California Apparel News

For more than 20 years, Barbara Lesser was the creative spirit behind her self-named label, which encompassed a line of casual contemporary sportswear and dresses.

Last fall, the Los Angeles label decided to pull back and revamp. The result is a new brand called Love Barbara, a line of tops that launches with a Fall 2015 collection that will be shown at the Stitch trade show Feb. 23–25 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

Half the tops will be similar to those seen in the Barbara Lesser line, which is still a program in certain specialty stores. Lesser was known for her weekend casual tops that were garment-dyed fabrications in rayon knit mixed with chiffon, rayon thermal and cotton Modal. The Love Barbara label will have that same look.

The other half of the line will be mainly novelty knits with a more urban flare to help consumers make a seamless transition from work to a night out. “These tops can step up to a lot of different situations,” Lesser said. “Women can wear them with joggers, jeans, leggings or their favorite black pants. They are very adaptable.”

By concentrating on just tops, Lesser has more freedom to source new fabrics and indulge in more details. Some of the details offered in this debut collection are fabric blocking, textured fabrics including tweed, lace and faux suede, novelty hand-dyed treatments, high-low and asymmetrical silhouettes, shirttail hemlines, cape collars with over-the-shoulder hoods, detailed trim, curved seaming, and stitch detailing.

The color palette goes from sophisticated neutrals to full color. The silhouette is free flowing and complements all body types and a broad range of ages.

The tops will wholesale for around $39 and retail for $100. The collection can be seen at the Anonymous Showroom in New York and the Niche Showroom at The New Mart in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.barbaralesser.com.