Lake Forest-based L*Space Swimwear is looking to make a splash after hooking up with the owners of a bigger local clothing company.
The swimwear designer has partnered with the owners of Irvine-based C & C; Partners, Dac Clark and Paul Carr, who produce clothes under license or contract for other brands.
The three started a jointly owned company called L*Space America LLC, according to L*Space founder Monica Wise.
The deal includes funding for L*Space.
The move is part of a bid to grow by L*Space, which plans to add more workers and expand its line.
Wise is set to remain president and oversee design and branding. L*Space plans to continue making clothes at its factory in Santa Ana and keep its Lake Forest office.
C & C;, which produces Sanuk sandals and Liquid Force clothes inspired by wakeboarding, handles production and shipping of clothes to stores for apparel brands.
It contracts to have clothes made in China and then handles shipping from Irvine.
It’s common for smaller clothing brands to partner with companies such as C & C;, which have the ties and muscle to get clothes into more stores.
“I felt that I needed more of an infrastructure to my brand,” Wise said. “I had tried to on my own (but was) only able to build to a certain level. They assured me that they wouldn’t change the direction, look and feel of L*Space.”
Wise started L*Space in 1995.
The company sells women’s swimsuits in surf shops and boutiques.
The bikinis are skimpy and sassy, usually using print fabrics and embellishments, including rings or fringe.
Clark, co-owner of C & C;, said he plans to help grow L*Space in the U.S. and abroad and expand its sales force.
It should “allow L*Space to achieve more rapid and managed growth,” Clark said.
C & C;’s owners initially plan to focus on brand and product development and strategic planning. They’ll also work to improve sales management and information systems at L*Space.
“I’m able to pull from their resources and that’s a great thing,” Wise said.
In the past, L*Space faced “all of the challenges that small businesses struggle with: funding, planning, hiring and building a great staff,” Wise said.
Plus, there’s plenty of competition.
Rivals include big surfwear makers that have their own swimsuit lines, such as Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. and Irvine-based Billabong USA.
Other swimsuit makers, such as Raj Manufacturing Inc. of Tustin, also are competitors.
The first big change expected for L*Space is the introduction of a second line of swimsuits for summer 2009. Up to now, the company has done a single line for spring.
“Now they will give me the capabilities to do a second line,” Wise said. “Accounts have been asking for it for years.”
The deal with L*Space eventually could help C & C; replace some business it lost when San Diego-based R And Everything Else Inc. took back its license last year for Rusty surf-inspired clothes.
C & C; held the Rusty license for years.
After losing the Rusty business, C & C; laid off about 60 workers.
The two are embroiled in a lawsuit, in which C & C; alleges its agreement with R And Everything was unfairly ended.
A trial is set for September.
