Jennifer Hutton Showroom
California Market CenterSuite A306(213) 624-5020
Jennifer Hutton displays the seven lines she represents all around her showroom. A bit of Impulse California on one wall. A touch of Fantazia Design on another wall.
But it is the clothes encased in her showroom floor that act as the space's focal point. Seven trays of clothing from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s are all perfectly arranged and embossed in resin and other materials, telling the story of a friend’s mother who passed away more than 10 years ago.
The friend, Caron Blake, owned the showroom before Hutton. When Blake’s mother passed away, she didn’t want to give away the carefully tended wardrobe, which spanned decades, from the days of Elvis Presley to the time of peace, love and no-war of the Vietnam era. So Blake carefully selected pieces from her mother’s closet and created various collages, placing them in the floor.
There is the Marilyn Monroe collage, with a gold lameacute; dress, bright gold blouse, strands of pearls, white leather gloves and dainty purse. And there is the Lucille Ball montage, with a leopard-print skirt, matching gloves and a poster of Lucille Ball. Nearby is the “American Bandstand” era with 45-rpm records displayed around a full skirt printed with black notes and felt records. Not too far away is a poodle skirt.
When Hutton took over the showroom seven years ago, she kept the creative collages, which commemorate clothes of a different generation. But her lines of updated apparel spell out trends for today’s woman.
Fantazia Design, based in Los Angeles, does much of its tops production with local manufacturers. Its intricate sweaters and items adorned with leather or trim are done overseas. The three True Blue Clothing labels carried in the showroom—Ethyl, Euro and Zenim—have a casual feel and a modest price point, starting at around $35 wholesale. The artsy jackets made by Yak Magik in Nepal are colorful and priced between $52 and $74. The Lisa International line has a European flavor with sweaters wholesaling between $25 and $59.
“In my showroom, I am known for my price points,” Hutton said.—Deborah Belgum
