On July 30, the iconic American select shop Fred Segal closed its last two physical stores in Los Angeles.
Founded in 1961 by Fred Segal, the store has defined LA’s fashion style since its inception. Known as a pioneer of the shop-in-shop concept and experiential retail, Fred Segal combined retail with pop culture to create an innovative lifestyle brand.
Due to its popularity, Fred Segal opened a flagship store on Sunset Boulevard in 2018 and expanded its presence to Malibu, Asia, and Europe. The brand previously had stores in Tokyo, Taipei, and other locations, but the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted retail sales, making recovery challenging.
Despite once captivating many fashion enthusiasts, the brand could not overcome the negative effects of the pandemic.
Currently, the official Fred Segal website has been shut down. However, the Fred Segal home furnishings store in Culver City and the shop-in-shop at Resorts World Las Vegas will continue to operate.
The closure of Fred Segal is part of a larger trend of multi-brand stores closing across the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York, notable closures include the luxury clothing store Barneys New York, which went bankrupt in August 2019, as well as Jeffrey and Opening Ceremony, among others. The shift of many consumers from in-store shopping to more convenient online shopping has also fueled this trend.
With the closure of Fred Segal, a significant chapter in LA’s fashion history comes to an end, but its influence and innovative spirit will continue to inspire many.