California Apparel News

Wearit, which means “we are art” or “we wear art,” is the design philosophy of Leejay, the single-named designer and creator of new contemporary women’s line Iron.

The collection is made from Leejay’s original artwork silk screened onto fabric. “So, it’s like art moving with the woman as one, art and fashion blending together,” Leejay explained.

The line launched for Fall/Holiday 2003 and is already on track to do $1 million in sales this year. Perhaps the secret to success is the experience behind the line. Owner and designer Leejay is also the president of contemporary women’s line Sheri Bodell.

Leejay began with Bodell back in 1997 when he helped create the name and advertising image for Bodell’s original line of clothing, She by Sheri Bodell. Bodell said, “Leejay came from a very creative background, so when I launched She, that was a big help to me.”

Leejay continued with Bodell as the designer transitioned her clothing line into her eponymous privately owned label while pursuing his own artistic endeavors.

The artist, who has been painting since the early age of 10, studied at the High School of Art and Design and attended college at the School of Visual Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. His art is displayed in galleries in Athens, Greece, as well as in The Cooper Building in downtown Los Angeles. While Leejay is still the president of Sheri Bodell, he is currently focusing on Iron— or “pounding iron,” as he says.

Iron is a separate entity from Sheri Bodell, although samples, sales and production are coordinated under the Bodell umbrella. Bodell, who calls herself a big fan of Leejay’s work, considers herself a silent partner and advises him on merchandising and oversees sales. While Leejay is the sole designer for Iron, Bodell’s influence can be seen in the feminine lines of the collection.

Iron started as a simple line of basic tops and has since developed into a fashion line with a high-end avant-garde feeling. Pieces are made from silk jersey that is screenpainted with the artwork in six new prints each delivery. Each copyrighted print is created by zooming in on a small portion of a painting and enlarging it into a print. Thousands of prints can be made from a single canvas. However, there will be a limited number of certain styles because every season new prints and new paintings will be created. Each print is made from Leejay’s studies on color, which includes tearing, changing and stretching apart shades into a colorful display of wearable art.

The name Iron and its symbol on the garment’s label comes from Leejay’s technique of pressing paint down onto the canvas, almost like ironing clothes or ironing color onto fabric. Each print is named after the inspiration for the artwork including nature, light, the movement of water, rain, the sky, sunset, night, the changing of dusk to dawn and the colors of the universe. Current prints include “Garden,” “Cloud 9,” “New Heart,” “Tear” and “Dreams.” Styles include a halter, batwing top, ruched bust tee, drape-front halter, long-sleeve wrap top, tunic, twist-waist skirt and ruched dress. Best sellers include the (Grecian goddess) tunic, ruched dress and draped-front halter. Wholesale prices are $38 to $56 for tops and tunics, $56 for skirts and $78 for dresses.

High-end boutiques such as Fred Segal Santa Monica, Bleu and Belle Cosa in Los Angeles, Pieces in Brooklyn, O Boutique in West Hollywood, Jaxx in San Francisco and select Nordstrom stores have already picked up the line. In the future, Leejay plans to add jeans and trousers to the collection as well as a children’s line.

For more information, contact the Circle 5 showroom in Los Angeles at (213) 622- 6922 or the Phillip NYC showroom in New York at (212) 398-7000. —N. Jayne Seward