VICI, the northern California girls’s model identified for promoting fashionable garments at reasonably priced costs primarily on-line, is placing out some retail feelers with two new pop-up shops in fashionable Southern California areas.
In October, VICI unveiled a 640-square-foot retailer, which shall be open for one 12 months, on common Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the buying scorching spot in Venice the place different California manufacturers Aviator Nation, Faherty, The Nice and Everlane even have outposts.
On Wednesday, the model unveiled an 1,800-square-foot pop-up, to be open for six months, within the upscale Trend Island buying heart in Newport Seashore, Calif.
“We’re seeing the chance to satisfy our prospects the place they’re and additional construct upon the VICI neighborhood we’ve got already established,” mentioned Lindsay Shumlas, the corporate’s chief govt officer. “Our enterprise has all the time been powered by our social and influencer neighborhood.”
Since 2019, VICI has had one everlasting retailer in Nashville. The massive 3,000-square-foot location has accomplished nicely for the corporate. “We strongly consider within the in-person buying expertise,” Shumlas mentioned, “and to additional share what the model is all about.”
The Trend Island retailer, whose neighbors embrace large malls akin to Macy’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s, appears like a stylist’s closet with fashionable particulars. Polished concrete flooring with marble accents are complemented with wooden parts, greenery and textured couches for touches of heat. There’s modern lighting and clear areas for an uncluttered really feel.
Contained in the VICI retailer. Courtesy: VICI
The model is all about fashionable garments and equipment bought at reasonably priced costs, together with embellished velvet blazers, sequin flared pants, plaid miniskirts, metallic cowboy boots and pearl headbands. Many of the firm’s merchandise is manufactured in Asia, together with China, with a mean value level of $50. Some knitwear manufacturing is completed in L.A., together with knit clothes, which have been a preferred vendor for the corporate.
VICI was based in 2012 by Sandra Sayegh Dudum and her stepdaughter Aimee Dudum Colorado, in Walnut Creek, a bed room neighborhood 25 miles northeast of San Francisco. Sandra graduated in 1984 from the Trend Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A. with a bachelor’s diploma in promoting earlier than she took on a number of style jobs at Nordstrom and at GlamBomb, a skincare merchandise enterprise the place she grew to become the CEO.
As a part of their enterprise mannequin, the 2 founders opened a VICI retailer years in the past in Walnut Creek and grew the label to incorporate clothes, equipment and footwear. That retailer was closed. At one time, there was a retailer in Corona del Mar, a city subsequent to Newport Seashore, which was shuttered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, VICI was bought to San Francisco-based TSG Client Companions, a personal fairness firm primarily targeted on growth-capital investments in shopper firms. TSG has labored with firms together with Paige, Revolve and Planet Health.
After the acquisition, Aimee stayed on because the chief model and style officer whereas Sandra just lately stepped down as chair of the board.
Shumlas, who beforehand was the CEO at Manhattan Beachwear, one of many nation’s largest swimwear producers, got here on as VICI’s CEO in 2022. She works from Newport Seashore and commutes to northern California. Earlier this 12 months, VICI arrange a 12,000-square-foot design studio within the Arts District of Los Angeles the place the model’s pictures, merchandising and design are accomplished.
Key to VICI gross sales has been every day merchandise drops, whether or not or not it’s on-line or at shops, catering to the VICI buyer described as a contemporary millennial girl balancing work, household and her private life. “On common she is in her 30s,” Shumlas mentioned, “and likes the styling suggestions provided to place outfits collectively.”
Shoppers can have extra alternatives to do some in-person buying subsequent 12 months at VICI as the corporate contemplates opening extra pop-up shops to check the market.
