L.A. Wildfires Hit Fashion Hard
Fashion and retail reeled along with Los Angeles on Thursday as the city — home of Hollywood and so many fashion dreams — battled through another day of out-of-control fires and almost unimaginable devastation.
Nearly 30,000 acres have gone up in flames over the past few days while more than 2,000 buildings are said to have been lost and roughly 180,000 residents have had to leave their homes, as of presstime.
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And new fires have cropped up. The Sunset fire started Wednesday in the Hollywood Hills, burning 43 acres, and prompting evacuations in Laurel Canyon and on Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, before being 100 percent contained on Thursday afternoon.
The damages — both physical and psychological — are still mounting and cannot be reckoned, but a preliminary read from AccuWeather predicted economic losses could run as high as $57 billion. Even once the fires are under control, the economic impact is expected to be felt for months afterward.
Fashion has long counted L.A. as a city of its own, from the glitzy red carpets and celebrities to the megawatt shopping districts and the denim brands that favor the area for manufacturing.
In interviews and on social media, the industry’s reaction has mingled horror with resilience — whether people were recovering after the loss of a store, as was the case for Elyse Walker, fleeing from the fire or watching it all unfold from afar.
Giorgio Armani, who has long had close links with Hollywood and many friends there, told WWD: “I look on in awe and astonishment at what is happening in Los Angeles: devastation of such magnitude is shocking, and it deeply saddens me. My thoughts go to those experiencing moments of terror and hardship, to the families forced to leave their homes. I feel a strong connection to this very special city, which has given me so much over the years, not least in terms of personal and professional relationships. Los Angeles has an unparalleled strength, and it will not be defeated. I pray that everything will turn out for the best.”
There was also frustration with the city officials as gridlock slowed evacuations and firefighters were working at capacity, but running short of water in some areas. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is back in the city now, but was on a diplomatic trip to Ghana when the fires broke out.
“The city was totally unprepared for this. It’s such a sad day for Los Angeles,” said Anastasia Soare, the chief executive officer of Anastasia Beverly Hills, who closed her salon and offices in Beverly Hills to ensure the safety of her teams. “Yesterday we found places for the people on our team who had to evacuate, and drove around town bringing essentials to people.”
L.A.-based designers were struggling to manage work, life and disaster all at once.
Jonathan Simkhai was placed under an evacuation order Wednesday night and packed himself, his husband, their twins, three dogs and two cats into their car and they all made their way to Salt Lake City, where he was scheduled to hold a trunk show.
Meanwhile, his team moved looks for the brand’s upcoming runway show from its West Hollywood office to a safer location.
John Elliott also had to leave his home.
“It’s been hard for me to do anything work-related as I have two kids under 5 so we have just been trying to stay safe,” Elliott said. “I think all of L.A. is just praying the wind doesn’t pick back up tonight.”
Jonny Saven, CEO of L’Agence: said, “We are in the thick of things. Our homes, offices, stores, and teams are all impacted, especially with our headquarters in L.A. All three of our L.A. stores, Malibu, Beverly Hills and Melrose Place, remain closed.
“Our local manufacturing has not been significantly impacted, and we are working with these partners to provide all the resources needed,” Saven added. “We are talking directly to some families who have been impacted and putting our efforts into supporting the community. We will be launching a formal program to help those displaced by the fires.”
The Pacific Palisades area has been particularly devastated by the Palisades Fire, which according to authorities has burnt 17,000 acres over three days and is yet to be contained.
Palisades Village, which houses stores such as ALC, Alo Yoga, Bottega Veneta, Veronica Beard, Cult Gaia, Favorite Daughter, Brandy Melville, Lululemon, Paige and Vince, is temporarily closed. The walkable village is home to fashion, jewelry and beauty boutiques and police are not allowing anybody into the area. Officials at Caruso, which owns Palisades Village, couldn’t be reached for comment.
Some businesses, including Iván Pol’s spa, were destroyed.
“I opened my first spa in the Pacific Palisades 6 years ago,” Pol said. “I’ve loved being a part of the incredible community so this is a deep, personal loss for me. I am beyond devastated by the impact this has had on my friends’ and clients’ homes, businesses and the entire community. The spirit of the community remains unbreakable and we will pull together.”
The fire also dashed the expansion hopes of others, at least for now.
J.J. Martin of La Double J wrote on Instagram that the Pacific Palisades store that was set to open next month was “burned to the ground.”
“This was DoubleJ’s very first shop in the United States, a labor of love, enthusiasm and total joy, conceived and painstakingly designed by our team over the last nine months,” said Martin, who grew up in L.A.
She described the feeling as, “Total numbness.”
“Yes of course we will all rise — which is what everyone keeps telling me— but now, right this very moment, we must feel, we must grieve, we must honor,” Martin said. “I do this from Milan where I have a home but I send this loving light out to all of you my dearest childhood community of old friends and strangers alike.”
Numerous store associates and industry workers could also find themselves without jobs, without homes or both.
Amber Feld, a freelance publicist who works mostly with Alice + Olivia, said, “I actually lost my home, car, everything in Palisades, and my son’s school Marquez.”
On the beauty retail front, clean retailer Credo has closed all four of its Los Angeles locations Thursday and Friday. Cos Bar is on day three of the closure of its Brentwood outpost.
In an Instagram post Wednesday, Violet Grey revealed the closure of its Melrose Place store as well as its warehouse for the day, which the company confirmed would not reopen until further notice.
Ulta Beauty said it had “closed select stores located in evacuation zones or due to other safety precautions.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our team members, including providing support and resources to those in need and working with partners like the American Red Cross and Save the Children to aid in relief efforts,” Ulta said.
Stacey Bendet, founder, CEO and creative director of Alice + Olivia, said: “As someone who considers Los Angeles a second home, I am devastated by what is happening, concerned about friends, family and the future. As a company we are supporting employees impacted by the fires by providing housing and sending necessities. We will also be partnering with Baby2Baby in their relief efforts.”
While the fires are enormous and near the heart of the city, many parts of Los Angeles County have been spared the worst of it. Some stores in Beverly Hills remained open while others, including Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills, closed Thursday.
“Our store teams and headquarters are safe,” said a spokeswoman for Revolve, which is based in Cerritos, Calif., about 35 miles away from Pacific Palisades. “We are closely monitoring the situation and remain committed to ensuring our employees feel supported during this time.”
The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are slightly farther away and have also been untouched by the fires.
Among those offering support for L.A. were:
L.A.-based Citizens of Humanity arranged a clothing donation center at its downtown showroom to help people impacted by the disaster.
Ace Rivington founder Beau Lawrence is offering to send anyone in need of clothing a free pair of jeans, T-shirt or flannel. While stock is low, the owner of the Santa Barbara-based retailer said pieces can be shipped next day to a safe address.
Devin Kang, creative director of the L.A.-based brand Noend Denim, took to Instagram to share his efforts to get clothing in the hands of people who need it. “For people who were affected by the fire, please contact me if you could not pack while evacuating and need clothes. I will find a way to get those clothes to you ASAP,” he wrote. “We are all here to help in whatever way we can, even if it’s a little. You are not being an inconvenience. We care about you. So reach out and let us assist you.”
Delivering Good CEO Matthew Fasciano said, “We’re working closely with our partners on the ground to assess the immediate and long-term needs of those affected. We are preparing to respond by mobilizing essential items like clothing, bedding, and hygiene products, ensuring families have the basic comforts they need during this challenging time.”
And on the other side of the country, áwet New York said it was donating 35 percent of all sales to the California Fire Foundation, helping to provide essential aid to victims, firefighters and communities. The brand also suspended all new marketing campaigns to focus on supporting California residents. “California has given so much to áwet New York — it’s more than just a key market; it’s a family,” said áwet Woldegebriel, founder of the brand.
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