{"id":26151,"date":"2025-01-22T13:00:43","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T21:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/losgatan.com\/?p=26151"},"modified":"2025-01-23T21:16:18","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T05:16:18","slug":"local-retailers-join-forces-to-help-re-clothe-la-fire-victims1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/losgatan.com\/local-retailers-join-forces-to-help-re-clothe-la-fire-victims1\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Gatos retailers join forces to help re-clothe victims of Los Angeles-area fires"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On the second day of the Moss Landing battery fire<\/a> to the south\u2014as mask-clad shoppers along North Santa Cruz Avenue took in an especially colorful, if hazy, evening display\u2014Raschel Archambeault, the assistant manager of East Kennedy, helped load about $60,000 in merchandise into my car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While hauling garment bags and boxes filled with beauty products and apparel destined for victims of fires in the Los Angeles area, she couldn\u2019t help but be reminded of the 2020 wildfire that threatened her home in the Santa Cruz Mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m having flashbacks to the CZU Fire,\u201d she said, recalling how she was mistakenly stopped by law enforcement, with guns drawn, who thought she might be a looter taking advantage of a natural disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jaclyn
ADDING ITEMS – Jaclyn Blackwell, the owner of Jackie \u2019O, drops by East Kennedy with a bag of brand new clothing for the free shopping day for LA fire victims organized in partnership with \u201cThe Valley\u201d star Kristen Doute. (Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As local firefighters remain in Southern California, monitoring the impact of Santa Ana winds on fire zones that have claimed more than two dozen lives and leveled entire communities, Archambeault says she\u2019s just happy her place of work can do its part to provide a sense of respite to those who have lost everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re trying to rebuild your life,\u201d she said of the impact she hopes the brand-new items\u2014with tags still attached\u2014they\u2019re donating will have on SoCal\u2019s grieving quarters. \u201cIt\u2019s going to rebuild your identity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

East Kennedy teamed up with Kristen Doute, a reality TV star who was part of the \u201cVanderpump Rules\u201d<\/a> cast, and now appears on \u201cThe Valley,\u201d<\/a> to host a free shopping day for \u201canyone that has been affected\u201d by the wildfires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los Gatos retailers who\u2019ve contributed new goods include Romantiques<\/a>, French Lessons<\/a>, Jackie \u2019O<\/a> and Tassels<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From East Kennedy came duvet covers with a champagne Greek key pattern, silk sleep sets, Mac Duggal<\/a> evening jumpsuits, green athleisure leggings from Joah Brown, and short velvet dresses and classic sweat sets from Juicy Couture<\/a>\u2014among other items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hayley Aurelio, the owner of East Kennedy<\/a>, spent much of her adult life in and around the LA area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And on Jan. 9\u2014just two days after the Palisades Fire sparked\u2014she shared her plan in an Instagram story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are dedicated to donating at least 300 items and collaborating with our designer friends, vendors (and) other small businesses to acquire brand new garments directly from showrooms & boutiques for those affected by the fires,\u201d she wrote. \u201cWhile we acknowledge that clothing may seem trivial in light of larger issues, we understand the emotional value of a wardrobe. Items like a favorite pair of jeans, a sentimental shirt, or a meaningful dress may not have been prioritized during such a crisis, yet they hold significant memories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aurelio said she couldn\u2019t help but be inspired by the \u201coverwhelming support\u201d bubbling up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur goal is to create an opportunity for those impacted by the fires to \u2018shop for free,\u2019 selecting only brand new items. These garments are intended solely for them, helping them to create new memories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept was to manifest \u201ca true retail therapy experience\u201d\u2014essentially conjuring up a small positive moment in the wake of tragic circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
IN THE TOTE – Printed tops, neatly folded, including one with The Beverly Hills Hotel on it\u2014at the gateway to the Sunset Strip when driving from the Palisades.
(Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The next step, she added, would be to concentrate on the logistics of how to bring the vision to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you have any ideas or suggestions to help us make this event possible, please reach out!\u201d she typed. \u201cThe city I once called home is in crisis, and many cherished memories are at stake. We are committed to doing everything we can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within a day, she\u2019d secured the partnership with Doute and her brand James Mae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe did it, everyone!\u201d she announced in an all-caps font displayed tastefully at an angle on another IG story. \u201cSince we can\u2019t be there in person, they have graciously volunteered to host a \u2018free shopping\u2019 day for the victims of these disasters in the coming weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019d be more details to come, Aurelio promised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA heartfelt thank you to all our local Los Gatos boutiques, our designers across the US, and vendors who have generously committed to donate new and unworn items! The support has truly been remarkable!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Jan. 16, as Archambeault prepared the items to ship, in walked Jaclyn Blackwell, the owner of Jackie \u2019O next door, sauntered in with a bag of jumpsuits, shorts, pants and tops to add to the load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her own brother, who lives in the Hollywood area, evacuated to San Diego as flames crept closer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their mom, Andrea, remembers her son as the situation unfolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll you heard in the background was sirens,\u201d she said in an interview. \u201cSo many of us have people in LA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jaclyn says, in the end, her brother\u2019s residence wasn\u2019t impacted. And she\u2019s happy her small business can do something to help those who have lost their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad that we\u2019re able to do something like this\u2014and have enough clothes to give,\u201d she said. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine losing everything. It\u2019s devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, East Kennedy was raising money to cover the cost to ship the wall of boxes that was stacking up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Venice
ARRIVAL – A Venice canal at sunrise on Saturday.
(Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d mentioned in passing to Scotts Valley Mayor Derek Timm that I was considering driving a load of goods to LA and he offered to pitch gas money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timm said he has friends in Calabasas who were ordered to leave during the fire, and his wife\u2019s parents were on evacuation-standby in Woodland Hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Weeklys editor who worked on this article also evacuated during the Palisades Fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susan Testa, the owner of Romantiques<\/a> and French Lessons<\/a>, said contributing top-of-the-line undergarments and loungewear was a no-brainer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a friend that\u2019s still evacuated in Topanga Canyon,\u201d she said. \u201cEspecially with intimates\u2014that\u2019s one of the things that people really need when they evacuate a fire zone. They grab all their other stuff and forget their underwear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least one of her customers\u2014a former Los Gatos resident\u2014lost her home to the fire, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019re happy to take whatever they can get,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s just nice to get something clean and fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time I left, the fire at the Moss Landing battery plant had finally been quenched, though Highway 1 was still closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, the drive\u2014through the night to avoid traffic\u2014was uneventful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time I got to the Southland, the worst of the fires were over. The air appeared cleaner than it had been in Los Gatos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The local strike team on the Eaton Fire had been sent home days earlier; however, there was still a Cal Fire contingent and a Santa Clara County Fire Department group assigned to the fire in the Pacific Palisades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I arrived in Venice, the sun was rising past lavender clouds that obscured the view of the Malibu area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A woman I met on the beach named Zoe Thompson, who was out walking her dog Maui-Wowie, said it was nice to finally feel like LA was finally turning a corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And she said it felt amazing to see help coming in from far and wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, she said she\u2019d heard of another clothing initiative happening that weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"clothing
MAKING THE DROP – Suzanne Jones (left), of James Mae, and Suzanne Marchese, founder and designer for LA-based clothing company RESA, take delivery of merchandise from Los Gatos retailers. (Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the drop point I met Suzanne Jones, Doute\u2019s partner on the James Mae brand, who helped unload the items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt keeps evolving,\u201d she said of the free shopping day plan. \u201cWe\u2019re getting such an outpouring of donations from brands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suzanne Marchese, founder and designer of made-in-LA brand RESA, pulled up in an SUV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her company manufactured a line specifically for fire victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just wanted to make something that\u2019s comfortable,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, like unisex T-shirts and sweats.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that day, I met up with Colin Noyes, a forester whose day job is at Cal Fire\u2019s Soquel Demonstration State Forest<\/a>, at 29400 Highland Way, Los Gatos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"building
DESTRUCTION – This sort of scene in the Pacific Palisades just goes on for miles and miles. (Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 2020, he responded to the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire, and was now assigned to public information officer duties on the Palisades incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe big difference was the fuel types,\u201d he said. \u201cThis was grass and brush; that was 200-foot redwood canopy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, he added, both cases underscored how people need to put more effort into hardening their home against wildfires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey need to maintain adequate defensible space around their structure,\u201d he said. \u201cThey need to contemplate upgrading their structure to be more fire-resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"fire
TOWARDS THE OCEAN – SOMBRE ATMOSPHERE – Sunset over the remains of the Palisades. (Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As we cruised up Sunset Boulevard in his pickup, I was reminded of the time I went to a job interview for a local newspaper in the Palisades; and the day I watched skydivers descend on a Fourth of July parade on a downtown that\u2014particularly given the military checkpoints\u2014now resembled a conflict zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very similar to old Los Gatos,\u201d Noyes remarked as we got out to survey the rubble along one residential road. \u201cIt\u2019s just blocks and blocks of this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A couple guys from NW Natural, a Portland-based company contracting for SoCalGas, were checking to see what was left of the heating infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marcus
IT\u2019S GONE – Daniel Marcus takes a break from shopping for a new wardrobe at a Manhattan Beach boutique Sunday to show what\u2019s left of the mobile home park where he was living when the Palisades Fire broke out.
(Drew Penner \/ Los Gatan)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s about 20 of us running around,\u201d said one who gave his name as Michael. \u201cThey just gave us a spreadsheet and said, \u2018Go.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other side of the street, Noyes pointed to one tree with tips extending in a similar direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe call it leaf-freeze, or needle-freeze,\u201d he said, as the sun dipped below the brick chimneys that were still standing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was an off-kilter, mournful aspect to the scene. The fires have left many in a state of uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt brings up a lot of questions about how people are going to move forward,\u201d Noyes said. \u201cLook where we\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Soquel Demonstration State Forest has been somewhat of a laboratory for solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done lots of forest-thinning projects,\u201d he said, noting this is one way to handle wildfires more effectively in the future. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to stop it, but maybe when It burns, it will be at a lower intensity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Marcus, a 67-year-old physician, was living just down the hill at a mobile home park. He was supposed to move out the day the fire ignited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knows he\u2019s luckier than many\u2014lots of his possessions were housed in a different location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, the following night, there he was at a Manhattan Beach boutique shopping for brand-new clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was very unsettling,\u201d he said of the ordeal. \u201cIt was very abrupt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event has been scheduled for Feb. 1 + 2, from 9am-3pm, at 4228 Del Rey Ave., Marina del Rey. It\u2019s open to anyone who\u2019s been affected by the LA fires. Photo ID and proof of residency is required for gate access.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the second day of the Moss Landing battery fire to the south\u2014as mask-clad shoppers along North Santa Cruz Avenue took in an especially colorful, if hazy, evening display\u2014Raschel Archambeault, the assistant manager of East Kennedy, helped load about $60,000 in merchandise into my car. While hauling garment bags and boxes filled with beauty products […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1073,"featured_media":26156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[2,9],"tags":[12129,12131,4841,12132,10711,12114,7282,12130,2973,12126,12134,10712,12128,2922,12113,10496,4325,12115,12127,12133,187],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n