Friday, January 28
Spotlight Shines on Hong Kong Fashion
HONG KONG—Thousands of buyers in town for Hong Kong Fashion Week had no shortage of fashion shows to attend during the Jan. 18–21 event, which showcased Asian fashion with a particular spotligh...
L.A. Law Firm Explains Labor Changes
Lawyers at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP explained recent changes in employment law at a breakfast seminar held Jan. 26 in the firm’s Los Angeles office....
Upstairs, Downstairs
Nicki Osina ran women’s boutique Riley James out of the first floor of a stately San Francisco Victorian for three years before adding menswear in 2004, when 1,300 square feet opened in the building’s ...
Judge Approves New Glendale Mall
Rick Caruso is one step closer to building the Americana at Brand lifestyle center in Glendale, Calif., but he has had to put up a fight....
Avery Launches New Logo-Friendly Fasteners
Framingham, Mass.–based Avery Dennison has rolled out a new line of tag fasteners designed to feature product logos and company names....
Fashioning Tomorrowland: Disney's Licensing Program Gets Edgy
Skip Snead is used to dealing with edgy clients such as Rusty and Hot Topic at his 4- year-old private-label surfwear company, Chronic Industries...
Bebe Breaks With Titan
Brisbane-based Bebe Stores Inc. announced it will amicably end its footwear licensing agreement with Titan Industries in June 2005. Bebe said Titan will continue to work with the retailer as a private...
New Point-of-Sale Systems Unveiled at NRF
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology got plenty of attention during the National Retail Federation Conference, held Jan. 16–19 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New...
Tukatech to Debut CAD/PDM Package
Los Angeles–based Tukatech Inc. has developed a new software package called TukaPlan Pro, which integrates pattern design specs into product data management applications aimed at faci...
Lacroix Goes Duty-Free
French luxury company Louis Vuitton-Moet Hennessy completed its sale of French fashion house Christian Lacroix to the Falic Group, an American duty-free retailer....
New Kids on the Block in Eagle Rock
Could Los Angeles’ next boutique neighborhood be Eagle Rock?...
Lang Splits With Prada
Designer Helmut Lang has left the Prada Group, which produces his eponymous line. Prada has owned a 51 percent stake in Lang’s label since 1999. In December, the Italian company purchased the remaining...
Tommy Repositions
Hong Kong– based Tommy Hilfiger laid off about 200 employees in the United States in an effort to reposition and streamline the company. Other efforts include changing each wholesale division to have dedicated...
Tarrant Lands Beyonceacute; Deal
Tarrant Apparel Group said it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement to collaborate on the design, manufacturing and distribution of singer Beyonceacute; Knowles’ House of Dereo...
Market Focuses on Small Designers, Boutiques
The creator of the Melrose/Fairfax Swap Meet will launch a weekly open-air market focusing on small boutiques and designers on Feb. 5....
Rip Curl Positions for U.S. Growth
Surf brand Rip Curl International Pty Ltd., based in Torquay, Australia, is about to become Americanized....
Weighing the Impact of a Federated-May Merger
Possible merger sparks industry speculation and concern ...
Essence of Cherokee
Van Nuys–based Cherokee Inc. has inked a deal with Essence Communications, publisher of Essence, to form a strategic direct retail licensing opportunity for the magazine....
Adidas Heads to Beijing
German athletic brand Adidas-Salomon AG has been named the official sportswear partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The company will outfit staff, volunteers and technical officials at the Olymp...
No Thread, No Stitches: Adhesives Gain Acceptance in Manufacturing
First it was tags and labels, and now threads and needles are finding their days numbered thanks to an emerging technology that uses adhesive film and ultrasound to construct “seamless” ...
End of Quotas Draws Buyers to Hong Kong Fashion Week
HONG KONG—IIke Zakaria landed in Hong Kong after an overnight flight from Los Angeles and, two hours later, began searching for Chinese apparel factories that would help distinguish his family’s clothin...
Bankrupt Ames Acquired by Da-Rue California
Ames Ladies Wear, a family-owned chain of nine stores in the Los Angeles area that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection more than a year ago, has been acquired by another local family-r...
Paul Frank's Target Suit
Costa Mesa– based Paul Frank Industries has filed a federal lawsuit against Minneapolis-based retailer Target. Paul Frank said certain items sold at Target infringe on the manufacturer’s Julius...
Howe's New Concept: Indie Executive
Designer Jade Howe has the answer to the metrosexual— and the limitations of that much-used new term coined to describe a man who takes as keen an interest in his wardrobe and grooming as women typical...
Koreatown Chic
The Koreatown Galleria is a primary go-to place for one of Southern California’s burgeoning ethnic groups....
For the Sake of a Frock
The word “frock” may sound frumpy to American ears, but to Australian designer Leona Edmiston, the word is the key to good style....
Friday, January 21
New at True Religion
True Religion Apparel has promoted Kymberly Lubell, formerly director, to vice president. Lubell will continue as design director of women’s jeans for the Los Angeles–based company’s subsidiary, Guru Den...
Bug-Free with L.L. Bean
Greensboro, N.C.–based Buzz Off Insect Shield LLC and Freeport, Maine–based L.L. Bean Inc. have teamed up to launch Buzz Off Insect Shield Insect Repellent Apparel From L.L. Bean. The men’s, women’s and children’s apparel will fe...
Textile Group Changes Name
With the new year comes a new name for the Textile Professional Club....
Tukatech and ISL in Software Deal
Los Angeles–based technology company Tukatech Inc. and Texas apparel manufacturer ISL Inc. have entered into a software deal in which ISL will use Tukatech’s TukaPlan...
Joanna Lhuillier
Joanna Lhuillier is a child of design. Born in London and raised in Hong Kong, Lhuillier is the daughter of furniture designers Paul and Diane Maitland-Smith and the younger sister of eveningwear desi...
Jet Set Management Launches Apparel Line
Jet Set Management Group Inc. plans to bring the Southern California surfer look to Japan with the launch of the Jetty apparel line....
Pakistan Gears Up to Boost Exports at New Expo
Now that quotas have disappeared, Pakistan is gearing up to compete with China on the apparel and textile front....
OptiTex Names West Coast Manager
New York–based CAD/CAM company OptiTex USA Inc. has named industry veteran Tonya Randall West Coast account manager....
T-Shirts and Technology Meet at ISS
The old adage that image is everything certainly proved true at the Imprinted Sportswear Show, held Jan.14–16 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif....
FCI Show Bows in Downtown Gallery
Art and fashion converged on Jan. 13 when Los Angeles design school Fashion Careers International hosted its student fashion show at the Infusion Gallery in downtown Los Angeles....
Guess for Feet
Los Angeles–based Guess? Inc. has struck a deal with Marc Fisher LLC to develop, produce and distribute athletic footwear under the Guess brand. The 10-year renewable licensing deal covers the United S...
Two More for Rodeo
Fashion photographers Mario Testino and the late Herb Ritts will be inducted into the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style by the City of Beverly Hills and the Rodeo Drive Committee in a ceremony on March 20. Te...
Rita English, Longtime Sales Rep at CMC, DMC
Rita English, a seasoned sales representative who had worked at the Dallas Market Center and California Market Center, died on Jan. 15 after a long battle with cancer. She w...
Todd Oldham Talks Design
Todd Oldham is out of the apparel business, but he is still immersed in design. And that’s enough to keep his fashion fans interested in his endeavors and progress....
Asian Divide at Invista
Wilmington, Del.–based Invista, the fiber division of Wichita, Kan.–based Koch Industries, has split its Asian business into two divisions: China/Hong Kong and Asia. The company named William Yeoh vice ...
The Closet Wants to Move to NikeTown
NikeTown Orange County will leave a big space when it shutters its doors on Jan. 30. Since 1993, the store has been one of the anchors at the Triangle Square shopping center in Costa...
Color and Glamour from Poleci
The California Market Center hosted the creators of Los Angeles contemporary label
Jacalyn Bennett
As classic apparel finds its way back into the marketplace, Jacalyn Bennett is enjoying the irony of fostering a seductive vixen beneath a conservative exterior....
Dallas Market Center Takes on New Partner
The Dallas Market Center has taken on an equity partner. Orlando, Fla.–based real estate firm CNL Income Properties Inc. plans to invest about $71 million into the nearly 5 million-sq...
RFID Issues Take Center Stage at NRF
The rollout of radio frequency identification (RFID) initiatives recently launched by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has not gone as smoothly as the retailer would have liked. But the problem...
Summer and Fall Fashions Solid at ASR and Agenda
Changing tides marked the surfwear, skatewear and streetwear business at the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo, held Jan. 14–16 at the San Diego Convention Center, and the A...
Surf, Skate and Snow Style at ASR
Members of the action-sports industry—including retailers, exhibitors and press—attended the Action Sports ...
Amazon Woman
New York–based Diane von Furstenberg has partnered with Seattle-based Amazon Services, a subsidiary of Web retailer
Voom Bows at Mica Showroom
For the Voom girl,
Items and Novelty Drive Business at L.A. Market
Retailers turned out in droves at the Jan. 14–18 Los Angeles Market Week, although roller-coaster Holiday sales led many to buy with caution....
Wednesday, January 19
Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring '05: Purp7e and Purp7e Agua
Designers Vera Ribeiro and Andre Kohler recently added an accessory to their Purp7e line of rayon knit sweaters: swimwear....
Friday, January 14
Select
Le Tigre, the embodiment of that 1970s preppy, polo-shirted, logo-happy look, is back. Part of a revival that has seen the reemergence of Lacoste, Fred Perry and Munsingwear (Penguin), Le Tigre has found a new generation
Three for St. John
Irvine-based highend apparel maker St. John Knits has named three new vice presidents. Robert Green was named executive vice president of sales and marketing. Previously, Green was with Vestimena and ...
Active Ride's Guide to Mixing and Matching
One of the cardinal rules of merchandising is placing the most fashionable brands in the front of the store. But when Active Ride puts top contemporary casual names such as G-Star a...
Seminar Schedule Set for Material World
A panel of industry experts from Perry Ellis International, Phillips-Van Heusen and Nine West will top the seminar and events schedule ...
IMG Announces New Miami Fashion Week
IMG’s 7th on Sixth is putting Miami in the spotlight, adding to its roster a new international fashion week focusing on swimwear. Its fashion weeks already ...
Gerry Building Deal Falls Through
A deal to purchase the Gerry Building in Los Angeles for close to $15 million has been terminated, according to real estate brokers in charge of selling the wholesale facility....
First Stop Bridal, Next Stop Eveningwear
What should an elegant bride wear after her wedding ceremony? Rani Totman thinks it should be something just as beautiful as her bridal dress....
Hot Kiss Launches New Line
Hot Kiss Inc. Corp., based in Los Angeles, is growing beyond its juniors business by launching a new contemporary sportswear brand aimed at specialty shops and better department stores....
Magli Emerges
BM USA Inc., the Texas-based subsidiary of Italian shoemaker Bruno Magli S.p.A.., emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 10....
Bragel Stands Ground Against Knockoff Artists
Pomona, Calif.–based Bragel International Inc., producer of the NuBra strapless brassiere, was recently awarded a judgment in U.S. District Court against Staten Island, N.Y.–based N.Y. Intima...
'High-Touch' Goes Into High Gear
“High-touch interaction” is cyberspace’s newest buzzword. It refers to the activities between online retailers and their customers. The term particularly pertains to the quality of follow...
Report: Online Satisfaction Guaranteed
According to Nielsen/NetRatings’ annual 2004 “eSpending Report,” the majority of online consumers were satisfied with this season’s Web shopping experience. Thirty-seven percent were very satisfi...
VF's New Strategy
Greensboro, S.C.–based VF Corp. named Stephen Dull vice president of strategy, a new position. Prior to joining VF, Dull held positions at Accenture and McKinsey & Co. He also joins VF’s operating c...
Laurel Canyon, N.Y.
New York’s Times Square will get a glimpse of California style thanks to Los Angeles–based jeans line Paige Premium Denim, which will unveil a billboard in February at the famed intersection. The billbo...
L.A.'s Boutique Districts Thrive Despite the Drive
In 2004, established designers such as Michael Kors and Etro prospected the Los Angeles area to build new stores. They are part of a growing wave that’s remaking Los Angeles ...
Puma Moving Into CMC Showroom
California Market Center officials have snagged a big cat. They have signed sports and lifestyle giant Puma AG to a long-term lease in the Los Angeles–based wholesale mart....
James Perse Plans New Stores, Web Venture
James Perse is going bicoastal. The Los Angeles designer, known for his sophisticated casual style, is on the move with a number of projects aimed at expanding the lifestyle brand. This spring, Vernon, Calif...
Trovata
Trovata means “found” in Italian. And the corduroy blazers, khaki tailored pants, striped polo shirts and other garments made under the Trovata label loo...
Radical Chic in Berkeley
BERKELEY, Calif.—Think Berkeley fashion and you might conjure up images of ’60s radicals or bookish university students....
Milliken Certified
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration rated textile maker Milliken & Co.’s facility in LaGrange, Ga., a “Star” site in workplace safety and health. The facility won approval from OSHA’s Star Volunta...
Vice Magazine's Fashion Store Closes
Vice, the store that provided contemporary streetwear to shoppers in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles for three years, closed Jan. 9, according to Aviva Yael, Vice’s director of reta...
December '04 Sales Good … at the Last Minute
The Holiday season ended on an overall strong, cheery note, with the retail sector of the economy increasing 2.7 percent on a year-over-year basis, according to the New York–based Int...
ENK Sets Dates for L.A. Contemporary Market, Prepares for Las Vegas
New York–based trade show producer ENK International announced plans to join the lineup at the new Los Angeles Contemporary Market, set for March 17–22, according to Preside...
Hello? Kitty?
Sanrio, the Japan-based parent company of Hello Kitty merchandise, has inked a deal with Nokia for a Hello Kitty edition of the Nokia 6010 mobile phone. The hot-pink pay-as-you-go phone is emblazoned with Hello Kitty...
Brands Get Eastern Exposure at Surf Expo
ORLANDO, Fla.—Kicking off the 2005 apparel trade show circuit, Surf Expo proved that the big brands were growing bigger, the juniors market was still hot and an increasing number of companies ...
Article.1
Article. 1 is a fashion-forward blank T-shirt line developed to offer designers, manufacturers and apparel brands highquality blank knit apparel at a competitive price point. Designer Gianna ...
Diane Levin Sales
The bonsai tree and spare Asian-style interior design of Diane Levin’s showroom paint a picture of quiet harmony, but the past year for Levin’s business has been defined by bustling growth.
New at Warnaco
Doris Miller has joined the Warnaco Swimwear Group as vice president of activewear sales and licensing. Previously, she was director of soft line sales for The Walt Disney Co. The Warnaco Swimwear Group is the Los An...
Rogiani Announces Store Closure
Sportswear’s gain could be retail’s loss when it comes to the latest career moves of Los Angeles designer Elisabetta Rogiani....
Rain Doesn't Keep Buyers Away In S.F.
SAN FRANCISCO—For more than 20 years, Roxanne Tritica has set up a booth inside the barn-like structure that houses the Fashion Market of San Francisco, an event that happens five times a year...
Jasmin Shokrian
Designer Jasmin Shokrian has been keeping a low profile since launching her collection three years ago. ...
Chan Luu Showroom
Chan Luu likes to do things her way. Take the way she writes her name. The jewelry designer altered the spelling of her surname from the conventional Vietnamese spelling and put it first before her given name in the traditional Vietnamese style.
Coco Kliks
The couch is pink. The walls are lavender. The ceilings are very high.
Friday, January 7
OptiTex Rolls Out 3-D Fabric Simulator
New York–based CAD/CAM company OptiTex USA Inc. has added a cloth simulation engine to its CAD software package to give patternmakers and designers better visualization during the sample-makin...
Todd Oldham Coming to CMC
Fashion and interior designer Todd Oldham is coming to the California Market Center on Jan. 18 for a presentation and question-and-answer session with Los Angeles Market We...
Koret Gets New CEO
Former May Department Stores Co. executive Stephen F. Powers was named president and chief executive officer of sportswear company Koret, a division of St...
Jelessy Strikes Kabbalah Centre Deal
Steven Shaul, the 20-year industry veteran who previously propelled Jordache designer jeans and Smash Clothing sportswear, is bringing Kabbalah to the masses....
Local Organizations Raise Funds for Tsunami Victims
Answering the global call to help the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami in late December that has killed approximately 150,000 people, several California apparel companies said they will donate fund...
AIU Status Upgraded While Brooks Decision Nears
American InterContinental University has been cleared of sanctions placed on it by its accrediting agency, but the private college must postpone plans to open new fashion schools in Dallas an...
French Weavers Host American Designer Panel
LYON, FRANCE—Nony Tochterman, designer for Los Angeles–based label Petro Zillia, discussed French textiles and the U.S. apparel market at a Dec. 9 panel discussion hosted by a group of...
Focusing on L.A. Design
Focus Syndicate, a new fashion show series, kicked off its first event on Dec. 16 at the Selah Artistic Giving Center in downtown Los Angeles. The runway show featu...
Styling the Straight Girl
Behind the Scenes of “Queer Eye for the Straight Girl” ...
TALA Names Board, Honorees
The Textile Association of Los Angeles will install its new board of directors on Jan. 27 at its annual luncheon. The association will also name Michael I. Goldman Member of the Year...
Quiksilver Ski?
Quiksilver Inc. is in talks with Skis Rossignol to acquire the 100-year-old venerable French ski brand. If the two strike a deal, the Huntington Beach–based surfwear maker will expand its positioning i...
Stacy Adams Leather
Milwaukee men’s shoe brand Stacy Adams, a division of Weyco Group Inc., has inked a deal with Sylmar, Calif.–based Adler Sportswear Inc. for a collection of men’s leather coats, shirts and pants under th...
Malia Swim
Los Angeles–based Warning Management Services, which represents professional surfer Malia Jones, has struck a licensing deal with Beija Brazil to manufacture the Malia Jones Signature Line of Swimwear....
Ted Baker to Open on Robertson
Ted Baker Plc. has put an undeniably British accent on contemporary men’s and women’s apparel, and this increasingly popular, London-based retailer will be opening a store on Los Angeles’ Robertson Boul...
Changes at Wet Seal
The Wet Seal Inc. began closing stores as part of its plans to shutter about 150 of its 463 Wet Seal stores. The Foothill Ranch–based retail chain also operates 96 Arden B. stores. As a result of the ...
Cotton Promotions
New York–based Cotton Inc. promoted Paula G. Rosario to vice president, retail and fashion marketing. Previously, Rosario was senior executive, retail and fashion marketing....
Beginning of 2005 Ushers in Questions for Apparel Importers
If last year was the “Year of Shenanigans,” 2005 is likely to be the “Year of a Little Instability.”...
Tarrant Lands Simpson Deal
The Tarrant Apparel Group said it obtained the license to design, make, and distribute jeans and casualwear sold under singer Jessica Simpson’s name. Terms were not disclosed....
Delta Sells Yarn Plant
Duluth, Ga.–based Delta Apparel has sold its yarn manufacturing plant in Edgefield, S.C., to Parkdale America for $10 million and has struck a 5-year agreement with Parkdale to procure yarn for Delta a...
Fashion District Buildings Evacuated During Bomb Scare
Business and traffic was disrupted for about 1 1/2 hours in the Los Angeles Fashion District on the morning of Jan. 5, when police were alerted to a suspicious duffle bag left abando...
Liz Claiborne Snaps Up Another California Company
Turning to the West Coast again to tap into the thriving global contemporary market, New York apparel giant Liz Claiborne Inc. acquired C&C California Inc. for more than...
Guess' European Expansion
Guess? Inc. said it purchased the remaining shares of Maco Apparel S.p.A. that it did not already own for an undisclosed sum. The company said the move is part of a plan to expand it...
Bentley Joins SIMA
San Clemente, Calif.–based Surf Industry Manufacturers Association said it hired David Bentley as development director....
New Web Launch for Jared Gold
Designer Jared Gold has launched his first e-commerce Web site at
Rock Underground to Bow at Pool
Orange County alternative clothing line Rock Underground will debut during the Pool Trade Show, which will be held Feb. 14–16 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center i...
Blurring the Lines Between Apparel and Accessories
A couple of Southern California companies are blurring the line between accessories and apparel—by recasting contemporary sweaters as fashion accessories and by using denim-friendly belts as springboar...
TALA's 60th Annual Holiday Party
The Textile Association of Los Angeles threw its 60th consecutive Christmas party for neighborhood children on Dec. 17 at the California Market Center....
