California Apparel News

Running a store isn’t just a business dominated by spreadsheets— it’s a fine art, retail pioneer Ron Herman said on April 26 during an informal question-and-answer session at The New Mart in Los Angeles. The session was organized by Los Angeles–based Fashion Business Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides educational opportunities for the apparel industry.

“When I’m talking to people in the fashion business, I like a certain sense of naiveteacute;,” Herman said. “Work in a creative fashion; throw your paint against the wall.”

Herman, wearing a black Helmut Lang suit and sneakers, talked with an audience of 90 designers, manufacturers, retailers and students in a rare interview for the public held in The New Mart’s fashion theater. Herman was the guest speaker at FBI’s new “Learn From the Experts—Distinguished Speakers Series.”

The event came about thanks to Henry Cherner, principal of Santa Ana, Calif.–based software company Apparel Information Management System. Herman is an AIMS customer who uses the software for his R.H. Vintage brand and his very exclusive More label.

The retailer fielded questions from FBI President and Executive Director Frances Harder, as well as from audience members.

Herman had a lot to say, having spent more than 30 years pioneering Los Angeles’ specialty store movement through boutiques such as the landmark Ron Herman–Fred Segal Melrose store and the recently opened Ron Herman Malibu retail store at the Malibu Country Mart.

Herman distilled memories of his career with an easygoing humor that charmed and inspired the audience, said Elisabetta Rogiani, one of the veteran designers in the audience.

“He said believe in yourself. Design for yourself. Make a product like a piece of art. It’s the right direction,” Rogiani said.

During the session, Herman revealed the Malibu store will be the last one he opens for the time being. He said he has no interest in opening stores in other parts of California, but he confirmed that he had once entertained—and then abandoned— the idea of opening his signature stores in the Northeastern United States.

“I don’t know the customers in the East,” he said. “People in New York, until 10 years ago, didn’t wear jeans, but without jeans, my daughters wouldn’t be educated. What would I do if I landed in Boston trying to sell the first pair of $100 jeans? I’d be out of business.”

The retailer discussed his strategies and his observations— and acted as a motivational speaker for the aspiring designers and retailers in the crowd.

“I enjoy at this point in my career having the opportunity to give back,” he said. “It’s one of the benefits of being in business this long. In this business, the options are so great. The opportunities are so immense. It’s unbelievable what you can accomplish in our industry.”

Following are excerpts from Herman’s question-and-answer session.

How would you define style?

Style is something you see when you open your eyes. It’s something you have a sense of. It has little to do with fashion. You’re born with it.

Do you believe in sales?

Yes, I believe in sales. If you believe in inventory, you believe in sales. In order to grow a business, you have to have sales. But I think of myself as a full-price retailer. A lot of people come into the store, point at some clothes and say, “I just bought that at Neiman Marcus on sale.” I say: “Did you get your size? No. Well here it is, but it’s full-price.”

At the Fred Segal center, we have one sale a year. Sales are a vital part of our industry. I don’t know if I believe in partnerships between retailers and manufacturers. I think having a relationship with a manufacturer is meaningful, but I don’t know about a partnership. Sales should be a chance to clean up some of your bad buys. I don’t think it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to support the retailer with their mistakes. Of course, I’m fortunate that some of my buyers aren’t here [tonight].

Are fashion shows important?

If you have the money and you enjoy putting on a show, do it. It has nothing to do with being successful. They’re expensive to do right. But it won’t sell clothes in our store, and it won’t get the attention of our buyers. It will attract the attention of the press—that’s who the shows are for.

What attracts you to a designer?

The more edited and simple a designer is, the more we’d like to give them a try. It stands a better chance than a designer with a collection. The best way to deal with us is a personal contact and a small, edited collection. The more finely edited and simple a start-up designer is, the better it is for us to understand. I think the girls from C&C California and Juicy [Couture] and Earl [Jean did it right].

Suppose we do pass the first time? Keep trying.

How do you control growth?

Don’t be distracted. What I teach my buyers is they’re not buyers, they’re editors. There’s a huge, vast selection you need to edit. You need to say “no” as often as you say “yes.” Maybe even more so.

How many more seasons will denim be popular?

I don’t think the denim business will go down. I think the number of people making denim will go down. I think there will be a natural attrition. It will happen naturally, either out of boredom or no more support for another brand. The denim business is made up of a lot of very talented marketing people because you cannot come to me and tell me that James Jeans fits better than any jean in the market. Yet everyone wants James Jeans now, and you can’t possibly get them.

Do celebrities see your stores’ collections before customers?

No, absolutely not. [And] we don’t have a celebrity discount. I think on some levels that hurt us a lot. It is one of the biggest decisions I’ve made, being right in the middle of Hollywood. I think I lost a ton of business because of that. I’m not suggesting anyone else do it. I just want to do it. As I started doing it, I realized if I gave one person a discount, it would go through the whole industry. The more I said “no,” the more I had to say “no.” At first I thought it was a bad decision; now I think it was a good decision.

What should be the role of the owner in the store?

Behind the vacuum cleaner. The owner should not be the celebrity. Most people walking into the store don’t know who I am. I enjoy that anonymity. We’re salesmen. I think we’re doing a service. I think the fashion business is doing a service. When most people come into the store, they don’t say, “I want this pair of jeans.” They say, “I need this pair of jeans.” We service that need, and I like being that person.