Red Fox boutique goes for quality, kitsch and uniqueness
Jeremy Scruggs’ passion for retail started when he was about 3-years-old.
When his mother shopped at the now-defunct Buffums, he would hide in the upscale department store’s round garment racks.
That interest in fashion developed into Scruggs holding positions at luxury retailers Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan and Tom Ford for over 20 years.
But in 2003, Scruggs left the international leaders to manage Queen Bee, a boutique in Newport Beach.
After nine years of running the women’s clothing shop, he knew it was time for his own store.
More than three years ago he opened Red Fox in Laguna Beach and last month launched a second location in Corona del Mar. Both stores are dedicated entirely to women’s clothes, accessories and jewelry.
“It’s a dream closet,” Scruggs said as he walked past a display of jewelry at the Corona del Mar store, a new brick building on Pacific Coast Highway.
Red Fox, which was named for its “kitschiness” and ability to sound androgynous so it could incorporate men’s clothing in the future, carries up-and-coming designers like Wilde Heart, Generation Love and SW3 Bespoke, a London-based line.
To help grow his business, Scruggs took on two co-owners: Celin Miller, a client he had styled for a dozen years, and her colleague Kim Carey. The women help Scruggs with the shop’s buying and marketing of merchandise.
“I loved his taste and ideas,” Miller said.
Their new shop opened in early August in a lot on Pacific Coast Highway in Corona del Mar that once held a flooring business. It carries the Laguna store’s brands, including Elizabeth and James, a women’s contemporary line established by Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen.
The apparel, Scruggs said, is popular with teenagers to women in their 60s.
When choosing a brand to carry, Scruggs said he looks for quality and pieces that make a statement.
His collection of accessories features designs by local jewelers. For instance, pendants and rings from La Weez Jewelry are made by Laguna Beach artist Nichole Louise McKinney.
The shop also carries Los Angeles-based jewelers Wendy Stillman, who hand-casts sterling and 14-carat gold into earrings, and Vanessa Mooney, known for her body-chains, necklaces and chokers.
“The merchandise here doesn’t compete with itself,” Scruggs said. “We find one great thing, believe in it and utter it.”
Scruggs said the team has also added activewear ALO Yoga, a motorcycle-inspired performance line made with wicking fabric that pulls moisture from the body so the sweat can evaporate more easily.
When it comes to carrying jeans, Scruggs said he likes to select one premium brand and stick with it.
McGuire Denim, designed in New York and made in Los Angeles, was started by an industry insider with a love of ‘60s style. The look is all part of the team’s vision to sell pieces that are a cross between bohemian and modern.
“It’s a nice mix,” Miller said. “We’ll hint on trends, but the pieces are more than one aesthetic. It gives us a good variety.”
The three owners said they may make seasonal buys but particularly look for pieces that are timeless, everyday wear.
Scruggs’ favorite special touch at his boutiques are the selfie walls, where customers can take pictures of themselves in outfits pieced together at Red Fox.
Scruggs said he aspires is to continue expanding his company with additional locations.
“The best part for me is always having a creative side and driving my own business,” Scruggs said. “It’s very exciting.”
If You Go
What: Red Fox
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, appointment only Sundays
Where: 3500 E. Coast Hwy., Suite 130, Corona del Mar; 1500 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach
Information: (949) 612-7720 or visit redfoxgoodclothes.com