MANUFACTURING
FactoryLA Incubator Closes Its Doors
After running an indie operation that championed the cause of locally designed and produced clothing and accessories, FactoryLA has closed the doors to its store and fashion incubator, located in the heart of the LA Fashion District.
FactoryLA was the brainchild of Leah Garvin, who set up shop at 840 S. Los Angeles St. in a spacious store and office whose brick walls reflected the building’s 100-year-old heritage. The front part of the space was a store, and the back section was a “Made in LA” showroom.
The space sold various brands of clothing, jewelry and accessories that were up-and-coming labels started by innovative LA designers. At the beginning, when the store opened in July, labels included Sarine Marie, Axthelm, Tears of Bleu, Good hYOUman, Echo + Air, Trisha Jane, Kimz Designs, Jakimac and Bagstil.
Calls to the FactoryLA phone number went unanswered. But in a message posted on the FactoryLA website, Garvin said the physical community, store and industry service that make up FactoryLA has closed.
“The start of a new year gave us an opportunity to look down from as high as possible, look ahead as far as we can see, to gain perspective on how far we have come and how much we can dream for the future.
“FactoryLA launched last year with a commitment to ‘challenge the way it has always been’ to recognize the people who make our clothing and to build community around the designers who have committed to bringing the market ethical, innovative fashion. The struggles that prevent us from continuing are our short-term lesson that we will learn from to achieve long-term success.”
Garvin said the FactoryLA website (www.factoryla.com) will remain up with links to designers who participated in FactoryLA.
