L.A. Fashion Brand Co in Growth Mode, Looking for Investment to Open Stores

Designers Justin Kern and Stephanie Danan may be products of the Hollywood dream factory, but their take on L.A. fashion is rooted in reality. Danan, a former movie producer, and Kern, a former screenwriter and fashion model, launched Co in 2011 with a personal investment of $15,000 each, to make elegant clothing they could afford to buy themselves as working professionals. Since then, they’ve homed in on a look that’s California architectural with a feminine touch, offering a seasonal main line with such dramatic pieces as a golden brooch cream wool-satin coat ($1,495) and painterly floral satin shirtdress ($1,895), alongside a less expensive, everyday Essentials collection of sleeveless, tiered cotton sateen dresses ($595), pleated trapunto blouses ($455) and cashmere sweaters ($595). In 2014, Andrew Rosen, then-chief executive officer of Theory, took a minority stake in the brand, helping to broaden distribution to department stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Sales are growing 30 to 40 percent year-over-year, nearing the $20 million mark, with more than 100 wholesale accounts. Profitable for three years, the brand is moving into other product categories (bags bowed this month at Barneys New York, and shoes will launch exclusively at Net-a-porter in October). Now the designers are

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