Featured in the Vanity Fair Section of The Orange County Register’s April 19th 2015 issue, Deborah Drucker offers an exclusive peek into her closet.

Featured in the O.C. Style Section of Orange Coast Magazine’s March 2015 issue, Deborah Drucker’s Silk T with embossed leather showcases Sadie Drucker’s artwork. This painterly leather blouse is part of Deborah Drucker’s 2015 Spring Summer Collection.

DEBORAH DRUCKER

Company: Deborah Drucker Inc.
Based in: Laguna Beach
Resides in: Laguna Beach

To find out what happens when Gucci’s sensuality meets rock ‘n’ roll attitude, just take a look at Laguna Beach-based designer Deborah Drucker’s debut collection. The daughter of a former Gucci timepiece designer and the wife of Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker, Deborah considers her foray into fashion the result of a natural progression. “I worked for my father, then I was a wife, [then] I raised my kids and now was the right time for me to pursue my passion for design,” she explains.

Tongue-in-cheek and rocker-chic, Deborah’s designs juxtapose classic silhouettes—pencil skirts, tailored jackets, tie-front blouses and cropped trousers—with contemporary creations like The Betty, a knee-length dress with a fitted bodice and a full skirt that Deborah envisions Lucille Ball wearing. Each piece features Deborah’s signature details, which include self-made animal prints and custom hardware (think skull-shaped zipper pulls).

Her commitment to exceptional detailing extends to all aspects of production. “I appreciate deconstructed [pieces] and am a huge fan of Rick Owens, but for me and what I do, it is about finessing the finish,” Deborah explains.

According to Deborah, the foundation for each piece begins with the fabric, which she chooses based on rudimentary sketches and color palettes. She’s particularly drawn to delicate fabrics such as silk charmeuse, tropical weight gabardine, silk chiffon and Italian lambskin leather, which can be seen in her current line.

The line—her first—can be found exclusively at A’Maree’s in Newport Beach and Shari’s Place in Greenvale, N.Y. “The vision [for the collection], in my mind, was sort of traditionalist with an unexpected twist,” she says. “Perhaps equivalent to the guy who loosens his tie at the end of a long day, has a shot of bourbon and the fun side comes out.”

In the future, she aspires to be carried in the “top 10 finest boutiques in America” and maintain a commitment to the highest quality of stateside production. “I do not want to [expand to the point of manufacturing] overseas,” she comments of the company’s future. “I would like to stay a ‘made in America’ brand, so if we need to grow slower, then that is how we will go.” (deborahdrucker.com)LBM

Deborah Drucker: Rock ’n’ Roll Chic

Apparel designer Deborah Drucker grew up in the apparel industry. Her father, Severin Wunderman, designed accessories and watches for Gucci, three uncles worked in Los Angeles’ garment district as manufacturers and importers, and her best friend’s father was the owner of Chemin de Fer jeans.

“I grew up hanging out in downtown LA,” Drucker said. “I live for fashion—always have.”

Drucker recently debuted her Fall/Winter 2013–2014 collection and a smaller Spring 2014 diffusion line at A’Maree’s boutique in Newport Beach, Calif.

The Laguna Beach, Calif.–based collection combines upscale, urban chic with Southern California coastal breeziness—and a bit of rock glam, no doubt inspired by Drucker’s husband, Stray Cats bass player Lee Rocker.

The collection includes tailored equestrian-style coats, mid-waist vested jackets, leather pants, bell-sleeve tops, pencil skirts and flowy styles. Eveningwear styles are non-traditional, including floor-length gowns and cocktail styles with edgy cutouts, draped backs and leather trim. Drucker’s fabrics range from multi-colored, sheer leopard prints and alligator to ikat wools, silk chiffon, and jerseys in a palette of gray, mustard, turquoise, plum and green offset with deep black. Styles are trimmed with custom-made skull buttons and zipper details.

Drucker collaborated with her daughter, Sadie, a 21-year-old painter trained at Parsons School of Design. Sadie Drucker’s pop-art illustrations appear on a silk/leather/spandex skirt in the Deborah Drucker line.

“I use [Sadie’s] canvas art for some of the more limited and elaborate prints,” Deborah Drucker said. “I wish she gave me more artwork, but her work is very detailed, and she does not just crank paintings out by the dozens.”

The Spring/Summer collection adds a nautical theme to the rock-inspired collection. Drucker mixes stripes with muted leopard prints and trims garments with yacht cord printed with the skull motif.

Retail prices range from $750 to $3,500.

“The Fall is complex and deep, much like the city of Manhattan,” Drucker said. “Fall is for the fog and the moist and the cool air that winter brings. The Spring/Summer is light, feminine and airy, like Southern California. It is for the sunshine and the beach boardwalks.”

The designer works with a small team to produce the American-made collection. There is a director of operations, who handles sourcing and development; a graphic designer; a patternmaker; and an artist who works with Drucker to create custom prints and trim.

In addition to A’maree’s, the Deborah Drucker collection sells at Shari’s Place in Long Island, N.Y. Celebrity fans include Perry Reeves, Catt Sadler and Alexis Knapp, Drucker said.

“My dear friend Amy Nelson said that if she gets to go to any awards shows with her dad, Willie, she will definitely be wearing DD as well,” Drucker added.

For sales information, contact Aida Khourseed at aida@estarise.com or (646) 286-0222.