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Fraser Ross knew he had a good idea when he set up shop back in 2000, but the overwhelming reaction to his L.A.-based Kitson store took even him by surprise.
"I never thought that we'd be this successful," said Ross. "The day I opened, we sold $4,000 and I thought, `Oh, good, I don't have to worry.' Then we went up and up and up."
These days, "As Seen at Kitson" has become one of fashion's hottest phrases. The incredible hype surrounding the shop is matched only by its exciting assortment. Sales at the Los Angeles-based store now average about $50,000 a day. Combined with Web sales, the store is on track to top $20 million this year alone -- 15 percent to 20 percent of which comes from footwear.
No wonder, then, that Kitson has become one of Los Angeles' hottest locations for celebrities to shop. From Halle Berry to Paris Hilton, stars are commonly photographed by the paparazzi while leaving the store, introducing Kitson to a worldwide audience.
The store merchandises an eclectic, high/low blend of footwear, apparel, handbags, trinkets and novelty items -- $700 sweaters are mixed in with $12 key chains and bins filled with flip-flops. The common thread is that all of the products relate in some way to what is happening in American pop culture.
"When I opened that store five years ago, no one got it," noted Ross. "Now everyone is trying to copy the store and Kitson-ize their store. It's entertainment."
Over the past five years, Kitson has evolved from somewhat of a retail anomaly into one of the premier launching pads for new fashion trends. And the celebs who love shopping there serve as walking billboards for its cutting-edge wares.
Just last year, for example, Ross sparked a worldwide footwear sensation when he decided to take a risk on a little-known shoe called mukluks. It proved to be one of the hottest trends in recent years and earned Ross $1 million in sales of the boot. Said Ross, "For a store that is not really a shoe store and not really a clothing store, we made the hottest item of the season in footwear, on our little table."
Ross is now in the process of...