James Perse

James Perse was born in Los Angeles, California in 1972. James' childhood was split between the beach, the hockey rink and the floor of his father's innovative Los Angeles boutique, Maxfield. With Maxfield at the forefront of putting Los Angeles on the fashion map, James received an incidental education on cutting edge fashion from Europe and Asia, on modern architecture, furniture design and on the elegant and the clean-line.

Ironically, sports led James to his first foray into fashion. Obsessed with baseball caps, he could never find one that was well designed - with quality construction, shape, fabric and coloring. In 1991, James set out to make the ideal cap for Maxfield and it was not long before customers became clients - film directors ordered hats for their cast and crew and record labels bought them for tours.

It is his excessive taste for minimalist architecture which encouraged James Perse to create in 1994 his own line of tee-shirts which will be completed two years later by a complete collection of ready-to-wear clothing with elegant and comfortable design. In 1998, the brand launched an equally outlined men's collection and later, a line for babies and children.

In 2003, James Perse opened its first retail store. The retail environment acts as a medium for conveying the company's culture, ideas and values. Today, James Perse is a global brand, operating 9 company-owned stores, with six located in his native California and others in New York, Colorado and Las Vegas. James Perse is also available at top specialty retailers such as Barneys New York, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue and is sold internationally. James Perse launched its online shopping site in 2007 reaching a broader audience. Currently, a boutique hotel that captures the James Perse lifestyle is in development.