The rise and fall of Lucky Brand, the once-beloved mall brand and staple for trendy denim and bohemian chic fashion Lucky Brand just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but in the 1990s and early aughts, the mall brand thrived as a go-to destination for stylish denim and bohemian chic looks. Started in 1990 in Los Angeles by Barry Perlman and Gene Montesano, Lucky Brand was founded with the aim to sell "great-fitting, vintage-inspired jeans," according to the company. The duo looked to a wide range of influences to craft its unique denim looks in a variety of washes and with rips, tears, and hardware that set it apart from its competitors. "Our jeans are made for the free-thinker, the artist, the dreamer; they're made to dance, work, run, jump, play and rock 'n' roll (just like you)," Lucky Brand states on its website. "Our inspiration doesn't just come from the rugged workwear of denim pioneers, but from the free spirit and laid-back lifestyle of our Southern California roots." Though the company took off through the first decade of the new millennium, it struggled to evolve its style to keep up with fickle consumer demand and struggled through the Great Recession. Executive leadership changes also marred the brand as it fought an uphill battle to revitalize and resonate with shoppers amid the ongoing retail apocalypse. Now, the brand is the latest to feel the strain of the coronavirus, and in turn, announced it will immediately close 13 stores as part of its bankruptcy filing. As the company prepares to finalize its expected sale to SPARC Group — the owner of brands like Nautica and Aeropostale — we took a closer look at the denim darling's rise and fall over the years. Lucky Brand was founded in 1990 in Los Angeles by Barry Perlman and Gene Montesano. Lucky Brand founders Barry Perlman (left) and Gene Montesano (right) at a Lucky Brand event in 2006. Patrick McMullan/Getty Images The duo's aim was to become a go-to denim destination for "great-fitting, vintage-inspired jeans." Lucky Brand denim A Lucky Brand store in Beverly Hills. Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images To distinguish itself from other popular denim brands, Lucky Brand added embellishments like rips, tears, and hardware to give their jeans a bit more flare. Lucky Brand Beverly Hills Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images "We gave them their distinctively Lucky look by literally putting them through the wringer — ripping, fraying, sanding, patching and washing by hand — to give them true character and soul," the Lucky website states. "Then, we added authentic hardware, personalized touches and playful details, and an American legend was born." Lucky Brand belts Angela Weiss/WireImage/Getty Images Over the next decade, Lucky Brand's star grew, and by the early aughts it was a staple of the American mall. Lucky Brand store Josh Brasted/Getty Images NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 03: Lucky Brand is decorated for Christmas on December 3, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty Images) It helped that Lucky had loads of celebrity fans like Vanessa Hudgens and Rashida Jones, who were often spotted at company parties. Lucky Brand celebs Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images Lucky Brand was also featured at high-profile events, like a charity auction held by "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe, who sold off the pair of denim he wore in his Broadway debut of "Equus." Lucky Brand Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Radcliffe selling his Lucky pants at a charity auction in 2008. Charles Sykes/AP Photo During this time, Lucky Brand jeans and graphic tees regularly appeared in fashion campaigns and advertisements, like this back-to-school photoshoot in 2006. Lucky Brand Back to School Glenn Asakawa/The Denver Post via Getty Images The brand also got a boost from the involvement of fashion and media personality Tim Gunn, who formerly served as chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne, a sister brand of Lucky. Lucky Brand Tim Gunn Stefanie Keenan/WireImage WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Tim Gunn attends Lucky Brand New Movement In Denim With Tim Gunn on September 21, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/WireImage) Gunn participated in a variety of fashion competitions and events for Lucky, during a period that coincided with his stint as a judge on the popular reality show, "Project Runway." Lucky Brand Tim Gunn 2 John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images BURLINGTON, MA - MARCH 17: Tim Gunn, Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne, which owns Lucky Brand Jeans, made a visit to the Burlington Mall where he was greeted by hundreds of loyal fans. He stands with models wearing Lucky clothes. Some waited for hours to have their photos taken with him after they qualified by purchasing $100 or more of Lucky Brand Jeans at the Burlington Mall Store. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) However, as the decade came to a close, the brand started to lose its luster and fall out of favor with customers. Lucky Brand Getty/Jeff Greenberg In response, Lucky Brand looked to diversify its business model by opening outlet stores and selling to off-price stores and department stores. Lucky Brand Outlet Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The entrance to Lucky Brand Jeans Outlet Store at the Outlets in Saint Augustine in Florida. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Still seeking revitalization, Perlman and Montesano enlisted the help of Gap and Williams & Sonoma veteran David DeMattei, who joined Lucky Brand as CEO in January 2010. Lucky Brand boxes Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Lucky Brand DeMattei started by revamping window and in-store displays, which he felt had previously been "hard to shop." Lucky Brand Jeans Lisa G./Yelp "It's disciplined merchandising," DeMattei told Women's Wear Daily in 2010. "You have to be strong, efficient and more focused." Source: WWD He also focused on reducing early aughts style staples like graphic T-shirts and instead on bolstering Lucky's women's fashion. Lucky Brand style David Becker/Getty Images Source: WWD DeMattei even shifted some denim manufacturing overseas despite Lucky Brand's tradition of being an American-made company. Lucky Brand D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Vogue/Lucky Brand Source: WWD Lucky Brand would later return denim production stateside in 2013 after the company's parent company — then called Fifth & Pacific, formerly Liz Claiborne — sold for $225 million to the private equity firm, Leonard Green & Partners. Lucky Brand storefront Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Still, in the following years, Lucky found itself plagued with sluggish sales like many of its fellow mall brand peers thanks to The Great Recession and later, the rise of e-commerce which threatened the place of the American mall. Lucky Brand sale Paul Sakuma/AP Photo Lucky Brand found itself floundering even further in 2020 with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which let to shuttered stores and plummeting sales. Lucky Brand fashion week Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images On July 3, Lucky Brand filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announced it will immediately close 13 stores. Lucky Brand sign Carrie Shaltz/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images The company plans to sell its remaining assets to SPARC Group — the owner of brands like Nautica and Aeropostale — as part of a "stalking horse asset purchase agreement," according to the firm. Liyang Paper Products Co., ltd is a factory and trade company located in Dongguan, China. Specialized in producing gift paper packaging, such as
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July 07, 2020
