Bejeweled by Susan Fixel
In the late ’70s/early ’80s, when Jordache and Calvin Klein ruled the denim wars, it was common to hear someone say their jeans looked like they were spray-painted onto their bodies. That notion comes to life, to a certain degree, with designer Susan Fixel’s Bejeweled collection of denim-printed leggings, which recently debuted in the Los Angeles wholesale market.
Made with an 80/20 mix of poly/spandex and featuring Swarovski crystals and tattoo and stitch prints and other designs, the pieces mimic the look of a pair of jeans with printing that captures everything from pocket details to grinded finishes to blinged-up belts.
California Market Center veteran wholesaler Bentzi Gershon fell in love when he saw them and said he thinks they will do well in the leggings-friendly West Coast market. He’s carrying them in his ModaStyle showroom in the CMC.
“They go well with almost any type of top, and the nice thing about them is that they make you look skinny,” he said.
The wholesale price tag is about $79 for a full cut. Skirt and capri cuts start at about $40. Most of the styles in Gershon’s showroom are tattoo-inspired, with bleeding hearts and plenty of rose designs. The leggings are laser-cut and feature sublimation prints. Gershon is carrying a couple dozen styles.
Designer Susan Fixel launched the line about a year ago from her Davis, Fla., studio. They have steadily gained a celebrity following with Paris Hilton, Hayden Panettiere, Ashley Tisdale and Brooke Hogan, who have all been seen wearing some of the pieces, which also include tops.
For more information, call (213) 623-5040 or e-mail modastylebg@yahoo.com. —Robert McAllister
