Friday, April 26
AB633 Regulations: Industry Reaction
An enacted piece of legislation aimed at extending compliance liability across the apparel industry has undergone yet another revision. The Labor Department’s Division of Labor Standards and Enforcement (DLSE)...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Comrades Unite
Fashion was served up by seven up-and-starving independent designers at a Communist kitsch–heavy fashion show...
Short Recessions May be the Trend
according to Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, who told the Institute of International Finance that quick access to information and deregulation in financial markets will help keep U.S. economi...
More Guilford Facilities Shuttered
The Greensboro, N.C.-based textile mill announced plans to close two plants. The company, which is operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, will close facilities in Lumberton, N.C., and Altam...
Promising Debut for Cal Mart's Fall Junior Market
The first California Mart Fall junior market, which completed its four-day run on April 18, turned in strong attendance and generated healthy business, according to center officials, who are ...
Letters to the Editor
To the editor,...
Bobbin Postponed Until 2004
A rift between the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) trade group and the producer of the Bobbin technology trade shows has resulted in litigation as well as an appa...
CGS Acquires Leadtec Systems
New York-based software developer Computer Generated Solutions Inc. (CGS) has acquired Canoga Park, Calif.-based Leadtec Systems Inc., an apparel industry supplier of shop-floor and ...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Get L.A.I.D.
Los Angeles Independent Designers: Get L.A.I.D.,” a
Riordan Reader
Former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan announced plans to launch a local newspaper this summer. The paper will be modeled after the New York Observer, a weekly paper with a distinctive ins...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Independent Designers at Star Shoes
Star Shoes’ Paul Devitt wanted to tap into Los Angeles’ fashion scene, so the entrepreneur decided to host...
Flirty Pom-Pom Tops Ring Up Sales at Happy Six
Sophie Chea’s 2-month-old store in West Los Angeles, Happy Six, targets shoppers looking for youthful, feminine looks such as fruity-print dresses and screen-print T-shirts....
Wheels at Wal-Mart
The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant announced plans to try out used car sales at five Wal-Mart stores in Texas, with a six-month trial period set to begin next month. The enterprise is modeled after elec...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Coalition of Los Angeles Designers
It was an evening of fashion, friends and fun on April 17 when the Coalition of Los Angeles Designers (CLAD) hosted a party to bid a final farewell to this season’s...
South American Trade Push
The Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), which would extend U.S. trade benefits to South American countries, received an endorsement from President Bush and Colombian president Andres Pastrana. The two...
New Sourcing/Tech Show to Bow in New York
Source International, a new trade show covering global sourcing and supply-chain management, will launch in New York next January....
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Ndoeuml;ma
A futuristic setting of neon lights in a stark and spacious (60,000 sq. ft., to be exact) concrete loft served as the backdrop for an avant-garde showing of newcomer designer/artist Ndoeuml;ma...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: San Paredes
Australian fashion designer Paul Magalad made his U.S. debut on April 15 with his “urban-postmodern-inspired”...
Tiffhonee: A Room of One's Own
Like most up-and-coming designers, Tiffanie Peters has a dream that one day all of the fashion world will know her name. But for now, the San Francisco-based designer is content with taking the necess...
Isaac Charles Menswear: Fusing Europe and America
The Isaac Charles collection of upscale urban menswear fuses a variety of styles into custom fabrics and “details found nowhere else in the fashion world,” according to Charles....
Shag: Tiki Painter Uses Clothing As Canvas
Los Angeles-based painter Shag has brought his tiki-filled imagery to apparel with a new label for Costa Mesa, Calif.-based surfwear manufacturer Toes On The Nose....
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Frederick's of Hollywood
The stars were out to kick off fashion week at
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Lotta
Celebrities including Apollonia, Christina Aguilera and Brooke Shields were among the fashion fans and customers gathered at Moomba on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles on April 10 to catch a glimps...
A&F Pulls T-Shirt Line
The New Albany, Ohio-based teen retailer released a public apology after students at Stanford University protested a series of Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirts that they considered to be derogatory to...
New Wins Suit for Labor Department
The state’s court-appointed trustee for the Wins of California case filed a complaint on April 2 against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and is seeking full control over monies collected as...
Santa Monica College Turns to High-Tech Training for Apparel Workers
Santa Monica College (SMC) is doing its part to bring Southern California apparel industry workers up to speed in the technology department. The college next week will launch an 18-month prog...
Pola Associates Forms
Local textile executive Hank Pola has formed Pola Associates, a multi-line mill representation group currently carrying Symphony Textiles and G. Ferranti Textiles....
XOXO Splits with Grupo Xtra, Rejoins Aris
Aris Industries has re-acquired full licensing rights for XOXO following the Los Angeles-based junior label’s split with Grupo Xtra, which manufactured the company’s clothing ...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: PCT
Pacific Coast Travelers (PCT) presented power showcasing at its best at its
L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Make Fashion Not War
It wasn’t a permanent cure for all of the world’s ills, but
Macy's Eyes Orange Co.
Macy’s has set its sights on Orange County, Calif., with $100 million planned in upgrades to its area stores as well as retail expansion. ...
New Warp Knits Created for Garment Dyeing
Italian textile firm Sitip Textiles has created a new type of warp knit designed for the garment dye market....
Tracey Ross HeadsUp Antiques Show
Retailer and Art Deco furniture collector Tracey Ross will serve as chair of the Young Collector’s Committee for the 7th Annual Los Angeles Antiques Show, to be held May 2–5 a...
Parallel on Rodeo Closes
Parallel, a division of Los Angeles-based BCBG Max Azria, recently closed its 1,200-square-foot store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Calif....
L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Private by Freddi Rojas
Private’s fashion show by Los Angeles designer Freddi Rojas on April 15 was an hour and a half late, but the 300...
Friday, April 19
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Cornell Collins
Cornell Collins drew the inspiration for his
The Lubells are Independent Again
Hippie Jeans designers Jeff and Kym Lubell have split from Hippie parent company Azteca Production International. This marks the second split for the Lubells, who are still disputing ownership of Bell...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Deseo 23
It takes chutzpah to stage a fashion show to coincide with the launch of a brand-new company, hold it during Los Angeles Fashion Week and invite the trade and the media. Fortunately for desi...
California Unemployment Rose
California unemployment rose to 6.4 percent in March from 6.2 percent in February—a sign that employers remain cautious when it comes to hiring new workers. March unemployment levels matched January fi...
Fashion Consultants Scout L.A. Fashion Week
Fashion consultants Michael Rosen and Ken Rubenstein have announced that they are considering opening an office of their company UK2US in Los Angeles....
Woodbury to Honor Fonda, Ridge
Actress Bridget Fonda and costume designer John David Ridge will be honored by Woodbury University during its 38th annual fashion show, titled “Theatre de la Mode,” to ...
Quiksilver in the Grove
The Huntington Beach-based surf giant has opened a Quiksilver Boardriders Club at Los Angeles’ newest shopping venue, the Grove. The 2,000-square-foot store will carry the Quiksilver men’s line and the ...
Labor Department Releases New AB633 Regulations
The Labor Department’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) has released newly revised Assembly Bill 633 regulations called “manufacturer- and contractor-friendly” by the govern...
FCC, Jones Reach $300,000 Care-Labeling Settlement
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has reached a $300,000 settlement with Jones Apparel Group Inc. following allegations that the New York apparel maker violated the FTC’s Ca...
CMC Adds New Urban Showrooms
The California Market Center has added a number of new permanent showrooms on its fourth floor, which was formerly reserved for menswear. The new urban showrooms include a number of junior lines that...
Several Trade Shows Keep Buying Brisk at L.A. Market
Many apparel representatives said the economy might be on the road to recovery in light of the heavy foot traffic reported at the California Market Center (CMC) during its Fall 2002 market, held Apri...
March '02 Retail Sales Rebound
The Easter holiday gave retailers an expected lift in March as shoppers—inspired by an improving economy—sprung for spring fashions and returned to department stores and some specialt...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Richard Tyler
Richard Tyler’s edgy, rock-n-chic looks used to maddeningly spurn the wallet of the typical shopper. No more. The Australia-born designer, who heeded the plebeian pleas for more affor...
Karl Kani, the Pioneer
The Los Angeles-based designer will receive the Pioneer Award at the first annual Urban Fashion Awards Show in June in New York. The awards show, produced by New York publicity firm S & S Associat...
NRF Tackles Port Security
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is urging the president and members of Congress to proceed carefully in implementing port security measures. The Washington, D.C.-based organization implored lawma...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Rami Kashou
This may only be Rami Kashou’s second season, but it certainly seems as though the designer is making some noise....
Now You Can Wear Your Etnies in Etnies Park
The Orange County city of Lake Forest has given the shoe company permission to put its name and logo on local parkland in exchange for $100,000. The park is based adjacent to Etnies headquarters, and ...
New Web Site Seizes on Plus-Size Opportunity
For women, size does matter when it comes to clothing and looking good....
Fashion With Compassion
More club scene than fashion show, Fashion With Compassion, an OC Weekly–sponsored fashion showheld April 11 benefiting Very Special Arts Orange C...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: California Mart
The provocative performances by a dancing troupe dressed in tattered white clothing and the gravity-defying moves by two beefcake contortionists didn’t distract the buyers attending the Los Angeles F...
Fabulous... Presents: Heatherette Goes to Hollywood
It truly was “an evening of cocktails, music, posing and divas” (just as the invitation stated) on April 11 when Heatherette designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains along with ...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Jared Gold
If Jared Gold’s clothing were a food, it would be rich and moist cupcakes with pink and turquoise icing and rainbow sprinkles with a dark red cherry on top. The cupcakes, however, would be ser...
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: Jose Engel
Jose Engel
L.A. Fashion Week Fall 2002: MartinMartin
Editors and stylists turned out for the first solo show from MartinMartin’s husband-and-wife design team, Eric and Diane Martin. Los Angeles retailer Aero and Co. sponsored t...
Friday, April 12
Valley Boutiques Selling City Styles
Now that the Southern California Valley Girl of 1980s lore has grown up, she has taken her latest shopping exploits east of Encino and onto a segment of Ventura Boulevard between Laurel Canyon Bouleva...
Chica Has Partnered With Jem
Chica has partnered withJem to form Chica Inc. The deal calls for San Fernando-based Jem Sportswear to provide sales, production MIS, shipping and administrative support to the Los Angeles-based junio...
International Inspiration: Jean Votre Nom
Jeans Votre Nom is for women who want to add a little bit of European influence to their wardrobes. ...
Levi Strauss Winding Down U.S. Operations
San Francisco-based denim giant Levi Strauss & Co. announced plans this week to close six U.S. manufacturing facilities and lay off approximately 3,300 workers by October....
Small Gift Show Opens With Eye on Crossover Buyers
Local buyers made for solid business at the California Market Center (CMC) gift and home accessories show April 7–9, which also saw a sprinkling of boutique owners from Arizona, Nevada, New Me...
Supreme Court Ruling on Undocumented Workers Could Have Apparel Impact
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning the rights of undocumented workers could have an impact on the local apparel industry, according to some sources....
The CFDA Has Named Names
The New York-based Council of Fashion Designers of America has named the nominees for the group’s annual fashion awards. Los Angeles-based Rick Owens is up against New Yorkers Zac Posen, Behnaz Sarafpour and P...
Nationwide Employment Rose
Nationwide employment rose 58,000 in March, according to the Department of Labor, but new jobs remained few, a fact which caused unemployment to increase to 5.7 percent from 5.5 percent in February. M...
CLAD Refocuses Fashion Mission
The Coalition of Los Angeles Designers (CLAD) recently presented its new executive board members and announced that it is refocusing its position in Los Angeles’ fashion industry....
French Labels Investigate Los Angeles Business
The Economic Department of the French Embassy in Los Angeles and the California Fashion Association will present a breakfast and roundtable at the California Mart on April 16 to discuss Sout...
Fashion Museum on the Burner Again at City Hall
With a new administration in place at Los Angeles City Hall, local fashion icon Irene Kasmer hopes to finally bring to fruition her dream of getting a fashion museum built in Los Angeles. Where it wil...
International Inspiration: T-bags
Shadi Askari and Su-Lyn Tay are practical designers who keep their passion for high fashion in check....
H. Lorenzo Men's Opens
Los Angeles-based high-end European boutique H. Lorenzo recently opened men’s boutique H. Men in the space next to its original location on Sunset Plaza, an outdoor high-end casual li...
Former Edge Exec Launches Distribution Company
Los Angeles-based Mark Encinias, former account executive for MAGIC International’s the edge and Outer Limits shows, has launched his own distribution company, Monta...
Earl is Online
The Los Angeles-based jeans company has launched a consumer Web site,
Ice Cream Maker Turns to Apparel With New L.A. Venture
City officials, garment workers and a few Ben & Jerry’s ice cream devotees recently turned out for the opening of Los Angeles’ newest garment manufacturer, SweatX....
Ritual Plans RE:MIX Launch Party
Los Angeles-based marketing firm Ritual Events/AUTHNTIK will host a launch party on April 25 to announce plans for a new music and fashion lifestyle conference called the RE:MIX Expo...
Forever 21 Has Dropped a Lawsuit
Forever 21 has dropped a lawsuit against 19 garment workers who participated in protests and demonstrations against the company, although the Los Angeles-based retailer has not dropped its defamation suit against three workers’ right...
Ace Ross Opens Quick-Turn Production Facility
Ace Ross, owner of junior and tween label Ace Ross Studios, has opened a production facility for his American Clothing Enterprises in the heart of downtown Los Angeles to handle cutt...
Sage Group: Structuring Mid-Range Mergers and Acquisitions
Los Angeles-based Sage Group LLC is a 2-year-old merchant bank with a focus on mergers and acquisitions of mid-range companies valued between $50 million and $500 million su...
New Group Forms for Young Finance Professionals
YPG is a spinoff of Risk Management Association ...
Ramos, Claudill Christen New Store
Designer Estevan Ramos has made another fashion statement with the opening of his EastSide retail store....
Freudenberg Picks Up Duro Interlinings
Freudenberg Nonwovens L.P. has reached an agreement with Duro Industries to pick up that company’s Handler-Interlinings division....
Friday, April 5
Making Changes at a Lingerie Legend
At times, it’s hard to remember that 57-year-old Frederick’s of Hollywood is slogging through a bankruptcy. Known for its revealing lingerie, the Los Angeles-based manufacturer and retailer i...
Michelle Mason Adds New Collection
Los Angeles designer Michelle Mason has launched a new collection—called Mason—that translates some of the designer’s signature details into a contemporary line with lower price points....
Night and Day
Crisp suits in bold, primary colors shared the runway with sultry gowns in jewel-toned satin at a recent St. John...
NIKEgoddess Bows at the Grove
It was a sports fan feast at the March 15 opening of the newest NIKEgoddess store at Los Angeles’ newest shopping center, the Grove. There to please guests of the private party with a...
Gifts Are Big Business for Apparel Boutiques
Some apparel specialty stores dabble in gifts—which have grown to represent an important component of their sales—but the Brown Eyed Girl boutique in San Francisco lets gifts take center stage....
Modular Line Bows at Art Center
A new line of modular apparel will be on display April 6 at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. “Change Clothes: Fashion Personified” is a collaboration between...
Domestic Manufacturing Rose
Domestic manufacturing rose in March to the highest level since February 2000, according to the Institute for Supply Management, which compiles the index. The organization found that the index rose to...
Getting Wired; Handy Hanes
There are but a few clothing manufacturers seriously exploring the convergence of fashion with modern communications technology. And most of the Web-enabled garments that do exist will have to undergo some changes...
Designers & Agents Take On Tokyo
Overcast skies and drizzling weather did not prevent Japanese buyers from attending Designers & Agents’ inaugural Tokyo trade show, held March 25–27 at the Modapolitica gallery in the Japa...
Target, Kohl's to Join Upland Center
Target, Kohl’s Department Stores and Chick’s Sporting Goods have inked leases to open at the Colonies Crossroads, a $550 million retail/residential project in Upland,...
Retailer Billy Martin Has Opened a New Store
Retailer Billy Martin has opened a new store in Rancho Mirage at the newly opened retail development the River. This is the fourth store for the Western wear retailer, which also has stores in Hollywo...
The Herald Examiner Building Will Become Creative Office Space
The Herald Examiner building will become creative office space thanks to a deal between the Hearst Corp.’s real estate division and Urban Partners LLC. The Spanish revival building in downtown...
Frankie B. Swimwear Debut
Los Angeles-based Frankie B. has added sexy swimwear to its hard-rocking low-rise denim mix. ...
Kyser Urges Investment in Tech, Local Fashion
California apparel makers need to invest more in technology and take advantage of the strong demand for West Coast fashion while the going is good, according to Jack Kyser, chief economist fo...
Avenue Turnaround Slowly Shaping Up
More than three years ago, the new owners of the Shops at Palos Verdes in affluent Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., decided to peel the roof off the aging mall, put i...
Crude Oil Prices Could Hold Back Recovery
Crude oil prices could hold back U.S. economic recovery, according to economists who point to rising oil prices, which could lead to higher gasoline and natural gas prices. The Israeli-Palestinian con...
Elena LaBua
Elena LaBua’s telephone has been ringing off the hook, according to contemporary designers Janna Pelsinger and Christine Kohout....
Gap Techs Up Operations
The Gap will be relying more on technology to help keep its inventories in check as the 3,097-unit chain rolls out the initial phases of a big software investment it committed to las...
DuPont Lycra Takes West East
New York buyers got a chance to see Los Angeles-based labels Hippie Jeans and AG Adriano Goldschmied during New York Fashion Week in February than...
Shippers to Pass Rail Charge to Customers
Shipping lines transporting imported containers out of Southern California by rail from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will soon begin passing to their customers charges associated w...
Nearly Half the Tariffs Collected are Clothing, Shoes
Nearly half the tariffs collected on imports to the United States are on clothing and shoes, according to a recent study by the Progressive Policy Institute. Apparel and shoes account for only about 6...
New Officers, New Direction for CLAD
The Coalition of Los Angeles Designers (CLAD) will host a forum on April 8 to discuss the group’s future plans and to introduce its new director, Shana Rocheleau....
