Fred Segal
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Fate | Closed e-commerce platform and majority of stores in 2024 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Apparel, accessories |
Fred Segal is a prominent American retailer specializing in apparel and accessories, established in 1961. In 2024, the company declared the closure of its e-commerce platform along with the majority of its brick-and-mortar outlets.
Stores
As of 2023, Fred Segal operated six stores across the United States. Its flagship location was situated on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, accompanied by additional stores in Malibu, Los Angeles, Larkspur, and Las Vegas. Beyond the U.S., Fred Segal maintained international flagship stores in Daikanyama, Yokohama, and Kobe in Japan, as well as one in Taipei, Taiwan, and another within the Galleria Department Store in Seoul, South Korea.
History
Fred Segal’s origins trace back more than fifty years to a modest jeans-only shop named Pants America. This initial 300-square-foot space expanded significantly over time. Upon relocating to Melrose Avenue in 1961, the store was rebranded as Fred Segal. Through strategic acquisitions of neighboring properties, it evolved into a retail complex spanning 29,000 square feet with parking for 102 vehicles. Fred Segal empowered key managers to take ownership of individual boutiques within their areas of merchandising expertise inside this retail center.
In May 2012, Sandow Media acquired global licensing rights to the Fred Segal brand; however, this deal excluded the two retail centers at 8100 Melrose Avenue—sold by the family over ten years prior—and the Santa Monica center, which ceased operations in 2016. Later that year, Sandow unveiled plans to expand Fred Segal’s footprint domestically and internationally by opening new flagship stores, launching its inaugural online store, and developing exclusive product lines.
Under Sandow’s leadership, a 2,000-square-foot Fred Segal location debuted in 2013 within the refurbished Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. In September 2017, the brand inaugurated its flagship store at the intersection of Sunset and La Cienega in West Hollywood.
Global Icons acquired Fred Segal in March 2019. Evolution Media—a joint venture between Creative Artists Agency and TPG Capital—retained a minority interest. The Fred Segal family continued to hold ownership of the trademark while Global Icons managed its licensing. In April 2019, Fred Segal launched a new store location in Malibu.
The founder of Fred Segal passed away on February 25, 2021, due to complications from a stroke at age 87.
In early 2024, a sublicense was granted for a 4,000-square-foot Fred Segal Home showroom featuring furniture and accessories at the HD Buttercup Design Center in Culver City. By July 2024, the retailer had shuttered its last two California locations—on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica and at The Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City—as well as stores at Marin Country Mart in Larkspur; Malibu; and its Sunset Boulevard flagship in West Hollywood. This left only one remaining outlet at Resorts World in Las Vegas, which itself closed by December 2024. Concurrently, Fred Segal discontinued its online retail operations during July 2024.