LA-based fashion brand Sanctuary has opened its first flagship store in Beverly Hills. This marks a step in its direct-to-consumer strategy after nearly 30 years in business.
The brand, founded by Ken and Debra Polanco, has opened a 2000sqft space at 358 North Beverly Drive. Established in 1997, Sanctuary began with a focus on bottoms and built its customer base through cargo and utility styles. It later expanded into ready-to-wear, petites, curve, swimwear, footwear and accessories.
Debra Polanco, cofounder and chief creative officer, said the decision to open a standalone retail location followed the completion of the brand’s lifestyle assortment. She said Beverly Drive was selected due to its mix of retail tenants, proximity to Westfield Century City and infrastructure upgrades tied to the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The store will offer capsules, early product releases and a selection of vintage and pre-owned items. The company said the location will also serve as a space to test customer engagement and merchandising formats. “This store definitely is all about the learning and the connection,” Polanco said.
In its early years, Sanctuary positioned itself as an alternative during the premium denim boom in Los Angeles. “We wanted to master the fit of pants,” Polanco said. “We decided to be the alternative to denim.” Bottoms currently account for about 50 per cent of revenue.
Key categories include Army green cargo styles, camouflage designs and T-shirts, including the “perfect T” and graphic styles. Bottoms and knitwear lead sales. The company operates teams by distribution channel and adjusts assortments and pricing across wholesale, department stores, specialty retail and direct-to-consumer.
The brand’s core customer is aged 30 to 50. Sanctuary said annual retail revenue exceeds $200 million, with double-digit growth across the business. Wholesale represents about 70 per cent of revenue through partners including Anthropologie, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
The area around Beverly Hills has several developments underway, including One Beverly Hills near Rodeo Drive, a new Louis Vuitton flagship and the entry of Italian restaurant Sant Ambroeus.
Sanctuary plans to open a second flagship, likely in New York, and aims to operate 10 stores by 2030.