Operation Style: Kristy's adventure at the San Pedro Wholesale Mart

The way of the world has made a shift. History often has a habit of repeating itself as I discovered when I found myself in the midst of a recession which is perhaps becoming a progression.

On a recent trip to LA I experienced North America’s largest woman’s wear market. In business since 1994 the market host approximately 300 wholesale shops.

At first, the experience was overwhelming - physically, mentally and visually. I went on this trip as a favor to a friend who is embarking on her first endeavor as a boutique owner. She has personally handled every aspect of the business - from the lease improvements, right down to the hanging of each one of her beautiful pieces with custom made hang tags.

We spent the first day plotting and planning exploring the mart and trying uncover all its hidden treasure, which we still found more 3 hours before we left town. The market place is the hub of moderate to better priced US merchandise. Its blocks of shops were filled with current, trendy well-made merchandise, that I was honestly shocked to find. Being a bit of a retail snob myself, I came to appreciate this new world. The colors were well forecasted and the shapes were right off the runways; silhouettes seen at Balmain and Balenciaga, patterns and colors seen at Prada and Oscar De La Renta, and sleek and soft fabrics of Alexander Wang. After my weekend on Robertson and in Barney’s I had a pang of cognitive dissonance and I was in love.

With the current state of the economy, designer brands are finding it difficult to survive. In Japan, Yohji Yamamoto Inc., a fashion house based out of Paris known for his avant guard black designs, recently filed for bankruptcy. Yohji is well known for his collaborations with Adidas, Hermes and Mikimoto. Numerous other powerhouse brands have also filed for bankruptcy such as Christian Lacroix and Bill Blass to name a few.
The fact of the matter is women love to get new clothes, nothing makes you feel more confident when you walk into a dinner, work or – tis the season, a Christmas party, so we are turning to less expensive options during a prolonged economic downturn. Though here at Operation Style we are still advocates for investing in quality pieces that will last, the items I came across were just that, with a lower price.

Obviously Chic Boutique opened in Estevan, Saskatchewan yesterday, she has already sold out of 5 styles and doubled her projected income for her first day. We are so proud of our friend Jessica and all her hard work.

You want a taste of these magical garments I speak of?? Don’t fret Vancouver you may just get a trunk show in the New Year. In the meantime check out the online store

http://www.obviouslychic.com

Here are some photo’s from her shops opening.