Fashion 87 : A Sampler of Designer-Owned Retail Stores

The list of designer-owned shops that fill special orders or custom orders is growing all the time. The following stores are included:

Laise Adzer, 8583 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 655-9285. One-size, unstructured-looking clothes in rich vegetable-dye colors are sold at all of the 15 Laise Adzer stores in the L.A. area. Despite their easy fit, the clothes are intended for office and afterward.

Ba-Tzu in the Beverly Center, 8500 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 854-6672. The store carries casual and weekend wear designed by store co-owner, Kim Dam.

Candy House, 13632 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, (818) 981-9232. Jean Thomas designs the modern and the Victorian-style party dresses that make up about half the stock.

Claudia Grau, 7520 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 651-0487. Grau is a designer-owner whose original designs are made of Japanese kimonos or hand-loomed Guatemalan fabric.

Margi Kent Studio, 7961 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 651-0331. Kent designs dressy outfits and day-time wear, and her regular customers include a number of rock musicians.

Bruce Halperin, 7526 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 655-6611. Halperin styles sporty day wear that both men and women can wear. He also makes jackets and skirts in evening fabrics, to order.

Neo-80, 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 651-1660. Spirited party clothes designed by the shop owner, Lisa Elliott, fill the racks here.

Sumiko Express, 3007 Main St., Santa Monica, (213) 399-2803. Store owner Sumiko’s own designs are a small part of her day- and evening-wear stock. She makes special-occasion outfits from antique kimonos. Some are ready-to-wear; others can be made to order.

Diana Venegas, 8704 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 659-6272. About half the stock of sample clothes is wedding wear. The store also features cocktail dresses and ball gowns to order. New to the shop is a small group of ready-to-wear cocktail suits.

Ellene Warren, 8590 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 659-8539. Exotic evening and cocktail clothes are featured here. Warren calls her designs “fantasy fashions.” A number of her clients are stage performers.