A clothing and retail brand founded in West Hollywood, Fred Segal is the iconic lifestyle brand that defined the LA look and sparked a revolutionary fashion shift. Fred Segal opened his first store 60 years ago, and was coined the “curator of cool” with his comfortable, casual, and sexy pieces. Not only did Segal design all of his clothes, but he created the shop-in-shop retail concept and experiential retail.
In an effort to remain forward thinking and continue to offer the latest and greatest in fashion, each year Fred Segal partners with designers, artists, and up and coming brands to curate unique capsules, cultural conversations, and immersive experiences. Segal passed away in 2021, but his legacy lives on through his stylish brand and clothes.
In 1961, Fred Segal opened his first store in West Hollywood, which specialized in denim—the location eventually moved to Melrose Ave. The store now has seven locations, including an international location in Seoul. Most recently, Fred Segal moved from downtown L.A. and opened a new store in Santa Monica.
“I just feel like Santa Monica has always been like one of those iconic spots, specifically for Fred Segal,” general manager Noah Zietz told the Santa Monica Daily Press. “I think so many people grew up going there and just always had the two hand in hand—Santa Monica and Fred Segal.”
“We do have the boutiquey feel and I think Montana is really just like a great representation of that,” says Zietz. “I think all of the little boutiques are here and just kind of being a part of that, like a smaller community and just kind of being more with the people.”
At Fred Segal, looks are important and when they were in the market for shelves on which to display their clothes, they wanted something that was aesthetically pleasing. They were looking for high end shelves on which to hang and display clothes, purses, and shoes.
When Fred Segal reached out to Modern Shelving, they had a very fast production timeline in mind. Their architect and owner worked with a designer at Modern Shelving to come up with floor plan that was functional and met their needs. Their goal was to have the entire project turned around in two weeks. They opted for standard materials that didn’t require extra steps in production and after that, it was all hands on deck to get things finished.
“Fred Segal is a clothing retail space, which is my favorite kind of project,” says Modern Shelving's lead designer Hailey Strange. “A project that will be seen and enjoyed by many but have a very functional purpose.”
Like all of Modern Shelving’s projects, everything was built to order, but they chose standard cabinet sizes and finishes that didn’t require extra steps in production. After completing the first store, the team jumped in and began a similar project right away.
“It was great working with the Fred Segal team; they were organized and knew exactly what they wanted,” says Strange. “We collaborated well on the parameters of our products and their desired needs.
