 to 5,000 square feet and are high on visuals. The South Coast Plaza store recently won first place for design in the International Store Design competition held in New York. The 3,500-square-foot unit has a retro-futuristic look with 12-foottall stainless-steel doors that are embellished with portholes. Cocoon-like fitting rooms, suspended one foot above the floor, are another store feature.
“The whole idea is to create this world, a bit of a glamorous world, where a girl can come and have fun,” said Andrew Pollard, director of sales and marketing for Miss Sixty.
Despite the competition the store will bring, some Melrose retailers said the addition will be an enhancement to the street’s west end, which is inhabited by the likes of Fred Segal, Miu Miu, Costume National and others.
“I don’t think they can steal much market share,” said Madison boutique owner Mark Goldstein. “The positive thing is to fill the vacancy and create excitement.” —Robert McAllister
