Fred Segal, whose West Hollywood store helped define the Los Angeles retail scene since its opening in 1961, passed away due to complications from a stroke, his representatives told TheWrap. He was 87.
“He was a true artist who dedicated his life to evolving as a human being in every aspect,” a rep for Segal said in a statement. “He challenged us to expand our minds and our hearts, to go deeper and to do better. He was an innovator, a forward thinker, a rule-breaker, a mentor to so many, such a lover of life and a humanitarian. 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. To the very end, he inspired us to never give up. He will be forever loved and celebrated.”
Segal suffered a stroke on Feb. 5, 2014, which he revealed in a holiday card, telling friends and family that “life as we knew it would never be the same.”
His iconic store was originally located on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood but later moved to the corner of Melrose Avenue and Crescent Heights Boulevard, the location it currently resides.
Segal is survived by his five children, 10 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, wife Tina and her two children and grandson. The family asks that to honor Fred Segal’s legacy, people can donate to the Segal Family-United World Foundation at 10960 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1100 Los Angeles, CA 90024.