Lips: Jeans With an Air of Mystery
Most new designers launch eponymous collections in an effort to make their names known. For Lips, anonymity is a key element of the brand. Buyers aren’t given information about the designers—not even names. The design team is two men, in their “dirty 30s,” with one based in Los Angeles and the other in New York. All production for the line is done in Los Angeles. They are represented by Proper Fools Showroom, which has locations in Los Angeles and New York.
“Lips is a pretty special line,” said Tim Ellis of Proper Fools, “and has a pretty cool group of people behind it, who want to do something different hellip; and are willing to bend but not break.”
Schooling and past work experience remain a mystery. The designers say they taught each other, and the design part they were born with. As for working at other fashion companies, they say there are “too many to mention.” Despite their efforts to evade a higher profile, they have a strong vision for the line and are strictly focused on denim.
Their main inspiration is “wishing the year was 1972 (again). The jeans have a classic look that feels new,” the designers explained via e-mail, “a reliable yet exciting take on the best of the past while looking to the future. hellip; They are designed to feel like you have always owned them and they have always been your favorite.”
Not surprisingly, they cite dealing with the “mainstream” as their biggest challenge. It couldn’t have been easy launching a women’s line consisting primarily of high-waist, wide-legged silhouettes when the current trend is super-skinny jeans. In the current Lips collection, the “Francoise” straight leg and “Jodelle” styles for women qualify as slim-cut jeans, but higher waists and vintage details give them a unique look. The soonto- be launched “Chet” and “Buck” styles for men are extremely slim cuts. Wholesale prices range from $68 to $90, with retailing hitting $170–$210. Fall styles will ship mid-October through mid-November. The curious can see the collection at the Project Global Trade Show Aug. 28–30 in Las Vegas or next month at Fashion Coterie in New York, but don’t expect to catch a glimpse of the designers. For now, Proper Fools will handle the trade shows.
Among the retailers that took a chance with the line are American Rag, Sharon Segal at Fred Segal Santa Monica, AB Fits in San Francisco and Revolveclothing.com. The designers consider their top retailers to be shops such as American Rag that are “leading the pack, and always moving forward, or anybody else who is willing to take a chance and get away from the mainstream.”
Will Lips’ designers stick to their guns and remain uncompromising in their designs? Only time will tell. In an e-mail response to an inquiry about new styles for Fall ’06 and Spring ’07, they write: “That’s a birthday surprise that hasn’t jumped out of the cake yet.” When asked to describe the line in three words or less, the designers instead offered 25: “Totally white hot. Futurepast (that’s two words making one). Panther pants. Sexy as hell. You choose! Or combine them and let’s say futurepast Panther pants.”
For more information, visit www.lipsjeans.com or call Proper Fools at (213) 689-7730. —Dena Smolek
