LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today joined Councilmember Jose Huizar and the CEOs of Fifth and Pacific Companies and Lucky Brand for the grand opening of the new Lucky Brand Headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.
The new headquarters brings approximately 250 jobs to Los Angeles’ growing and vibrant Downtown Arts District. This facility will house Lucky Brand’s executive offices, finance, product and store design, production, merchandizing, creative services, marketing, and public relations units.
“I am thrilled to welcome Lucky Brand to the “Creative Capital of the World,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. ”We are serious about attracting employers to Los Angeles and cutting the red tape that too often has kept them away in the past. That is what today is all about, creating a healthier environment for job creation in LA.”
Under the new Development Services Case Management Office, the City of Los Angeles assigns a project manager to each business to walk it through the development process. In the past companies were forced to contact individuals at seven different City departments. The Case Management Office opened in 2011.
Mayor Villaraigosa directed his staff in the Office of Economic and Business Policy to work closely with C.E.G. Construction, the developer of the building, as well as Lucky Brand, to troubleshoot issues in the permitting and construction process. The Mayor’s business team contacted C.E.G. and Lucky Brand on a weekly basis to help resolve development related issues during the construction phase to facilitate their move from the City of Vernon to the City of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles area fashion business accounts for $13 billion in annual revenue for wholesale and manufacturing, $7 billion in direct and indirect wages, and 110,000 direct jobs at about 10,000 companies.
“Lucky Brand should be commended for bringing jobs and services to the Arts District, Downtown and the whole Los Angeles region,” said Councilmember José Huizar. “Downtown Los Angeles is one of Southern California’s most important economic engines and working with Mayor Villaraigosa, I am committed to bringing more services, jobs and investment opportunities to Downtown.”
Lucky Brand’s decision to relocate jobs to the City of Los Angeles follows similar moves by Google, Coda and Belkin.
