Lacey J
Gina Hall and Kelly Kaneda’s entrance into the fashion industry was similar to how an artist with fabulous works tucked away in the closet is suddenly discovered. They had designs that were too extraordinary not to be revealed.
The Orange County, Calif.–based duo started a company last year called Lacey J—an artfully constructed contemporary collection that features stand-alone items for women.
It’s part antiquity, part punk, said the designers, who took centuries-old styles, such as empire sleeves and sweetheart hems, and updated them with trendy details and a vibrant color palette.
Lacey J’s 130-piece tops-driven collection offers tuxedoruffle raglan zip-up hoodies, puff-sleeve T-shirts and Old English–inspired puff two-fer tees with curved hems. A tailored pin-tucked French terry pant with sweetheart hem and a knee-length Neapolitan skirt are also in the collection.
“It’s a lovely mix of sweet and street with a bit of nonconforming cheekiness, while still retaining that sexy quality,” said Hall, a Hawaii transplant who briefly studied photography in New York before joining Kaneda on the West Coast.
Kaneda is third generation in the garment business; she first dabbled in fashion design at the age of 17 with Lacey J’s parent company, Hapa Clothing, and has been focusing on product development for the past two years.
With Kaneda’s production background and Hall’s razorsharp eye for detail and love of shopping, the twosome put their creative minds together and came up with what they call “a fancy schmancy” collection.
The designers say trend-spotting and visual arts are very much a part of Lacey J’s fashion approach. But they also wanted the line to have street sensibility. It’s the kind of style that boutique owners are savvy to, insists Hall.
Retail price points range from $50 for a novelty T-shirt to $100 for a princess jacket with contrast detailing. The line is sold at specialty chain stores and boutiques around the country, including American Rag and Fred Segal Santa Monica. The collection is also available at specialty stores in Australia, the UK, Japan and Canada.
For more information on Lacey J, call the Michael Cohen showroom at (213) 627- 8851 or Simply Chic at (212) 575-7824. —Claudia Figueroa
