Do you remember the part in the movie Clueless where Cher whines to her maid, “Lucy! Where’s my white colarless shirt from Fred Segal?” Well, that white shirt may have actually been from Ron Herman.�You can’t visit a posh shopping area in Los Angeles without seeing the name. Ron Herman, the retailer and the man are notorious for catering to the LA’s most fashionable residents. From Malibu to Melrose everyone in the LA fashion scene is familiar with Ron Herman’s aesthetic. The retailer launched thirty-five years ago at their flagship Melrose & Crescent Heights shop. This destination is home to the famous Fred Segal, where Herman continues to have a dominating presence. When the rising fashion powerhouse sat down with WWD to talk style and his shop’s expansion, we just had to bring you the major highlights.

On the Ron Herman brand being able to endure the times…

Ron Herman: Trust, loyalty, integrity. I found people who had a passion for denim and the most interesting thing of all was that they really believed what they were making was more or less American jeans. That was their plan, but because they were French or English or Italian, the interpretation of the jean came with a slight twist, and I found that to be very interesting, especially considering prices were not so expensive, and it was not exorbitant.�The Ron Herman brand, where it began and where it still is today, is about the relationships between the people who have a similar, parallel passion for this particular part of our industry.

On his connection to Southern California style…
RH: I think it has to do with a certain way that we relate to each other as people. It�s the way in which we live here. For example, in L.A., we have so many outdoor activities because of the weather. We have mountains, beaches, deserts, agriculture, wine country � it seems appropriate that jeans are a way that guys and girls can relate. Not necessarily riding horses or mining gold or farming, but we are doing all these things outdoors, and jeans are really good for this.

On his Los Angeles expansion strategy…
RH: I started to realize that people in L.A. live in cars. We actually drive a lot. To be connected to a community and take care of the people that live in that community, I wanted to open in that community.

The trend he’s happiest he said “no” to?
RH: Acid wash jeans. They are aesthetically unpleasing.

Ron Herman is in the process of expanding globally with a shop in Japan, but forever the retailer will remain a Southern California treasure.

[via WWD]