Frederick’s of Hollywood

If you don’t have it, we make it.

Born on New York’s Lower East Side in 1913, Frederick Mellinger, the youngest of six children, got his start at an intimate apparel store when was a teenager (apparently lying about his age). After serving three years in the U.S. Army, the ambitious Signal Corps sergeant had an idea for an intimate apparel store of his own — much to the encouragement of his fellow troopers.

In 1946, Mellinger opened his first mail-order store in New York called Frederick’s on Fifth Avenue. The following year Mellinger moved to California and christened his new business, Frederick’s of Hollywood. Known as women’s specialty store and mail-order house, Frederick’s first location was 5430 Hollywood Blvd and moved in the mid-1950s to 1430 North Cahuenga.

Frederick Mellinger, 1975.

It wasn’t until 1961 Mellinger acquired a four-story building at 6608 Hollywood Blvd. After a facelift, the twenty-eight year-old building became the new headquarters and one of their most well-known locations. The site was formerly discount store, S. H. Kress. The grand opening in October 1961 was attended by actress Joan Shawlee, model June Wilkinson, as well as members of the U.S. Coastguard.

Success was swift, as the pioneer of push-up bras was in talks to franchise the stores nationally. Within a few years, “finding the fun in Frederick’s fashions” could be found in North Hollywood (6353 Laurel Canyon), Garden Grove (9711 Chapman), Santa Monica (1334 Third Street), East Los Angeles (4719 Whittier), Inglewood (323 South Market St), Long Beach (205 East Ocean Avenue), and Ventura (554 East Main).

The Hollywood store was given another facelift in 1968, including a new purple and hot-pink facade. The company was doing a reported $8M annually and increased to approximately $25M by 1980. By then, another company selling lingerie would soon take a piece of the pie — Victoria’s Secret.

A line of men’s fashions was introduced in 1979, some say as a result to quell charges of sexism and the feminists picketing outside his stores. Sales were flaccid in the mid-1980s and Mellinger stepped down as chairman. The Frederick’s image received a makeover; catalogs were devoid of sex aids and X-rated videos and even the models were starting to appear more wholesome.

Back in Hollywood, the flagship store (now painted stale grey) added a lingerie museum in 1989, which among other must-see items, included Isabel Sandford’s bra. One year later, the King of Passion Fashion passed away.

In early 2000, the firm (which went public in 1972) sold it’s Art Deco landmark building (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) to an investor for just under $5M. The building would later be home to The Kress — a nightclub whose influential patrons included Ian Ziering, Matthew Perry and David Spade.

The catalog you ordered but your husband read is finally here.