Los Angeles certainly isn't short on creative energy. Amid hopelessness during the pandemic, many talented individuals stepped up to the plate and brought positivity to the city with their artisanship. To celebrate that resilience, Fred Segal is spotlighting Angelenos for its 60th anniversary campaign, In L.A. We Trust.
"This year marks Fred Segal's [sixth decade] in business, and we did a lot of thinking about how to celebrate that during such an intense time for Angelenos (and the whole world)," Fred Segal executive vice president Lizz Wasserman tells UncoverLA. "We wanted to do something positive and try to help inspire and connect people during a tough time because this brand was founded in love."
From DJs and entrepreneurs to stylists and musicians, Fred Segal's new series features an eclectic group of local artists with a range of backgrounds, starting with eight creatives who were selected based on research, word of mouth, and recommendations. The brand is also not picky about the candidate's social media following.
"We don't really care about how many followers people have or if they are 'known' or not. It's really just about awesome people doing awesome and interesting things in L.A.," says Wasserman.
While wearing curated looks from Fred Segal, each of the inspiring individuals also share their stories and experiences, from why they love what they do to their favorite local spots.
One of the participating visionaries on the list is floral designer Maurice Harris, whose botanical creations can be seen in Beyoncé's 2020 Afrocentric film Black Is King. The multimedia artist is also the owner of Echo Park coffee shop, Bloom & Plume (Angelenos are likely familiar with his purple botanical building). Serving up more than delicious brew, Harris' journey as a creative and entrepreneur has led him to HBO Max, where he is currently a judge on the floral design competition show, Full Bloom.
Of course, the City of Angeles is nothing without music. That's why the retailer also features DJ Alex Rodriguez, who has been crate-digging his way through L.A. for nearly 20 years. Rodriguez went from selling records at Pomona's Glass House to hawking vinyl at the grandest stage of all, Coachella. His cross-country record hunting journey was documented for Vincent Vittorio's film, Record Safari. Angelenos can also stay on the lookout for his new eponymous record shop in Atwater Village.
On the fashion front, Fred Segal also tapped L.A. writer, celebrity stylist, and former Refinery29 editor Brenna Egan. To cope during the pandemic, the fashion-forward mother says that spent her time hiking in Malibu with her son, Calder, and getting dressed to the nines at home.
"I don't care if no one sees it," Brenna says. "It's like that phrase, 'dance like no one's watching' — get dressed like nobody's there, survival."
The series also features Guided By Flowers owner Anita Vuong, a former fashion designer-turned-death doula; artist and roller skater Adam Lee; voiceover actress Alex Hood; and creative couple, stylist Sissy Saint-Marie and musician Eddie Chacon.
Fred Segal established itself as the "Curator of Cool" with its effortless Los Angeles-inspired collections. In 1961, Fred Segal (who passed away in February) opened his first store on Santa Monica Boulevard and his second on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Segal sold the global licensing rights to his brand in 2012 to Sandow Media, and the name changed hands in 2019, when Global Icons acquired the rights. Since relocating to Sunset Boulevard in 2017, the merchant has expanded to Malibu, Asia, and Europe.
Do you know an intriguing creative in Los Angeles whose story deserves to be told? Fred Segal is expanding its series and reaching out to the community to help build its list of featured trustees — drop a line to fredgives@fredsegal.com.
