By, Christa Clark-Jones
To materialize the new line, the Her Niche team heads to Los Angeles. The smog is low and our vision clear when we arrive in the Fashion District.
Not a mall, not a Main Street, and not even a Farmer’s Market, the Fashion District is the opposite of design; it is disorder and chaos. And at the same time it simple. There is a place for zippers and a place for hardware, a place for textiles and a place for sewing. I imagine a venture to Candyland aims only to find milk, nuts, sugar, and cocoa!
Seeing the production process from the drawing board to manufacturing is humbling. Like in the Story of Stuff, I am reminded that products do not grow on local, native trees. Every decision and design has an impact and reach. Now when I look at handbags and other consumer products, I ponder the production process. I wonder if it is economical, socially responsible, and environmentally friendly.
The Fashion District does not have the glamour of Paris and New York. Nevertheless, with a new impression of the manufacturing process, I have a higher regard for Milan and London.
I consider the Fashion District akin to a native tree, a beacon for regeneration. This chaotic place produces beautiful products that are admired around the world. And from it grows Bagonia and Birch… naturally.
