True Religion is charging into the holiday season with ribbon cuttings at retail locations in two trendy shopping districts: Los Angeles’ Robertson Boulevard and New York’s SoHo.
The Los Angeles-based company, which opened its first store in Manhattan Beach, Calif., in December 2005, launched a second full-price unit last Friday on Robertson Boulevard. The 1,200-square-foot shop is on the busiest block of Robertson, which is also home to the high-profile specialty boutiques Kitson, Diavolina, Curve and Lisa Kline. The 1,800-square-foot SoHo location is to launch Friday on Prince Street.
Although almost twice the size of the Manhattan Beach store, the Los Angeles unit is similar in design and feel, with hickory wood floors and cubbies full of folded jeans. The company has tweaked the full-service concept in which shoppers request sizes through sales assistants standing behind a long, low denim bar. In the new stores, bar service is still offered, but is optional. Shoppers who prefer to serve themselves can browse a store-length rack opposite the denim bar that has one version of every piece of merchandise in the store.
“In Manhattan Beach, we got some feedback that people want to touch things,” said Chana Taft, director of retail operations and real estate. “Women are especially touchy-feely.”
The SoHo store will adopt a similar setup, but will have more room to showcase the brand’s growing line of sportswear.
Some items are exclusive to the Robertson store: leather belts with oversized silver-and bronze-toned buckles, for $165, and pieces from the new Society Club collection of hand-detailed denim jeans, skirts and jackets emblazoned with hippie-inspired patches. The line sells from $216 for a miniskirt to $484 for a jacket.
“The stores are better merchandised now,” Taft said. “There are more options. You can mix and match.”
Recent bestsellers for the company include “stretch in skinny or straight legs with clean, dark washes,” Taft said. “At the end of the day, people are buying the pocket,” referring to the brand’s signature flap pocket.
The company chose the new locations for obvious reasons — foot traffic.
“Robertson is the mecca of Los Angeles shopping,” Taft said. “From the get-go, I was obsessed with this space. As you can imagine, everyone and their brother wanted it. We went after it very aggressively.”
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In the Los Angeles store, Taft said she expects “to do 30 percent more sales than in Manhattan Beach, but my stretch goal would be 50 percent. We try to underpromise and overdeliver.”