Miilla: California's Bridge to the Rest of the U.S.
The young, contemporary look is so California, said Michael Gae, a veteran showroom owner in the California Market Center.
“But so much of California does not work in Dallas and Chicago,” said the co-owner of the Rep et Trois showroom.
He believes his showroom’s womenswear client Miilla can take California contemporary and give it a less trendy and cleaner look that would make it more popular in the rest of the country, he said.
Miilla is manufactured by Los Angeles–based Mur Inc. It debuted in August 2010 and has been sold at influential Southern California stores such as Kitson and M.Fredric.
Miilla will exhibit more than 80 styles at the MAGIC Marketplace’s Young Contemporary section, booth #75719. The line has focused on looks that are stylish but wearable and feature muted colors, said Jina Lee, Miilla’s director. Some of the brand’s strengths are outerwear, tops, bottoms and faux-leather looks. Core wholesale price points range from $25 to $70.
Signature pieces for the upcoming MAGIC show will be a skinny cargo pant made of Tencel with a zipper at the ankle. It wholesales for $44. Another signature piece is a white linen jacket, wholesaling for $36, with an off-center zipper, which also can be worn as a top. There’s also a faux-leather vest with a large collar that wholesales for $35.
Lee’s goal will be to eventually sell Miilla to high-end department and specialty stores. Down the road, the company would like to open a Miilla store. “Retail is the next step,” Lee said. “But there is no time line for it.”
For more information, call (213) 627-5400 or e-mail sales@repettrois.com.—Andrew Asch
