California Apparel News

The Fred Segal model of retail has long inspired California boutique owners, and Glow Rivera is putting her own spin on this model. She is not only housing a variety of retailers and designers under one roof, she is also developing her store as an incubator for emerging designers and businesses. Her new co-op store, American Boutiques LA, debuted recently at 3501 W. Burbank Blvd. in Burbank, Calif.

American Boutiques is housed in a two-story building that once headquartered a surf-and-skate shop. The ground floor of the 5,500-square foot building is sales space. The top floor features a photography studio, office space and design space equipped with CAD machines, patternmakers and a screen-print machine for T-shirts.

In exchange for these services and help from others at the co-op, Rivera asks for $500 rent each month for a 10-foot by 10-foot retail space. Rivera requests an additional 10 percent of profits if her services include managing the designer’s store.

So far, eight designers have taken space at American Boutiques LA, including Rivera’s own denim line, Volume Jeans, which she started in 2007. Rivera said American Boutiques LA has space for 25 designers.

The designers who have already signed on are big on ideas but short on reacute;sumeacute;. One label is Kali Oseano, a cocktail-dress line designed by 23-year-old Lilian Linares. There’s Heather Todd, a 23-year-old graduate of Burbank-based Woodbury University who designs a cocktail line called HMD Fashions. Other space is taken by novice retailers Hope Green Boutiques and Flotsam and Dross. Both offer one-of-a-kind fashions and hope to cut their overhead by joining the co-op.

Rivera financed the venture with help from her father, Hugo Garcia, a retired administrator from the University of California, Los Angeles. Garcia is a partner in the business. In the future, Rivera hopes to expand American Boutiques LA to other cities. For more information, e-mail info@americanboutiquesla.com or call (818) 563-4230. —Andrew Asch