A Risen Star


Anna Huling got a degree in social work at San Francisco State, but her real passion was fashion.

In the mid-1980s, she managed a San Francisco outlet of The Limited before departing for Los Angeles where she became an assistant designer for a line called “Hippie” produced by Joe Dahan of "Joe's Jeans.”

She soon struck out on her own, designing from her apartment on Sweetzer Ave., and shipping from the garage.
My understanding is that Anna noticed girls in dance clubs (she loved to dance) were cutting the top band off their high-rise jeans and decided to save them the work by manufacturing just such a low-cut pant. She had a sample made, took it in to the influential Ron Herman store on Melrose Ave., they bit, and the item blew up.
In a very short time she was shipping to Asia and Europe, as well as domestically. Barney's New York, Macy's ...you name it.
In 1996, she was nominated for, and won, the award for Rising Star in California apparel.

It was the year Lauryn Hill nabbed eight Grammys. Anna doesn't remember the circumstances now, but Hill (or her people) chose her line to do a fashion shoot with the rapper.
I have posted a blurry photo from that day along with clips from the award ceremony and fashion show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where many rich and famous people have overdosed.
It was an exciting time. The apartment was thick with pots of bubbling dye, fabric swatches, Latina seamstresses and leggy models coming and going.

The actress who played Marcia on the “Brady Bunch" was always dropping by looking for freebies and Anna obliged. You don't say "no" to Marcia Brady.
I mostly sat around slackjawed at the sexy spectacle.
During fashion events, press would approach my gal for quotes on seasonal trends and I was proud to be the unknown writer at the side of L.A. fashion's "It" girl.
We thought it would last longer and were not fully aware of just what she was accomplishing, but are grateful for the memories, or at least I am.
Sic transit gloria mundi...
...suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Anna turns 60 on Aug. 23.
(We still live on Sweetzer Ave. Just in a different flat).




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