LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Contemporary lifestyle fashion labels Splendid® and Ella Moss® today officially celebrated the opening of their corporate headquarters at Alameda Square in Downtown Los Angeles. The move comes as other creative and fashion companies are building on the area’s growing reputation as a center for fashion on the West Coast.
Los Angeles Councilmember José Huizer; Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Brian Currey; Jonathan Saven, President of Splendid® and Ella Moss®; and Martin Caverly, CEO of EVOQ Properties, as well as other government officials and business and community leaders, were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and offered remarks about the company’s move and the impact to the area.
“Splendid and Ella Moss’ long-term investment and commitment to Downtown set an important example for other companies,” said Councilmember Huizar. “Downtown has long appealed to visionaries who can see its potential. We are pleased that such a dynamic local company will put its roots down here, bringing jobs and an economic boost to the region.”
Alameda Square is owned by EVOQ Properties, Inc. (OTC BB - EVOQ.PK), one of the largest property owners in Downtown Los Angeles. The campus’ location at the cross-section of the popular Arts District and the Fashion District puts it at the center of the Downtown creative community. Other fashion brands that call the area home include American Apparel, Groceries Apparel, J Brand Jeans and Lucky Brand.
“We are excited to enter into a new phase in our company’s history,” said Saven. “The new space – with its rich history, openness and wonderful natural light – will help us further expand the brands. As a Los Angeles-born company, we are pleased that we can stay, grow jobs here and contribute to the community.”
Caverly said, “The completion of the Splendid and Ella Moss space is just the beginning of the revitalization of Alameda Square. In the coming months, we are looking to bring new tenants that not only will bring new amenities, services and new jobs to the campus, but new life to a growing community.”
Splendid® and Ella Moss® announced in October that they signed a 10-year lease with EVOQ to occupy 82,000 square feet of Building 1 at Alameda Square (located at 777 Alameda). The new corporate headquarters, which covers two full floors, houses approximately 225 employees in product development, design, marketing and sales, finance, retail operations, customer service as well as other administrative functions. An additional 100 employees still remain at its finished goods & fabric warehouse, located at 3751 South Hill Street in Los Angeles.
To meet the specific needs of Splendid® and Ella Moss®, EVOQ spent eight months making multi-million dollar improvements to Building 1 and the overall campus. Renovations started early fall of 2012, and included:
- Converting the historic warehouse building to a state-of-the-art creative office with large industrial windows, exposed concrete floors / ceiling and open floor plan;
- Redeveloping the ground floor and loading dock into retail, restaurant and outdoor public space;
- Adding a 6000-square-foot roof deck and kitchen with dramatic views of the Downtown skyline;
- Expanding and reconfiguring parking facilities resulting in an increase of 450 spots; and
- Adding new landscaping and seating areas to serve a rotating mix of food trucks, coffee vendors and other amenities for tenants and visitors.
“EVOQ made a significant investment in redeveloping the space because we believe Alameda Square and its location are unique,” added Caverly. “There is no other space like this with the expansive views, natural light and open space that creative companies desire. Like Splendid® and Ella Moss®, we are an L.A. company and we’re committed to the continued renaissance of Downtown.”
Built in 1917, Alameda Square includes four buildings covering 1.4 million square feet with American Apparel’s headquarters occupying half of the space. The property has historically played a role in serving as a commercial hub in the region. The warehouse complex and adjacent product market was designed for the Los Angeles Union Terminal Company. Southern Pacific Railroad completed the construction in 1923 and operated the property as a major intermodal produce market and distribution center connecting Downtown to the rest of the L.A. region.
Splendid® is a complete lifestyle brand offering collections for women, men and children with an unmatched approach to casual dressing. Known for its signature stripes and vibrant color, the brand delivers comfortable, classic, effortless style. Ella Moss® offers contemporary fashion for women and girls and is noted for its bold patterns, dramatic dresses and modern styling.
About EVOQ Properties Inc.
EVOQ is one of the largest property owners in downtown Los Angeles, with holdings in industrial, office, retail, residential, and mixed-use real estate. For additional information on EVOQ and its properties, please visit the Company’s website at EvoqProperties.com.
About Ella Moss®
Ella Moss® is a contemporary fashion brand featuring feminine, flirty, whimsical designs inspired by travel, art and music. The collection captures the laid-back sophistication of its Los Angeles roots while offering coveted must-haves for the modern girl’s dream closet. The brand’s unique prints, daring styling and modern twists on vintage finds allows for creating distinctive personal style. Founded in 2001 by designer Pamella Protzel Scott, the Ella Moss® assortment includes ready-to-wear, footwear and swim and can be found at the Ella Moss boutique in Newport Beach, CA as well as at better department and specialty stores domestically, abroad and online. For further brand information or to shop online visit EllaMoss.com.
About Splendid®
The Splendid® brand is the culmination of a ten year quest to create the ultimate t-shirt. The success in designing an extraordinarily soft material cut into perfectly chic silhouettes was the platform for what is now a complete lifestyle collection of ultra-comfortable, effortlessly stylish collections for women, men, kids and babies. Known for its vibrant palette and bold stripes, Splendid® offers classic, colorful styles across multiple product categories including apparel, outerwear, footwear and swim. Splendid® can be found at its twelve retail locations in the US and Canada as well as at high-end department and specialty stores domestically, internationally and online. For a full listing of stores, to shop online or for additional brand information visit Splendid.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements that are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are generally accompanied by words such as "anticipate," "continues," "expect," "forecast," "outlook," "believe," "estimate," "should" and "will" and words of similar effect that convey future meaning, concerning the Company's operations, economic performance and management's best judgment as to what may occur in the future. Future events involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those we currently anticipate. The actual results for the current and future periods and other corporate developments will depend upon a number of economic, competitive and other influences. Many of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the control of the Company, and any one of which, or a combination of which, could materially and adversely affect the results of the Company's operations and its financial condition. We undertake no obligation to update information contained in this release.
