LOS ANGELES - In a town known for its celebrities, everyone wants to know Jason Asch. Is he a movie director, an actor or producer? No. He's the owner of Diamond Foam & Fabrics, a bustling decorative fabrics store catering to Hollywood stars, set designers, interior designers and anyone else who walks in off the street. 

His store is packed with customers and merchandise. Industry executives say he sells more yards of fabric than many of his big-time retail and wholesale competitors. One reason is because he doesn't take a high markup, says Asch. Asch buys fabric from nearly every major decorative resource in the world. And he has an opinion about everything and everyone fabric, or Hollywood-related. Just ask. In the same breath, he'll tell you whose line looks good or bad, what companies are having delivery problems, what movies are hot and other related Hollywood gossip. It's all part of his charm which his vendors and customers love.

"I like to buy stuff that says something, that has a look."

These days, Asch spends more and more time working with mills and converters to develop new products and trends. In fact, he helped launch the tea-stained linen craze and, as a supplier of fabric to Shabby Chic and showed the world that washed damasks make great slipcovers. He says it’s his customers who tell him what to buy.

He also likes natural textures and fabrics with boucle yarns. “I like to buy stuff that says something, that has a look.” Says Asch. You wouldn’t know it from his two-level store that’s bursting with bolts and bolts of fabric. But, after spending time with Asch, you realize the store-always in a state of disorganized organization- is a reflection of himself. “We do this so the customer has to look at everything.”

Just up the street is the huge complex of Diamond Foam & Fabrics, offering probably the finest selection of designer fabrics anywhere on the West Coast. And at discount prices!. Owner Jason Asch has combed the globe (nice job, huh?), visiting flea markets everywhere, in search of vintage draperies, upholstery fabrics, and unusual prints that he then replicates in several top mills with whom he works. Woven fabrics are Diamond's strong point, however a good 20% of his fabrics are imported-check out the French fabrics from Provence. They're gorgeous. Four buildings at 20,000 square feet house rolls and rolls of fabrics of every conceivable color and texture.

There are glazed chintzes, cotton and wool plaids, stripes, patchwork (the real thing), ticking, tweeds, corduroys, as well as the traditional silks, satins, shantungs, cottons: linens, laces, eyelets,
even terry-cloth, velour’s and canvas.

Prints and textures range from English hunting patterns to 60's daisies, French fIorals, animal prints, paisleys, faux furs, leathers, suedes, and Indian prints. As for textures- corduroys, waffle weaves, nubby velvets, cotton and silk brocades-the list is endless.

If you don't find it at Diamond Foam it probably doesn't exist. Incidentally, now is the perfect time to get started on those personalized Holiday gifts A handmade pillow means so much to the recipient. And you can create one from short ends (stuffed with foam) and trimmings at a fraction of what you'd spend in a trendy boutique.

Los Angeles - In a town known for its celebrities, everyone wants to know Jason Asch. Is he a movie director, an actor or producer? No. He's the owner of Diamond Foam & Fabrics, a bustling decorative fabrics store catering to Hollywood stars, set designers, interior designers and anyone else who walks in off the streets.

His store is packed with customers and merchandise. Industry executives say he sells more yards of fabric than many of his big-time retail competitors. One reason is because he doesn't take a high markup, Asch says. Asch buys fabric from nearly ever major decorative resource in the world. The store is filled with linen prints from P/ Kaufmann, tapestries from Craftex, damasks from Weave Corp. and Home Fabrics, velvets from J.B. Martin, the list goes on and on. And he has an opinion about every- thing and everyone fabric-or Hollywood- related. 

Within the industry, Asch garners similar respect. " He's one- of-a-kind," says Ron Kaufmann, president of P/ Kaufmann. "His store is special because he has a wonderful eye, he's very involved and knows a tremendous amount of people in the business. His love of the industry can be seen in his store. While Asch can be seen ringing up orders, cutting yardage, or helping a customer search for that perfect shade of teal, these days he spends more and more time working with mills and converters to develop new products and trends. In fact, he helped initiate the tea-stained linen craze and as a supplier of fabric to trend-setting furniture retailer Shabby Chic, showed the world that washed damasks make great slipcovers. He says it's his customers who tell him what to buy. 

He also likes the idea of natural textures and fabrics with boucle yams. "I like to buy stuff that says something, that has a look," says Asch. You wouldn't know it from his two-level store that's bursting with bolts and bolts of fabric. But, after spending time with Asch, you realize the store is always in a state of un-organized organization and is a reflection of himself. "We do this so the customer has to look at everything," says Asch, who is looking at everything else, trying to figure out what to buy next.

Material Guy: "I'm not a name person, I don't like to validate things with names," Jason Asch, the owner of Diamond Foam and Fabric, tells me before revealing that Tom Ford, Tom Hanks, and Ringo Starr shop here, L.A.'s fabric warehouse extravaganza.

You forgive him his little bit of false modesty because he so clearly loves the fabric world. "Look at this, German chenille," he exclaims, fingering the fabric. It has chenille in the warp and the weft. That's what makes it unique!" The manufacturer is small and is bent on quality, damn the cost - just the approach that wins Asch's affection. Still, there are practical reasons to shop here, price being foremost (Italian chenille is $65 - $80 a yard "it's $260 at Ralph" Asch says.) 

Timeliness too. Asch gets new patterns out faster than the big houses because he's not creating a line, just adding bolts to the already overflowing stockroom. 

Nice touch too: The bread and cheese on the counter.