LOS ANGELES — Family ties run deep in Paul Guez’s denim empire.
Guez is the co-owner of Azteca Production International, a private label denim manufacturer, and also runs Blue Concepts, the maker of Yanuk, Antik and Taverniti So Jeans. He has encouraged his kin to work for him and usually prefers it that way.
But he has loosened the reins for his son, Danny Guez.
The younger Guez launched People’s Liberation, a contemporary athletic sportswear line, for the holiday season at 75 stores, including Fred Segal Fun in Santa Monica, Calif., the M. Fredric chain of stores in the Los Angeles area and the Lounge in New York. The line has already received multiple reorders. Riding the momentum, he’s rolling out denim for March spring deliveries.
“I’m having a lot of fun….I’m running the show and if it does well, it shows that my decision-making was right,’’ said Danny Guez, 27. “Otherwise, I’ll be paying the price.”
His new venture suits dad just fine.
“It’s a beautiful line with fantastic quality and point of view,” said Paul Guez. “And, he did it on his own.”
After nine years working for Azteca, from sweeping floors in the factory to overseeing private label programs for Pacific Sunwear and Wet Seal, Danny Guez left the company in February in his final role as chief operating officer for Innovo Azteca Apparel (a wholly owned subsidiary of Innovo Group), running the day-to-day operations of the Fetish by Eve line.
He didn’t want to share office space in Azteca’s headquarters or even utilize its manufacturing expertise. Instead, he opened a 5,500-square-foot factory and distribution center in downtown Los Angeles and sought out local contractors.
Influenced by the scenery and culture of China, the collection consists of soft, supple sweats crafted from fine T-shirt yarns into a thin fleece, along with T-shirts in jersey, thermal and ribbed styles including crew, boatneck and V-neck. Signature to the line are raw edges, lasered cuts and an embroidered star. For instance, the hoodie features a copper zipper with a star-pendant pull, red contrast taping on the inside and uneven placket edges.
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Retailers say there’s room in the market already tapped by Juicy Couture and Hard Tail.
“It’s clean and driven by high quality,” said Jackie Brander, owner of Fred Segal Fun.
Hallmarks of the denim collection, offered in stretch and rigid cropped, flared trouser and straight-leg bodies, will include hand-stitched back pockets, folding stars on the rear pockets and hand-sanded washes.
Wholesale prices for the entire line range from $18 for the Ts to $49 to $79 for the hoodies to $75 to $89 for the denim. First-year sales are expected to fetch $4 million to $6 million as the line expands to 200 doors, said Danny Guez.
His celebrity connections have also spread the word. Eve hosted his launch party last week at Hollywood’s Nacional, which attracted 200 people. He met Eve when he oversaw the design of her line at Innovo, before she took the license to Mark Ecko Enterprises in May.