Dragonfly Clothing (Fullerton, Calif.), whose apparel line is inspired by the rock and roll lifestyle, announced it had opened its first U.S. store, on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.
The company said all furniture and fixtures in the store were designed by Dragonfly to enhance the lifestyle the company is known for. As the customer enters the store through Baroque-style heavy wooden doors, a 10-foot-long hand-crafted dragonfly lights up the main selling area. Ten foot-tall coffins towering down on waterfall racks are used to display the merchandise. Overhead are three custom-made conquistador-style chandeliers imported from Spain.
“Having a flagship where we can express our brand's sensibility and point of view with our authentic product, inventive merchandising and cool visuals fulfills a long time dream of mine,” said founder Edward Dada. “I also think Melrose is the perfect location for Dragonfly's first U.S. store — our customer is here and this opening is long overdue.”
The company currently operates one other store, a 2000-square-foot flagship in London in a four-story building in Camden Town. It opened a year ago.
Dragonfly also announced the opening of its new showroom in New York, to help establish the brand's presence on the East Coast, and the appointment of Vince Gonzales as brand manager. Gonzales was most recently North American vp of sales at Evisu Genes (London) and before that led the efforts to launch the Ben Sherman brand in the United States in 1999.
The company, which has recently signed an agreement with Universal Pictures to design, produce and distribute a line of “Scarface” apparel under the Dragonfly Clothing label, also has licensing agreements for images and graphics featuring Bob Marley, Jimmy Hendrix, The Doors, Kiss, Sex Pistols, Elvis Presley and The Ramones, among others.