Arlene Henry Sales
Gerry Building, suite 902(213) 622-6162
When Arlene Henry moved her showroom from the California Market Center to the Gerry Building last December, she gained something she didn’t realize she’d missed: light.
“I spent 20 years and six months with no windows,” she said.
Now she has three walls windows in her 2,100-square-foot showroom on the top floor of the Gerry Building. “I said if I go through with the move, I’d have to love the space,” she said. “When I saw the windows, I said, ’I have to move.’”
Henry’s showroom faces the front of the building, with its distinctive curved windows, and the glass-wall entrance provides a prime spot for displaying her latest collections, which include Los Angeles–based Maison and Staples, the collection designed by Rosemary Brantley; East Coast labels Manyus; scarves by Silkbox by Redwood Court; and two Paris brands, Mado et Les Autres and Loren Vidal.
The showroom caters to retailers who have an ageless customer who could range in age from 30s to 60s. Wholesale prices range from $39 to $99.
Like the collections Henry carries, her showroom has a sophisticated, eclectic look. “It’s a mixture of textures,” Henry said. When she and longtime sales associate Sarah Kirakossian moved into the space, the first thing they did was install an accent wall where key pieces could be displayed, enticing retailers to take a closer look at the entire collection.
January was the first Los Angeles Fashion Market in the new space, and Henry said she was pleasantly surprised by the turnout from her key retailers. Henry is expecting similarly strong results for the March 14–17 market. Indeed, in the week before Market she was already meeting with retailers and planned to be open a day early for buyers who prefer to shop the Market on Sundays.
“Sunday is a good day for us,” she said. “Last Market, we worked with 15 people on Sunday.”
Henry said she’s seeing a steady rebound in the market overall. “I feel positive about it,” she said. “I wouldn’t have made this move if I didn’t.”—Alison A. Nieder
