California Apparel News

From left, Pattern Bar's Eduardo Castillo and Alex Meza

Those complaining there’s nothing to do in the Fashion Intersection after sundown will have one less reason to complain.

Pattern Bar, a Soho-style watering hole and restaurant made for fashion people, opened for its first full day of service on July 25. It’s located at the Apparel Mart building 100 W. Ninth St., just across the street from showroom buildings California Market Center and The New Mart.

Theme is important at Pattern Bar. Bar stools are early 20th century antiques first used by tailors and seamstresses at their Singer sewing machine stations. Cocktails are named after iconic fashion brands; the McQueen is a mix of Hendricks Gin, elderflower and passion fruit. The Lauren is Espolon blanco tequila, Curacao orange, fresh mint and fresh cucumber.

Pattern Bar’s food should appeal to those with a taste for Cuban and Venezuelan cuisine.The restaurant will debut Cuban brunches on Sundays. Also served are Arepas, traditional Venezuelan corncakes. Best of all, the bar will be open late. Mondays through Thursdays, it will be open until midnight.Fridays and Saturdays, it will be open until 2 AM.

Caracas-born Eduardo Castillo and Alex Meza are the co-owners and managers. Meza also owns a self-named restaurant called Meza in Seattle. Castillo worked in restaurants and bars to support a music career. He said that he would never do a service industry job again unless he ran the joint. Now he is the chief, he also wanted to open a place where he’d have an impact on the neighborhood. He and Meza chose Fashion District because the neighborhood is not saturated with bars and restaurants – yet. “I want to establish a vision. The only way you can do that is to establish it on a clean canvas,” Castillo said.

But Pattern Bar might have to jump a hurdle or two to attract people downtown after 7PM, even with DJs and bands scheduled to perform there. The Fashion District famously rolls up its sidewalks after shortly after dusk. Pattern Bar should have the moxie to pave the way for a night owl crowd said Kent Smith, executive director for the L.A. Fashion District Business Improvement District. “This whole area is waiting to have the Pattern Bar here. People are waiting for a reason to stay downtown,” Smith said.

Fashion biz antiques like irons and sewing machines provide some themed ambience at Pattern Bar. Cocktails are named after iconic designers. Photo credit: Deborah Belgum.