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HISTORY OF BRIGHTON
The Brighton brand was launched in 1991 with a single collection of belts.
But over the years, Brighton has become an accessories company with something
for everyone. Handbags were added to the line in 1993, followed by small
leather goods, watches, footwear, fragrance, jewelry, home accessories
and eyewear. The collection also includes men's belts, wallets, watches
and other leather accessories.
Today Brighton is the only major accessories line featuring products
that coordinate from head to toe. A customer might choose a lipstick case
that matches a wallet, earrings that match a pair of sunglasses, a handbag
that matches footwear, or an entire coordinating collection consisting
of multiple accessories. Each piece in the Brighton collection is a unique
original design. The company's design team travels the world seeking new
leathers and inspiration for the products' one-of-a-kind ornamentation.
Brighton products are available in nearly 6,000 specialty stores nationwide
and 50 all-Brighton stores from coast to coast. In keeping with owner
and president Jerry Kohl's philosophy to do business only with stores
that offer excellent customer service, Brighton products are not sold
in department stores or on the Internet.
Brighton is a division of Leegin Creative Leather Products based in City
of Industry, CA. For more than 25 years, Leegin has been manufacturing
belts and other leather accessories at a California factory that has expanded
from a shop with five employees to a technologically advanced plant employing
more than 600 people. Components for some of the products are manufactured
internationally in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, China, Taiwan,
Korea and Japan.
HISTORY OF BRIGHTON COLLECTIONS BY ANGELA
Brighton Collections by Angela was a new concept store for Angela and
Craig Pettitt. Angela and Craig founded an upscale western lifestyle store
called Out West. Out West opened in Fashion Valley Mall in 1994 and operated
through February 1999.
Out West began as a traditional upscale western lifestyle store. Carrying
boots, apparel, furniture, home furnishings and more. After four years
of operation, Angela and Craig recognized that BRIGHTON was far exceeding
any other category. In October1998, they relocated to LaJolla to test
a smaller location and feature mainly BRIGHTON. The temporary store "test"
was a success.
Angela and Craig approached the Brighton folks in early 1999 on the idea
of opening a Brighton only boutique and were approved as only the second
licensee in the world to have Brighton in their name. The first official
Brighton boutique opened in the Dallas Galleria in fall 1998 and was called;
Brighton Collectibles by Brenda. Out West opened Brighton Collections
by Angela in North County Fair, in Escondido in May 1999.
HISTORY OF BRIGHTON COLLECTIBLES
In late 1999, Jerry Kohl, the owner of Brighton, recognized the national
appeal for Brighton by the consumer and by mall developers. In addition
to the few existing licensees, he opened his first (company owned) store
in Sherman Oaks, Ca. The company now has over 50 stores nationwide with
plans for 10-20 more each year. In addition, Brighton Licensees have over
30 stores combined. Angela and Craig opened their second store; Brighton
Collectibles, in late 2001 at the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside and their
third in Temecula at The Promenade on July 2, 2003.
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