Fred Segal, LA celebrity fashion retailer, dies aged 87

The designer rose to popularity in the 1960s and was known for his laid-back California style

Retailer and designer Fred Segal has died aged 87. Getty Images

Fred Segal, a notable Los Angeles celebrity fashion retailer, died on Thursday aged 87.

Segal died from complications of a stroke at a Santa Monica hospital, his publicist said on Friday.

Segal "was an innovator, a forward thinker, a rule-breaker, a mentor to so many, such a lover of life and a humanitarian," his family said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "Anyone who knew him felt his powerful energy. He worked his whole life to have self-love and to teach all of us to love one another."

His company's website counts the Beatles, Diana Ross, Elvis Presley and Farrah Fawcett as his earliest fans.

Segal opened his first shop in West Hollywood in 1961, where he sold denim jeans and flannel and velvet ensembles, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Hollywood Reporter said Segal's ivy-covered location in West Hollywood became a celebrity hot spot over the years and was featured prominently in 1995 classic teen comedy film Clueless.

“Lucy! Where’s my white collarless shirt from Fred Segal?” Alicia Silverstone’s Cher says.

The Hollywood Reporter said it was not uncommon to see actress Cameron Diaz or other major stars such as Jennifer Aniston perusing the shops at Fred Segal or dining at its restaurant.

He is survived by his wife, five children and two stepchildren.